Michigan Scientific Association

A regular meeting of the Michigan Scientifio Assooiation was held ia the University Uhapel at 10 o'clock A. M., June 23d. The meeticg was caüod to order by the Prosideut Prof. A. Sager. A special committee nppointed at the List meeting to report" amendmenta to the constitution, submitted their report wbich was adopted. Prof. Winchell moved tbat the ecope of the Hociety be so extended to embrace also mathematics and physics. After brief remarks in favor, by Dr. WilliaB, Proís. Wood, Watson and others ; the naotion vaicarried. i'roi. wmeaeu said, as the Executive' Oommittee had not decided upon a narao for the association, dow that the full scope of the society is ascertained, would be au appropriate time for deciding its name. In auswer to a name suggested by a member, whioh seemed to meet the views of othor members, he moved that this organiïation be named, The Michigan Seientific .Association. Adopted. Prof. "VVinchell rehearsed the subjects of the papers to bo presented. Prof. Winchell then read an exhaugtive and inte'osting paper descriptive of the embryonic developtnent, the habita and habitat of the Calandria Cerasi, Harris, giving also effeotive methods of preventing tha depositing of the eggs and of destroying the slug and therebj. presenting their further deprodations and the appearance of the second brood of flies. The paper was accompanied by eight aocurately tinted drawings, enlarged sixtysix diameters, illustrating the eight days' emblyonio development of the slug, and by two enlarged respectively thirty and ten diameters, representing the ovipositor and wiuïrs of the fly. The Ássociation adjourned to 2:30 P, M. After calüng tbo Association to ordor in the afteruoon, the President read bis address, an interesting paper on Parthenogeneais. ïhe conclusión was that grant it possible, or even an undubitable fuct, yet tuis mode of gencration could only bo of lioiited duration. Prof. Winchell hoped the paper would be published. He thought the settling of Parthecegenesis would have a strong bearing on the theory of spontaneous genoration. Dr. S. P. Duffield, of Detroit, read a paper on the value of the Polariscope ia detecting adulterationa of the ïolatile oüs. He reviewed tho methods ordinarily used, and tha one with this instrument. When once the prescnce of oil of turpentine is ascertained, it is an easy matter to determine it quantitatively by the Polariscope. For eimplicity an'4 rapidity, ooupled with accuri'.cy, he could recommond nothing better ; and ho hoped it soon would be in the hands of every druggist. Prof. Watson gave tho " gist " of a paper on a now raethod of computingtho elliptic orbits of comets, stating that by this method much time and labor ara saved. Prof. Winouoll read a dcserlption of a garpike capturod in Duck Lake, Calhoun county, Michigan, and supposed to bo a nevv species Lepidosleus occulatus, (Wiechell.) This makfi8 the second species deteeted within the limits of this State. Prof. Sager read a paper on the Visceral Anatomy of this fish. Among otlier peculiarities of this genus, one poculiar to this individual, is its unusually largo nunaber of ova for a fish of this size, there being, by hia computation, about 25,000. ï. R. Chase, Esq., of Cleveland, O., read a paper on Luke Terreces and llidpos. All the ovidences he could galher indícate that the ridg-os alonjr the south shore of Lake Krie are comparatively reeent formations, produoad by fresh water undercurreuts, during a formcr ubmergencc of tho terrace región. 'Prof. Winrhcll was unablo to seo the vidence of their forroaüon in this way. Prof. YYood aunounoed sorae principies mployed in the oonstruction of truss jridges, whicli furnish the material of a laper be is about to publish. Prof. Winchell read a paper frora Mr, W. J. Beale, of Cambridge, Mass., ou Details of Study and Instruction iu the Museum of Coinparative Auatomy ia Cambridge. The eoustitution was so altered as to causo the soope of tho Association to embrace tha Natura], Mathematical and Physical SölenoW; to provide for more frequent meetings of the Assóeiation, and the publicaron of papors read beforo it. Tho old officers woro re clected iu a body, as follows : President - Abram Sager, M. A., M. D., Anti Arbor. First Vice President- Alexandcr Wiuchcll, A. M , Ann Árbór. St'cond Viea J'resident - f?eorge A. . Lathrop, M. D , lCast Saguiaw'. Treaxurer - E. I. Austin, Dotroitsrr, Secretm-T). V. Dean, Ann Arbor.Tho Association adjourncd, to uieet at tho cali of tho Uommittee. JJ2SÍ If the storm of adversity whistles arfoun'd you, whisile as bravely yonrsell"; pei'haps the two wbistles wiU make a melodv.