[Jan. 17, J. Sergeant Price, William A. Ingham, Charles A. Oliver. Library. Edwin J. Houston, William V. McKean, Jesse Y. Burk, Richard Vaux, Furman Sheppard, Wm. John Potts, William H. Greene. Henry M. Phillips' Prize Essay Fund. and Joseph C. Fraley, ex officio. The President of the Society, The Treasurer of the Society, Dr. Harrison Allen made an oral communication on "The Variations of the Forms of Human Teeth." He stated that monocuspidate teeth are those which first appear in any given series, and that the bicuspidate and the multicuspidate forms are complications due to additions to the monocuspidate. He claimed that the quadritubercular human molar resolves itself into two pairs of adjoined cusps which are arranged endo-ectally, and not as he at one time stated* into a tritubercular form to which is appended a rudimental fourth cusp. He also believed that teeth when degenerated do not of necessity descend along the lines of ascent. As a rule they infrequently do so. In his opinion, degenerated teeth (and these were illustrated from the orders of Cheiroptera, Rodentia, and Primates) are all essentially alike, inasmuch as they exhibit losses of characteristic details, while retaining the lateral thickenings and contour lines. Some of these may be mimetic of the true tritubercular molar. It is necessary to remember, that forms of teeth when passing into degeneration are in reality expressions of teratological phenomena and have little or no taxonomic value. * "Dental Cosmos," December, 1874. Pending nominations 1203, 1204, 1205, 1206, 1207 and new nomination 1208 were read. Mr. Henry Phillips, Jr., presented some statistics relating to the Society. Dr. Oliver offered the following preamble and resolution: Whereas, It is both honorable and just that we, the present representatives of the American Philosophical Society, should show our affection and regard for our illustrious founder and first President, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who died on the 17th day of April, 1790, be it, Resolved, That we commemorate his life, his wisdom, his labors, and his achievements by proper and fitting ceremonies becoming such an occasion, on the 17th day of April, 1890; the form of the commemoration to be referred to a Special Committee of five members, to be appointed by the President, who shall be empowered to take all necessary action. Which, after discussion, was adopted. The President subsequently appointed as such Committee, Messrs. Charles A. Oliver, Henry Phillips, Jr., Arthur Biddle William John Potts and William H. Greene. Dr. Morris made some remarks on the desirability of better accommodations for the possessions of the Society. On motion of Mr. Dudley it was Resolved, That the President appoint a Committee of five members to consider the whole subject, and to ascertain if the Society can obtain additional space in the vicinity of its Hall, and that the President should also be a member of the Committee. The President subsequently appointed as such Committee, Messrs. J. Cheston Morris, Thomas H. Dudley, J. Sergeant Price, Richard Vaux and William P. Tatham. A communication from the Chairman of the Committee on the Michaux Legacy, in reference to an appropriation of $150 towards the expenses of a scientific expedition about to proceed to Mexico, was referred to the Committee to report upon at the next meeting. And the Society was adjourned by the President. Stated Meeting, February 7, 1890. Present, 8 members. Prof. EDWIN J. HOUSTON in the Chair. Correspondence was submitted as follows: Letters from Sir George G. Stokes, F.R.S., London, and Dr. Friederich S. Krauss, Vienna, accepting membership in the Society. A letter from the Physikalisch-Oekonomische Gesellschaft zu Koenigsberg in Preussen, announcing the approaching Centennial Anniversary of its formation (February 22, 1890). An invitation from Columbia College, New York city, N. Y., to be present by delegate at the inauguration of Seth Low as President, on February 3, 1890. Letters of envoy were received from the K. LeopoldinischCarolinische Akademie, Halle a. S.; Meteorological Office, London. Letters of acknowledgment were received from the Royal Society of Victoria, Melbourne (129); Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein des Regierungs-Bezirks, Frankfurt a. O. (129); K. Leopoldinisch-Carolinische Akademie, Halle a. S. (129); Prof. J. Victor Carus, Leipzig (127, 128); Société des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles, Bordeaux (129); Sir Monier MonierWilliams, London (128, 129); Hon. J. M. LeMoine, Quebec (129, 130); Nova Scotian Institute of Natural Science, Halifax (96-130, Catalogue, etc.); Anthropological Society, Washington, D. C. (125, 126, 127, 128); Prof. James B. Angell, Ann Arbor (129); Geological Survey of Missouri, Jefferson City (129, 130, Catalogue, etc.). Letters of acknowledgment (130) were received from the Geological and Natural History Survey, Ottawa, Canada; University of Toronto, Canadian Institute, Toronto; Maine Historical Society, Portland Society of Natural History, Portland, Me.; Northern Academy of Arts and Sciences, Prof. C. H. Hitchcock, Hanover, N. H.; Mr. John G. Whittier, Amesbury, Mass.; Boston Athenæum, State Library of Massachusetts, American Statistical Association, Boston Society of Natural History, Massachusetts Historical Society, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Boston; Harvard College Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Profs. Alexander Agassiz, Joseph Lovering, Robert N. Toppan, Cambridge, Mass.; Mr. James B. Francis, Lowell, Mass.; Free Public Library, New Bedford; Dr. Pliny Earle, Northampton; Essex Institute, Salem; American Antiquarian Society, Worcester; Rhode Island Historical Society, Prof. Thomas Chase, Providence; Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Conn.; New Haven Colony Historical Society, Profs. H. A. Newton, W. D. Whitney, New Haven, Conn.; Profs. James Hall, Edward North, C. H. F. Peters, Clinton, N. Y.; New York Hospital, Astor Library, Dr. Daniel Draper, New York State Library, New York Historical Society, Columbia College Library, Prof. Joel A. Allen, Messrs. J. Douglas, R. W. Raymond, Dr. J. J. Stevenson, New York; Vassar Brothers' Institute, Poughkeepsie; Oneida Historical Society, Utica; U. S. Military Academy, West Point; Mr. William John Potts, Camden; New Jersey Historical Society, Newark; Prof. C. F. Brackett, Princeton; Dr. Charles B. Dudley, Altoona, Pa.; Academy of Natural Science, College of Physicians, Wagner Free Institute, Pennsylvania Hospital, Numismatic and Antiquarian Society, Messrs. Harrison Allen, John Ashhurst, Richard L. Ashhurst, R. Meade Bache, Cadwalader Biddle, George D. Boardman, W. G. A. Bonwill, Arthur E. Brown, Samuel Castner, Jr., Henry C. Chapman, C. H. Clark, Thomas M. Cleemann, E. D. Cope, Samuel Dickson, Patterson du Bois, Persifor Frazer, F. A. Genth, Jr., Daniel R. Goodwin, William H. Greene, H. V. Hilprecht, E. J. Houston, Francis Jordan, Jr., E. Otis Kendall, Joseph Leidy, Francis W. Lewis, Morris Longstreth, E. Y. McCauley, F. A. Mühlenberg, Isaac Norris, Charles A. Oliver, C. Stuart Patterson, C. N. Peirce, William Pepper, Henry Phillips, Jr., Franklin Platt, Theodore D. Rand, George B. Roberts, W. S. W. Ruschen PROC. AMER. PHILOS, SOC. xxvIII. 132. E. PRINTED MARCH 1, 1890. berger, Lewis A. Scott, Aubrey H. Smith, Albert H. Smyth, George Stuart, William P. Tatham, William Thomson, H. Clay Trumbull, David K. Tuttle, William H. Wahl, Ellis Yarnall, Mrs. Helen Abbott Michael, Philadelphia; Dr. Robert H. Alison, Ardmore; Prof. E. B. Wilson, Bryn Mawr; Prof. Lyman B. Hall, Haverford; Mr. Philip C. Garrett, Logan, Phila.; Mr. J. Vaughan Merrick, Roxborough; Mr. Burnet Landreth, Bristol; Mr. Eckley B. Coxe, Drifton; Dr. Traill Green, Profs. James W. Moore, Thomas C. Porter, Easton; Linnean Scientific and Historical Society of Lancaster, Pa.; Mr. Peter F. Rothermel, Linfield; Mr. John F. Carll, Pleasantville; Mr. Peter W. Sheafer, Pottsville; Mr. M. Fisher Longstreth, Sharon Hill, Pa.; Philosophical Society, Mr. Philip P. Sharpless, West Chester; State Library of Pennsylvania; Mr. Andrew S. McCreath, Harrisburg; Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md.; Maryland Institute, Baltimore; Library of the Surgeon-General's Office, Anthropological Society, U. S. Naval Observatory, Smithsonian Institution, Messrs. S. F. Emmons, Albert S. Gatschet, Thomas J. Lee, Garrick Mallery, Charles A. Schott, William B. Taylor, Lester F. Ward, Washington, D. C.; Virginia Historical Society, Richmond; Prof. John W. Mallet, University of Virginia; Prof. Lyon G. Tyler, Williamsburg, Va.; Elliott Society of Science and Art, Charleston, S. C.; Georgia Historical Society, Savannah; University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; Prof. E. W. Claypole, Akron, O.; Denison University, Granville, O.; Society of Natural History, Cincinnati Observatory, Hon. J. D. Cox, Prof. James M. Hart, Cincinnati; Rev. Henry S. Osborn, Oxford, O.; Dr. Robert Peter, Lexington, Ky.; Athenæum, Columbia, Tenn.; St. Louis Academy of Science; Profs. James B. Angell, Alexander Winchell, Ann Arbor; Gen. William F. Reynolds, Col. William Ludlow, Detroit; Prof. John C. Branner, Little Rock, Ark.; Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences; Iowa University Library, Iowa City; Kansas State Historical Society, Washburn College, Topeka, Kans.; Prof. John L. Campbell, Crawfordsville, Ind.; Chicago Historical Society, Newberry Library, Chicago, Ill.; State Historical |