^ni ■t.:L^t':l■
Return to LIBRARY OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
WOODS HOLE, MASS.
Loaned by American Museum of Natural History
PROCEEDINGS
1^
OF THE
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
OF PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. IV. 1846, 1849.
PHILADELPHIA.
PRINTED FOR THE ACADEMY,
Br Merrihew Sc Tlioiiipson, 7 C»rl»-r'» AIIpj,
1860.
61'^
INDEX TO VOLUME IV.
Abert, Lieut. J. W., don. to lib., 111.
Adams, C. B., don. to lib., Ill, 263, 265.
Adams, Mr., don. to mus., 137.
Agassiz, Prof. Louis, don. to lib.. Ill, 176. ; on the distinction between the fossil Crocodiles of the green sand of New Jersey, 169; letter from to Dr. Gibbes in relation to Dorudon serra- tus, 4.
Alexander, Dr., don. to mus., 241.
AUinson, Geo. B., don. to mus., 109.
American Acad, of Arts and Sciences, don. of memoirs of, 143.; of Proceed- ings, 32, 82, 243.
Amer. Philosoph. Soc, don. of Trans- actions of, 31 ; Proceedings of, 54, 189, 261 ; Resolution by to deposit its collections of organic remains with the Acad. Nat. Sci., of Philada., 247.
American Journal of Agriculture and Science, don. of by editors, 30, 31, 32.
Anderson, J. D., don. to mus., 109, 241.
Asiatic Society of Bengal, don. by of Journal, 81.
Ashmead, Samuel, don. to mus., 29, 52, 69, 163, 176, 241 : remarks on a pe- culiarity in the calcareous spar from Rossie Lead mines, 6.
Ashmead, H. E., don. to mus., 109.
Audubon, J. J., don. to mus., 164.
Australian Museum, don. to mus., 175.
Ayr, William, don. to mus., 205.
Bache, Prof. A. D., don. to lib., 189.
Bachman, Rev. Dr., Notes on the gene- ration of the Virginian Opossum, 40.
Baird, Prof. S. F., don. to mus., 29, don. to lib., 263.
Babbage, Charles, don. to lib., 31, 81.
Beasley, Theophilus, don. to mus., 103.
Berendt, Dr., ^don. to lib., 166.
Blanchard, M.Emile, don. to lib., 111.
Bovy, Mons., don. to mus., 29.
Boston Society of Natural History, don. of Journal of, S2; of Proceedings, 111.
Bourcier, M., don. to mus., 137.
Boye, Dr. M. H.,don. to lib., 191.
Bogerslawski, Prof., don. to lib., 243.
Bridges, Dr. Robert, don. to lib., 190 ; don. to mus., 138, remarks on esti- mates relating to the length of the year, 58.
Bryan, Wm. C, don. to mus., 109.
British Association, don. to lib., 55.
Browne, Peter A., paper read by, en- titled " Reasons for believing that animal torpidity is influenced by elec- trical currents," 2.
Bristol Institution, don. to mus., 163.
Budd, Charles T., don. to mus., 164, 175.
Burlington College, don. to mus., 109.
Butcher, William, don. to mus., 109.
By-Laws, amendments to, 50, 148.
Calcutta Journal of Nat. Hist., don. of by editors, 177.
Cantor, Dr. Theodore, don. to lib., SI.
Carpenter, Dr. Wm. S., don. to mus., 137.
Cartwright, Dr. Samuel, don. to lib., 242.
Carson, Dr. Joseph, don. to mus., 109.
Carey, John, don. to lib., 32.
Cassin, John, remarks on the man- agement of monkeys in captivity, 3 ;
-, description of new species of Cyano- corax, 26 ; descriptions of new species of Vidua, Briss., Euplectes, Sw., Py- renestes, Sw., and Pitylus, Cuv., 65 ; description of a new Tanagra, 85 ; Catalogue of Birds collected by Mr. Wm. S. Pease, 87; description of Owls, supposed to be new, 121 ; de- scriptions of new species of Nyctale and Sycobius, 157 ; Notes of an ex- amination of the family Vulturidae, J 58; remarks on a specimen of Anas Rafflesii from Louisiana, 195; De- scriptions of new species of Capri- mulgidae, 236; special report, as Cura- tor, on the Ornithological collection of the Academy, 256.
Chambers, Andrew R.,don to mus., 79.
IV.
INDEX.
Club of Members, don. to mus., by, 29.
Committees, Scientific, for 1818, '2 : for 1849, 148.
