524 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
Society, in conjunction with the Anthropological and Biological 
Societies, held on January 11a joint meeting commemorative of 
the life and scientific work'of Professor S. F. Baird. This meet¬ 
ing, as well as that for the annual address of the retiring Presi¬ 
dent, was held in the lecture-room of the Columbian University; 
all other meetings in the assembly hall of the Cosmos Club. 
There have been 12 meetings of the Mathematical Section; 
average attendance, 14. All meetings of the section were held 
in the Columbian University. 
In the general meetings 43 communications have been pre¬ 
sented by 30 members and 5 guests; in the Mathematical Sec¬ 
tion, 27 communications by 16 members. Altogether 70 com¬ 
munications have been made by 44 members and 5 guests. The 
number of members and guests who have participated in the 
discussions is 45. The total number who have contributed to 
the proceedings is 62, or 30 per cent, of the present active mem¬ 
bership. 
The General Committee has held 16 meetings; average attend¬ 
ance, 14; the smallest attendance at any meeting being 11 and 
the largest 22. 
When the place of meeting of the Society was changed last 
year from the Army Medical Museum to the assembly hall of 
the Cosmos Club, the rules respecting attendance of guests were 
modified to the extent of tendering a general invitation to all 
members of the Club to attend the meetings of the Society. This 
invitation has affected the average attendance by increasing the 
number of guests. 
To its small stock of furniture the Society has added during 
the year a magic lantern of good quality and all its accompany¬ 
ing appliances. 
There has also been formed this year a Joint Commission of 
the Scientific Societies of Washington to consider matters of 
common interest. The initiative in organizing such commission 
was taken in the General Committee early in the year. As 
organized, the commission consists of three delegates each from 
the Anthropological, Biological, Chemical, National Geographic, 
and Philosophical Societies. 
The General Committee of the Society has agreed to unite in 
the preparation and publication of a joint directory of the five 
named Scientific Societies. It has also decided to make impor- 
