PROCEEDINGS. 
383 
they publish nothing. During the past year 1,000 volumes and 
pamphlets were received in exchange for publications of the 
Society and were distributed to the Naval Observatory, the 
Library of Congress, the National Museum, the Smithsonian In¬ 
stitution, and the Geological Survey. 
In so far as accounts are concerned, it may be stated that a 
complete account is kept of all the bulletins and separates re¬ 
ceived from the printer and a complete record of their distribu¬ 
tion. In so far as the- exchange list is concerned, it may be stated 
that two card records are kept, one showing the establishments 
to which the publications are sent and each card showing exactly 
what publications have been sent to date to the establishment in 
cpiestion. A second set of cards is kept, showing from what 
establishments publications are received, and showing for each 
establishment to which of the five recipients in Washington their 
publications are forwarded as soon as received. Each publication 
received in exchange is, before being sent to its Washington 
recipient, stamped in such a manner as to show that it is a gift 
from the Philosophical Society. 
The principal event of the year was the incorporation of the 
Society. The articles of incorporation were filed on May 20, 
1901, in accordance with the instructions of the Society given at 
its meeting of May 11th. On May 25th the incorporators elected 
as their associates all persons who were members of the Philo¬ 
sophical Society of Washington on May 20, 1901, the date of the 
incorporation. The effect of this action was to make the mem¬ 
bership of the incorporated Society the same as that of the unin¬ 
corporated Society which it superseded. It was decided at the 
meeting of the Society on May 25th that the life of the Society 
should be considered continuous and the meetings have accord¬ 
ingly been numbered consecutively. At this meeting By-Laws 
were adopted which were substantially the same as the Consti¬ 
tution formerly in force. 
Upon the supposition that it is well for the members to know 
whether their Society is prospering or not, the following table 
has been incorporated in this report, showing in successive col¬ 
umns the year of report, the number of active members, the total 
gain or loss in membership, the number of new members elected, 
the average attendance at the meetings for the reading of papers, 