Committee on Mr. Nuttall's descrip- tions of new plants from the Rocky Mountains ami California, collected by W. Gambel, 3 ; on Dr. Leidy's paper on some bodies in the Boa constrictor resembling the Pacinian corpuscles, 3 ; on Mr. Cassin's descriptions of new species of Cyanocorax, 7 ; on Dr. Bachman's Notes on the generation of the Virginian Opossum, ST); on Dr. Hallo well's descriptions of two new species of Onychocephahis from Africa
35 ; on Dr. Mydleton Mitchell's re- marks on the generation of the Opos- sum, 3G ; on Mr. Henrv C. Lea's catalogue of the Tertiary Testacea of the U. S., 36 ; on Dr. Leidy's descrip- tion of Merycoidodon Culbertsonii,
36 ; on Dr. Dickeson's paper, Micro- scopic examination of the development of the foetus of the Succinia amphibia, 57; on Major M'Call's Notes on Mexi- can birds heretofore not fully de- described, 58 ; on Mr. Conrad's ob- servations on new Eocene fossils from Vicksburg, Mississippi, 58; on Dr. R. W;, Gibbes Monograph of the fossil Squalids of the U. S., 65; on Mr. Cassin's descriptions of new species of Vidua, Euplectes, Pyrenestes and Pitylus, 65 ; on Dr. Gambel's descrip- tion of a new Mexican Quail, 74; on Dr. Gambel's descriptions of new Californian Quadrupeds, 76 ; on Dr. Hallowell's Notes of the post-mortem appearances observed in a Cynocepha- lus porcariuSjSo ; on Mr. Cassin's de- scription of a new Tanager from the Rio Negro, 84 ; on Mr. Pease's paper on the Geology and Natural History of part of Mexico, 85 ; on a Catalogue of Mexican birds by the same, 85; on Mr. Conrad's descriptions of new species of recent Shells, 120: on Dr. Gambel's Catalogue of the Columbidac in the collection of the Academy, 120; on Mr. Cassin's descriptions of new Owls, 120; on Dr. Gambel's Contri- butions to American Ornitholojy, 120; on Dr. Hallowell's description of a new Salamander from California, 120 ; on Dr. Morton's Additional ob- servations on a new livins species of Hippopotamus, 149 ; on Mr. Cassin's Catalogue of the Vulturidae and Stri- gidae in the collection of the Academy, 150; on Mr. Cassin's descriptions of
new species of Nyctale and Sycobius, 150; on Mr. Conrad's descriptions of new fresh-water and Marine Shells, 150; on Mr. Cassin's notes on the Vulturida; and Strigidae in the collec- tion of the Academy, 150; on Dr. Hallowell's notes of a post-mortem examination of a Cynocephalus, 150; on Dr. Gambel's remarks on the Birds of Upper California, 169; on Dr. Gambel's Notes on the Pidgeons, 169 ; on Prof. Haldeman's description of new species of Cryptocephalus, 169; on Dr. Keller's memoir on Cili- ary cells of some marine naked Mol- lusca, in embryo, 109 ; on Dr. Meigs* observations on the reproductive or- gans and on the foetus of the Delphinus nesarnak, 172 ; on Dr. Leidy's re- marks on the fragments of Tapirus Americanus fossilis in the collection of the Academy, 179 ; on Dr. Hal- lowell's description of a new species of Eryx, 183; on Dr. Savage's com- munication on the Driver Ants of West Africa, 184; on Prof. Halde- man's descriptions of new species of Hymenoptera, 193 ; on Dr. Savage's paper on the Termitidae of West Africa, 209 ; on Mr. Van Amringe's letter proposing a new system of Zoological classification, 224 ; on Mr. Cassin's descriptions of new species of Caprimulgida;, 234 ; on Dr. Gibbes* descriptions of new species of Mylio- bates from the Eocene of South Caro- lina, 245 ; on Dr. Leidy's descriptions of two species of Distoma, 247 ; on Dr. Leidy's description of new Ento- phyta, 248 ; on Dr. Le Conte's paper "an attempt to classify the Longicorn Coleoptera of America north of Mexico," 248 ; on Dr. Morton's paper on the size of the brain in the various races of Man, 248 ; on a paper by Professor Baird, Revision of the North American Tailed-Batrachia, 204.
Committee on Dr. Savage's paper on the Driver Ants of West Africa, ob- servations by, 200.
Conrad, T. A., don. to mus., 138; don. to lib., 30; Descriptions of two new genera, and new species of recent shells, &c., 121; descriptions of new fresh-water and marine shells, 152.
Cook, John, don. to mus., 69 ; don to lib., 205.
Cooper, C. C, don. to lib., 52.
Correspondents elected:
Blythe, Edward, Calcutta, 78.
INDEX.
V.
Brydges, Sir Harford, England, G8. Cantor, i)r. Theodore, Bengal Medical
Service, 78. Cobb, Prof. J., Kentucky, 107. Doane, Rt. Rev. George W., New
Jersey, 107. Dowler, Dr. Bennett, New Orleans,
68. Ehrenberg, Chr. Gotfried, Berlin, 51. Eschricht, Prof., Copenhagen, .51. Fischer, de Waldheim M., Moscow,
107. Frennont, Col. J. C, U. S. A., 51. Goodsir, .Tohn D., Edinburgh, 260. Henderson, Dr. A. A., U. S. N., 74. Holmes, Francis S., Charleston, S.C.
