OF THE

AMERICAN ACADEMY

OF

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

VOL. III.

FROM MAY, 1852, TO MAY, 1857.

SELECTED FROM THE RECORDS.

BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE:

METCALF AND COMPANY,

PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.

1857.

Three hundred and sixty-second meeting.

May 25, 1852.- ANNUAL MEETING.

The PRESIDENT in the chair.

Professor Lovering presented the annual report of the Treasurer, in his absence, for the past year, a part of which was read by the Recording Secretary. It was then accepted.

The annual report of the Committee on the Library was read by Dr. A. A. Gould, and accepted.

The annual report of the Committee of Publication was read by Professor Lovering, and accepted.

Professor A. Gray, in behalf of the committee to whom was referred the amendment of the third section of Chapter VII. of the Statutes of the Academy, proposed by Dr. B. A. Gould at the last statute meeting, recommended that it be adopted; namely, that the second clause of the third section of Chapter VII. of the Statutes of the Academy be replaced by the following:

"The Council for Nomination shall consist of the President and the two Secretaries, together with three Fellows from each of the three Classes of the Academy, to be elected by ballot at the annual meeting. And it shall be the duty of the Council, in nominating Associates and Foreign Honorary Members, to consult the wishes of that section of the Academy to which the candidate, if elected, would belong."

Dr. W. F. Channing exhibited several fine positive photographic pictures on paper, made by Mr. Whipple by simple superposition of the negatives taken on glass. Dr. Channing stated that this process was interesting as the beginning of a new and beautiful art; the original picture taken by the camera on glass being thus susceptible of indefinite multiplication on paper.

The Scrutineers reported that the following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year, viz. :

The following gentlemen were chosen Members of the Council for nominating Foreign Honorary Members, viz. :

"Voted, That a committee, consisting of the Secretaries and the members of the Committee of Publication, be appointed to revise the arrangement of the list of members into sections, with a view to its permanent adoption."

On motion of Dr. W. F. Channing, it was

"Voted, That a committee be appointed to revise the language of Chapter VII. of the Statutes of the Academy."

Messrs. W. F. Channing, A. Gray, and B. A. Gould, Jr. were appointed that committee.

On motion of Dr. B. A. Gould, Jr., it was

"Voted, That in all future nominations of candidates for election to the Academy, the section to which the candidate, if elected, would belong shall be specified in writing."

President Hitchcock exhibited some fossil fruits and seeds from the lignite deposit associated with the iron ore at Brandon, in Vermont. He was of opinion that they belonged to the tertiary formation, but whether to the miocene or pliocene, he was doubtful.

On motion of Professor Lovering, it was

"Voted, That the thanks of the Academy be presented to Hon. Edward Everett, late Vice-President, to Dr. Augustus A. Gould, late Corresponding Secretary, to Mr. Joseph Hale Abbot, late Recording Secretary, to Mr. J. Ingersoll Bowditch, late Treasurer, and to Dr. Henry I. Bowditch, late Librarian, for the efficient and valuable services they have rendered to the Academy in their respective offices." On motion of Professor Peirce, it was

"Voted, That a monthly meeting be held on the second Tuesday of each month of the approaching summer, at eight o'clock, P. M., in the Academy's hall."