78. Jackson, Dr. R. M. S., Pennsylvania,
74. Jones, Dr. Wm. L. Riceboro, Geo.,
51. Kaup. Jean Jacq., Darmstadt, 2S. Kirtland, Dr. J. P., Ohio, 107. Michel, Dr. Mydleton, Charleston,
162. Porcher, Dr. Francis P., S. Carolina,
224. Ravenel, Henry W., S. Carolina, 162. Scoresby, Rev. Wm. D. D. England,
28. Schouw, Prof. J. Fred., Copenhagen,
51. Sharpey, Wm. S., London, 260. Strickland, Hugh E., London, 78. Shumard, Dr. Benj. E., Kentucky,
107. Tiedemann, Dr. Frederick, Hiedel-
berg. 64. Tuckerman, Edward, Massachusetts,
107. Van Amringe, Wm. F., New York.
68. Verreaux, M. Jules, Paris, 149. Wood, Dr. W. Maxwell, U. S. N., 3. Yandell, Dr. L. P., Kentucky, 107. Culbertson, Joseph, don. to mus, 52. Curators, report for 1848, 132 ; for 1849, 254; announcement by of reception of a collection of Sivalik fossils from the East India Company, 75. Cramer, Charles, don. to lib., 30, 1 10.
Dallas, George M., don. to lib., 55, 81. Dana, R. H., don. to lib., 54. Dana, J. D., don. to lib., 32, 242. Dana, S. L., don. to lib., 112. Dantzig Nat. Hist. Society, don. to lib.,
166. Davenport, Mrs., don. to mus., 137. Dawson, Dr., of Phila., don. to mus. ,109.
Dawson, J. W., of Pictou, N. S., don.
to mus., 69 ; Notes of specimens of
the Wheat Midge from Nova Scotia,
210. Denny, Henry, don. to lib.,31, 166,242. Desilver, Thomas, don. to mus., 261. Dewey, William, don. to mus., 79. Dickeson, Dr. M. W., don. to mus., 29;
don. to lib., 31. Dilhvyn, L. W., don. to lib., 140, 165. Dix, J. L., don. to lib., 143. Doubleday, Edvv.,don. to mus., 109,110. Dowler, Dr. Bennett, don. to lib., 112,
166, 188, 265. Dundas, James, don. to mus., 176.
East India Company, don. to mus., 79. Election ofCorres. and Rec. Secretaries,
74; of Record. Sec, 183. Eyre, M. D., don. to mus., 138.
Faraday, Michael, don. to lib., 189. Fisher, J. Coleman, don. to mus., 241. Fisher, Thomas, don. to mus., 51. Fischer, de Waldheim M., don. to lib.,
54,265. Fitton, Wm. Henry, don. to lib., 164. Fletcher, Charles S., don. to mus., 138. Eraser, John F., don. to lib., 176. Fremont, Col. J. C, don. to lib., 111.
Gambel, Dr. William, don. to mus., 175; don. to lib.. 54; observations on some birds from Florida, collected by Dr. Hermann, 71 ; description of a new Mexican Quail, 77 ; contributions to Amer. Ornithology, 126 ; resignation as Record. Sec, 179.
Gartland, F. X., don. to mus., 187.
Geneva Nat. Hist. Society, don. of me- moirs of, 81.
Germain, L. J., don. to mus., 51, 109, 137.
Gibbes, Dr. R. W., don. to mus., 109 ; don. to lib., 166, 205; letter to from Prof. Agassiz in relation to Zeuglo- don cetoides, 4 ; letter from to Dr. Morton on same subject, 57.
Gilliss, Lieut., TJ.S.N., don. to lib., 205.
Gliddon, George R., don. to mus., 69; don. to lib., 143.
Goddard, Dr. Paul B., don. to mus., 29, 187.
Gould, Dr. A. A., don. to mus., 163 ; don. to lib.. 111.
Gourlie, Wm. Jr., don. to mus., 163.
Graff, Mrs. C. H., don. to mus., 138.
Grant, Dr. W. R., don. to mus., 110.
Gray, Dr. Asa, don. to lib., 32, 176.
Gray, J, E., don. to lib., 81.
VI.
INDEX.
Griffith, Dr. R. E., don. to mus., 51, 69, 262 ; dep. in lib., 52, 54, 55, 56, 71, 81, 112, 140, 142, 164, 165, 176, 178, 205, 20G, 243,244, 266.
Griffitli, M. E., don. to mus., 163.
Hagedorn, Mr., don. to mus., 187.
Haldeman, S S., don. to mus., 109; don. to lib., 32, 55, 82, 244, 269; remarks on the fibrous lava from the Hawaiian Islands, 5 ; descriptions of new spe- cies of Cryptocephalinae, 170; de- scriptions of some new Hymenoptera, 203.
Haldeman, Lieut., don. to mus., 109.
Halloweli, Dr. E., don. to mus., 51, 109, 241; descriptions of two new species of Onychocephalus from Africa, 59 ; post-mortem appearances observed in a Cynocephalus papion, 62; post-mor- tem examination of a Cynocephalus porcarius, 86; on a new Salamander from Upper California, 126 ; post- mortem exam, of a Cynocephalus, 151 ; correction of an error in the locality of the Salamander described at page 126, 183 ; description of a new Eryx from Madras, 181; remarks on the young of Coluber venustus, 245.
Hare, Dr. Robert, don. to lib., 32.
Harris, Edward, don. to mus., 79, 109, 241.
Harrison, Mr., don. to mus., 1S7.
Hays, Dr. Isaac, don. to lib., 244.
Hazzard, H., don. to mus., 187.
Heerman, Dr., don. to mus., 30, 81, 137, 175.
Hembel, William, t'on. to mus., 164; don. to lib., 143, 243; letter declining a re-election as President, 247;' reso- lutions by Academy relative thereto, 248,
Henderson, Dr. A. A., don. to mus., 138.
Henry, Dr. Bernard, don. to mus., 261.
Heuland, H., don. to mus., 137.
Historical Soc. of Penna., don. of Pro- ceedings of, 31.
Hobson, William, don, to mus., 69.
Holmes, Francis S., don, to lib., 143.
Horsfield, Dr. Thomas, don. to mus., 80; don. to lib., 82.
Howard, John G., don. to mus., 205.
Imperial Soc. of Nat. of Moscow, don. of Bulletin of, .54, 142, 243, 269,
Imperial Mineralog. Soc. of St. Peters- burg, don. to lib., 177.
Jackson, Dr. J. B. S-, don. to lib., 55.
Jackson, Dr. Chas. T., don. to lib., 31,
72. Jameson, William, Jr., don. to mus., 51. Johnston, Prof. J., don. to mus., 164. Johnson, Prof. W. R., don. to lib., 70,
177, 189; communication from, 84. Jones, G. N., don. to mus., 79, Jones, Dr. Wm. L., don. to mus., 52. Journal of Indian Archipelago and
Eastern Asia, don. of by Editor, 32,
52, 70, 81, 138, 191,243,269.
Keller, Dr. Wm., on ciliary cells in some marine naked MoUusca in em- bryo, 173; remarks on calculi from the bladder of the whale, ISO ; analy- sis of the same, 185.
Kilvington, Robert, don. to mus,, 30 ; don. to lib., 110, 111.
Lacordaire, Th,, don. to lib., 138, 191.
Lambert, John, don. to mus., 29, SO ; don. to lib., 31, 72,
Lea, Isaac, don, to lib., 178.
Lea, Henry C, catalogue of the Tertiary Testacea of the United States. 95,
Le Conte, Dr. John L., don. to lib., 265.
Lepsius, Prof., don. to lib., 189,
Leeds Literary and Philosoph. Society, don, to lib., 31.
Leidy, Dr. Joseph, don. to mus., 110, 261; don. to lib., 31, .52, 138, 139, 143, 178, 189 ; on the existence of the eye in the perfect Cirrhipoda, 1; re- marks on the hair of a Hottentot boy brought to Philada, by Capt, Chase, 7; on certain bodies resembling Paci- nian corpuscles in the Boa constrictor, 27; on a new fossil genus and species of Ruminantoid Pachydermata, Mery- codoidon Culbertsonii, 47; on the de- velopment of the Purkinjean corpuscle in bone, 116; on the existence of the intermaxillary bone in the embryo of the human subject, 145; on the Ta- pirus Americanus fossilis, 180; on the existence of Entophyta in healthy animals, as a natural condition, 225; on the odoriferous glands of the Inver- tebrata, 234 ; descriptions of new genera and species of Entophyta, 249.
Letters from individuals : Allinson, George B,, 84. BacLe, Prof, A. D., 73. Bancroft, Hon. George, 57. Beck, Dr. T. Romeyn, 245, 248. Berendt, Dr., 150. Berzelius, the Baroness, 147. Blythe, Edward, 183. Bowman, A. H., 65.
INDEX.
VU.
Brown, Richard, 36, 74. Cantor, Dr. Theodore, 73. Carpenter, Dr. Wm. M., 1. Cautley, Major P. T., 120. Cobb, Prof. J., 150. Dana, J. B., 149. Denny, Henry, 2. Dowler, Dr. Bennett, 84. Eschricht, Prof., 184. Faraday. Michael, .35. Fischer de Waldheim, M., 195. Foulke, William P., 247. Fremont, Col. J. C, 76. Gibbes, Dr. R. W., 1, 179. Gilliss, Lieut. J. M., 120. Grecx, John A., 84. Hembel, William, 224, 247, 249. Henderson, Dr. A. A., S3. Hildreth, Dr. S. P., 1.
Holmes, F. S., 83, 81.
Horsfield, Dr. Thomas, 73, 115, 172.
Jameson, William, 183.
Jackson, Dr. Charles T., 5.
Jackson, Dr. R. M. S., 84.
Johnson, Walter R., 84.
Jones, Dr. Wm. L., 65.
Kaup, J. J., 83.
Kenworthey, Dr. C. T., 149.
Kern, Richard H., 245.
Lacordaire, Prof. Th., 115, 194.
Leidy, Dr. Joseph, 73.
McMinn, J. M., 246.
Michel, Dr. Mydleton, 172, 183.
Morse, A. H., 224.
Motchaulsky, M. Victor, 249.
Nicholson, Dr. Charles, 115.
Norman, Benj. M., 84.
Parkinson, Caspar, 234.
Porcher, Dr. F. P., 245.
Prince de Wied, 193.
Ravenel, Henry W., 172, 248.
Redfield, Wm. C, 39.
Savage, Rev. T. S., 5, 35.
Scoresby, Rev. Wm., 76.
Selby, Prideanx J., 36.
Shelley, Dr. Joel Y., 1.
Shumard, Dr. Benj. F., 145.
Smith, Dr. H., 145.
Smith, Joseph, 36.
Squier, E. George, 172.
Strickland, Hugh E., 115.
Sturm, F. and J. W., 245.
Sturm, Prof. J., 65.
Thompson, William, 5.
Tuckerman, Edward, 115.
Van Arrringe, Wm. F., 83.
Verreaux, M., 183.
Wood, Dr. Wm. Maxwell, G. Yandell, Dr. L. P., 145. Letters from Societies, &c.:
Amer. Acad, of Arts and Sciences,
120. Amer. Philosoph. Society, 36, 74, 83,
116, 180,224. Asiatic Soc. of Bengal, 74. British Museum, 172, 183. Directors of E. India Co. Mus., 73,
172. Edinburgh Geological Soc, 179. Geological Soc. of London, 1,73, 172. Imperial Soc. of Naturalists of Mos- cow, 35, 116, 209. Linnean Soc. of London, 6, 83. Lyceum of Nat. Hist, of New York,
SI, 179,224. Resents of Univ. of the State of New
York, 149. Royal Acad, of Sciences of Brussels,
194. Royal Bavarian Academy of Sciences,
149, 224. Royal Society of London, 248. Royal Society of Copenhagen, 74. Smithsonian Institution, 116, 246. Society for developing the mineral resources of the United States, 65. Western Acad, of Nat. Sciences, 245. Lewis, Dr. E. J-, don. to mus., 69,241. Librarian's Report for 1848, 130 ; for
1849, 252.
Linnean Assoc, of Penn. College, don. of
Journal of, 31, 32, 52, 54, 70, 72, 81,
82, 110,112, 140.
Linnean Society of London, don. of
Transac. of, 32 : of Proceedings, 111.
Longchamps, Ed. de Selys, don. to lib.,
269. Lyceum of Nat. Hist, of New York, don. of annals of, 1 11.
Marcou, M. Jules, don. to lib., 177.
Markoe, Francis, Jr., don. to mus., 79.
Mantell, G. A., don. to lib., 164, 266.
McAndrew, Mr., don. to mus., 163.
McCall, Major Geo. A., Notes on some Mexican Birfis heretofore not fully described, G3.
McFarland, Rev. W., don. to mus, 176.
McMinn, J. M., don. to mus., 261; let- ter from on the ' snow flea,' 246.
McMurtrie, Dr. H., don. to mus.. 137.
Medical Examiner, don. of by editors, 265.
Meigs, Dr. Charles D., don. to mus.,29y 188; on the mode of copulation of the Opossum, 58; letter on the effects of deep-sea pressure on the uterus of the Cetacea, 193.
Members elected :
Barton, Thomas Pennant, 17 !.
Vlll,
INDEX.
Belknap, Henry, 179.
Biddle, Alexander, 7S.
Cook, John, 3.
Cope, Caleb, 3.
Dillingham, Wm. H., 3.
Fouike, Wm. P., 247.
Goddard, Rev. Kingston, 3.
Grant, Dr. Wm. R., 260.
Haines, Robert, 3.
Horner, Prof. Wm. E., 162.
Henry, Dr. Bernard, 179.
Lea, Henry C.,28.
Lejue, Wm. R., 28.
Lewis, Dr. Francis W., 239.
Meigs, Prof. Charles D.,51.
Norris, Octavius A., 239.
Roberts, Edward, 64.
Smith, John Jay, 28.
Smith, Dr. Francis G., 162,
Whitman, Wm. I;:., 28.
Wilson, Wm. S., 68.
Wolgemuth, F. F., 28, Michael, Capt. W,, don, to mus., 175. Michel, Dr. Mydleton, on the generation
of the Opossum, 46. Moricand, M., don. to mus., 164. Morris, Miss E, C, don. to mus., 17.5;
don. to lib., 177. Morris, Miss M. H., on Cecidomyia
culmicola, 194. Morton, Dr. S. G., don. to and dep. in
mus.. 29, 51, 52, 69, 80, 137, 187, 241,
261; don. to lib., 32, 52,72, 143, 164,
188, 189, 190, 265; observations on a
Bushman Hottentot boy brought to
Philada., 5; remarks on some ancient
Peruvian crania from Pisco, 39 ; on
some crania of Shoshonee Indians, 75;
on an antique silver image from Peru,
115; observations on the size of the
brain in various races and families of
man, 221 ; on a specimen of " bloody
bread," 246. Morton, Wm. T. G., don. to lib., 176. Moss, Theodore F., don. to mus., 138,
175, 188, 241.
Neill, Dr. John, don. to mus., 241, Newbold, Wm, L., don. to mus., 175; remarks on some peculiarities in the African cranium, 221. Nott, Dr. Josiah C, don, to lib., 205, Nuttall, Thomas, don. to lib., 82; de- scriptions of plants from the Rocky Mountains and California, collected by W, Gambel, 7,
Officers for 1848, 136; for 1849, 260,
Palmer, A, A., don
to lib,, 111,
Pease, Wm, S,, observations on the geo- logy and natural history of Mexico, 9 1 .
Peirce, Jacob, remarks on a hybrid be- tween the Guinea fowl and Peacock, 35.
Percival, Thomas C, don. to mus., 137; don. to lib., 70, 81.
Percival, Miss M., don. to lib., 244.
Piddington, Henry, don. to lib., 244.
Pitcher, R., U. S. N., don. to mus., 241.
Pickering, Dr. Charles, on the faculty of vision in the Balani, 2 ; remarks in relation to estimates of the length of the year, 58.
Powel, Samuel, don, to mus,, 138. 187, 205, 241,
Publication Committee of Acad, Nat. Sci., don. to lib., 82, 205, announce- ment by, of publicaf ion of part 2, new series of journal, 75; do. of part 3, 193.
Pulte, Dr. J. H,, don, to lib., 52.
Prince de Wied, don to lib., 205,
Professeurs du Jardin des Plantes, don. to mus., 109,
Ravenel, Dr, E., don. to lib., 188.
Read, James, don. mus., 187 ; don. to lib., 71.
Recording Secretary, report of, for 1848 and 1849, 251.
Redfield, Wm. C, don. to mus., 109.
Redfield, John H., don. to lib., Ill,
Regents of University of State of New York, 82, 138, 166, 189.
Reid, Mr., don. to mus., 137.
Report of committee on Mr. Conrad's additional descriptions of tertiary fos- sils of the United States, 64 ; on Dr. Gibbes' monograph of the fossil squa- lida3 of the United States, 65; ap- pointed to prepare a corrected list of members and correspondents, 116; on Prof. Johnson's letter proposing to memorialize Congress on the import- ance of adding a naturalist to the as- tronomical expedition to Chili, 116; on Mr. Cassin's catalogue of the vul- turida; and strigidas in the collec- tion of the Academy, 150; on Dr. Morton's additional observations on a new species of hippopotamus, 162 ; on Dr. Gambel's remarks on the birds of California, and also on his notes on the Columbida3 in the collection of the Academy, 171 ; on Dr. Meigs' ob- servations on the reproductive organs, and on the foetus of the Delphiniis Nesarnak, 174, on Prof. Haldeman'.s descriptions of new cryptocephalin.T, 179 ; of the committee appointed to
INDEX.
IX.
superintend the printing of a new edition ol' the by-laws, 179 ; on Prof. Baird's revision of the North Ame- rican tailed-batrachia, 209; of the committee on proceedings in reference to the sale of Say's American con- chology, 209; of the committee ap- pointed to enquire into the expediency of altering the room adjoining the library, so as to adapt it to the pur- poses of the latter, 246; on Dr. Gibbes' descriptions of new species of Mylio- bates from the Eocene of S. Carolina, 247 ; on Dr. Leidy's descriptions of two species of Distoma, 248; on Dr. Le Conte's memoir on the Longicorn Coleoptera of the United States, 249.
Report on the Ornithological collection of the Academy by Mr. Cassin, 256.
Retzius, Prof., don. to lib., 189, 20.5, 269.
Resignation of Corresponding and Re- cording Secretaries, 73.
Resolutions : to present the thanks of the Academy to M. Bovy for a me- dallion of Cuvier, 2 ; to inform M. Vattemare that the Academy was prepared to exchange with the Eu- ropean Museums, 2 ; to request of Dr. Shelly further information respecting the locality for certain fossils in Berks Co., Pa., G; to present a copy of the proceedings to Dr. Savage, 36 ; to present part 1, new series of Jour- nal to M. Fischer de Waldheim, 36 ; presenting the thanks of the Society to Prof. W. R. Johnson for his ser- vices as Corresponding Secretary, 73; presenting the thanks of the Society to Mr. J. Lambert for his services as Recording Secretary, 74; presenting the thanks of the Society to the Court of Directors of the East India Co.'s Museum for a collection of casts of Sivalik fossils, 76; presenting the thank? of the Society to Dr. Thomas Horsfield for a cast of the cranium of Sivatheriumgio;anteum, 76 ; instruct- ing Secretary to invite the members of the American Association for the advancement of Science to visit the Academy while in Philadelphia, 83 ; to present to Dr. Wm. Blanding parts 1 and 2, new series of the Journal, 120 ; appointing a committee to su- perintend the printing of a new edition of the by-laws, 171 ; to loan from the cabinet to Agassiz the cranium of a Manatus, 174; to present to the Prince de Wied part 2, vol. 8, first series, and parts 1,2 and 3, new series of the
Journal, 194; to appoint a committee respecting proposed alterations in the room adjoining the library, to adapt it to the purpf>ses of the same, 245; to present to the Western Academy of Natural Sciences portions of the Proceedings, 245.
Rogers, Prof. H. D., remarks on the for- mation of mountain ridges, 145.
Royal Academy of Sciences of Belsium, don. to lib., 208.
Royal Bavarian Academy of Sciences, don. to lib., 106, 243.
Ruschenberger, Dr. W. S.,don. to mas., 176.
Sanborn, D. M., don. to mv7s., 109.
Savage, Rev. T. S., don. to mus., 29 ; letter to Dr. Hallowell in relation to the habits of some African animals, 36; on the Driver ants of Western .\frica, 195 ; on the species of Ter mitidce of West Africa, 211.
Say, Mrs. Lucy W., don. to lib., 164, 165, 166, 177, 178, 189.
Sergeant, John, Jr., don. to lib., 190.
Sergeant, J. D., don. to mus., 188.
Silliman, B. Jr. don. to lib., 265.
Silliman's Journal, don. of by editors, 31, 54, 71, 81, 110, 138, 164, 177 189, 191j 243, 265.
Skelton, Dr., don. to mus., 69.
Skerret, Dr., don. to lib., 52.
Smith, Mrs. J. B., don. to mus., 69.
Smithsonian Institution, don. to lib., 205.
Spooner, Mrs. J. E. don. to mus., 137.
Squicr, E. G., don. to lib., 165.
State of South Carolina, don. to lib., 166.
Stoever, M. L., don. to lib., 143.
Stott, Mrs. Eliz. extracts from will of, 74 ; don. to lib. by Executors of, 81.
Sturm, Jacob, don. to lib., 72.
Sturm, F. & J. W., don. to lib., 265.'
Sullivant, Wm. S., don. to lib., 71.
Taylor, R. C, don. to mus., 261 ; don.
to lib.. 111. Taylor, J. H., don. to mus., 69. Taylor^ James, don. to mus., 51. Thompson, Wm., don. to mus., 187,
don. to lib., 190, 191. Townsend, J. K., don. to mus., 51. Troost, Dr. Gerard, don. to lib., 176.
TJ. S. Treasury Department, don. to lib., 81.
Van Amringe, Wm. F., don. to lib., 72. Vargas, Dr., don. to mus., 69.
X.
INDEX.
Vattemare, Alexander, don. to lib., 31. Vaux, Wm. S., don. to mus., 109, 176,
261. Verneuil. M. de, don. to lib., 31. Verreaux, M. Ed., don. to mus., 163,
187.
Walker, Peter, don. to mus., 205.
Warren, Dr. J. C, don. to mus., 175.
Watson, John, don. to mus., 165, 271.
Watson, Dr. Gavin, don. to mus., 29, 30, 51, 69, 79, 176, 187, 21i, 261.
Weissmuller, Mr., don. to mus., 163.
Western Academy of Natural Sciences, don. to lib., 166.
Wilson, Dr. T. B., don. to mus., 29,51, 69, 79, 109, 110, 137, 138, 163, 175, 176, 187, 241, 261 ; dep. in mus., 29, 52, 138, 175; don. to lib., 263, 264, 265. 266, 267, 268, 269, 270.; dep. in lib., 30, 31, 32, 33, 52, 54, 55, 56,70, 71, 72, 81, 82, 110, 111, 112, 138,
140, 141, 142, 143, 164, 165, 166,
167, 176, 177, 178, 188, 189, 190,
191, 205, 206, 207, 208, 242, 243. Wilson, E. T. and C. W.,don. to mus.,
211. Wilson, Edward, don. to mus., 163;
don. to lib., 110, 267. Wistar, Dr., don. to mus., 241. Wislezenus, Dr. A., don. to lib., 70. Wood, William S., doa. to mus., 29,
13S. Woodhouse, D. Samuel W., don. to
mus., 69, 138. Wyman, Dr. Jeffries, don. to lib., 54,
188.
Yandell, Dr. L. P., don. to lib., 70. Young, Aaron, Jr., don. to lib., 31.
Zoological Society of London, don. of Transactions and Proceedings of, 32.
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES,
OF PHILADELPHI A^
[rrr " -mm
January 11th, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair.
A letter was read from Dr. S. P. Hildreth, of Marietta, Ohio, dated December 2-ith, 1847, relating to a peculiar variety of the Glow- worm.
A letter from Dr. Joel Y. Shelley, dated Hereford, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in reference to some valuable fossil remains from that vicinity, was read and referred to the Geological and Mineralogical Committee.
A communication was read from the Secretary of the Geological Society of London, dated Somerset House, 4th of November, 1847, acknowledging the receipt of recent numbers of the Proceedings.
Dr. Morton read a letter addressed to him by Dr. R. W. Gibbes, dated Columbia, S. C, December 25th, 1847, in relation to the Basil- osaurus, and announcing a new fossil genus Saurocetus.
A letter was read from Dr. William M. Carpenter, of New Orleans, dated December 11th, 1847, enclosing a communication addressed to the Academy, by Dr. E. Pilate, of Opelousas, S. C, dated October 29th, 1847, and proposing exchanges of Books or objects of Natural History. Referred to the Curators.
Dr. Leidy remarked, that the existence of the eye in the perfect condition of the Cirrhopoda, has been denied by all anatomists up to the present time, but its presence in the larva or imperfect stages is very generally acknowledged. Several years since, having received some living specimens of Balanus rugosiis adhering to an oyster, he sub- mitted them to dissection, in the course of which, he noticed upon the dark purple membrane which lines the shell and muscular columns running to the opercula, on each side of the anterior middle line, a small, round, black body, surrounded by a colourless ring or space of the membrane, which, upon submitting to a low power of the micro- scope, he found to be an eye, composed of a vitreous body, having nearly two-thirds of its posterior part covered by pigmentum nigrum, and attached to a nervous filament, which he afterwards traced to the
PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA. — VOL. IV. NO. I. 1
^ [Jan.
supra-oesophageal ganglia. The presence of this organ in other species or genera, he had not yet had an opportunity of determinino-. (See Plate, Fig. 4.)
Dr. Pickering mentioned in confirmation of the Balani possessing the faculty of vision, that in their native situations, he had frequently observed them suddenly retract their cirrhi, and close the opercula, when the hand was passed over and above them.
January 18th, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair.
Mr. Peter A. Browne read a paper, entitled " Reasons for believing that animal torpidity is influenced by the annihilation, or interruption, of electrical currents ;" which was referred to Dr. Bridges, Professor Johnson, and Dr. Pickering.
A letter was read from Henry Denny, Esq., dated Philosophical Hall, Leeds, December 7th, 184-7, addressed to the Secretary of the Academy, presenting several numbers of the Proceedings of the Geo- logical and Polytechnic Society of the West Riding of Yorkshire.
On motion of Mr. Tovvnsend, the Corresponding Secretary was directed to present the thanks of the Society to Mons. A. Bovy, the artist of a beautiful medallion of Baron Cuvier, presented by him this evening through Mr. A. Vattemare.
On motion of Dr. Leidy, the Corresponding Secretary was instructed to inform Mr. Vattemare, that the Academy was prepared to com- mence a system of exchanges of objects of Natural History, with the Museums of Europe, as soon as lists of the especial wants of the latter were made out and furnished to the Society.
January 2Wi, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair.
On motion of Professor Johnson, it was Resolved, That a new and revised edition of the "Notice of the Academy," be prepared under the superintendence of the author, in such manner as to give a condensed view of the present state, as well as past history of the Institution, and that five hundred copies be printed for the use of the Academy.
On motion of Dr. Bridges, Resolved, That Peter A. Browne, Esq., be requested to present to the Library of the Academy, a copy of his paper, entitled " Reasons for believing that animal torpidity is in- fluenced by the interruption or annihilation of electrical currents."
The following Committees were elected for the ensuing twelve months :
Geological and Miner alogical.
J. Price Wetherill, T. A. Conrad,
Samuel George Morton, William S. Vaux,
Thomas B. Wilson, Samuel Ashmead,
John Lambert.
%
1848.]
Zoological. Robert E. Griffith, John Cassin,
S. S. Haldeman, Edward Harris,
Edward Hallowell, William Gambel,
Joseph Leidy.
Botanical. Robert Brid,g;es, R. E. Griffith,
William S. Zantzinger, Gavin Watson,
Robert Kilvington.
Physics. Walter R. Johnson, John S. Phillips,
Paul B. Goddard, Thomas G. Percival,
Samuel Powel.
Library. R. Bridges. T. C. Percival,
S. B. Ashmead, Benjamin J. Kern,
M. Carey Lea.
Committee on Proceedings. S. G. Morton, C Corresponding and
J. S. Phillips, A Recording Secretaries,
W. S. Zantzinger, (_ ex-officio.
Caleb Cope, Esq., William H. Dillingham, Esq., John Cooke, Esq., and the Rev. Kingston Goddard, of Philadelphia, and Robert Haines, Esq., of Germantown, were elected Members, and Dr. William Max- well Wood, U. S. N., was elected a Correspondent,
February 1st, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair.
A communication was presented, entitled, " Descriptions of some new plants collected by Mr. William Gambel in the Rocky Mountains, and California, by Thomas Nuttall, F. L. S.'' Referred to Dr. Bridges, Mr. Gambel, and Dr. Zantzinger.
Dr. Leidy read a paper " On some peculiar bodies in the Boa Con- strictor, resembling the Pacinian corpuscles," which was referred to a committee, consisting of Drs. Hallowell, Morton, and Bridges.
Mr. Cassin, referring the Academy to a paper by Professor Percy, " On the management of Monkeys in captivity," published in the Proceedings of the Zoo- logical Society of London, for 1844, made some remarks on that subject.
He characterized Prof. Percy's observations, as highly judicious and evidently the result of much experience, — he (Mr. C.) wished however to point out the fact, that in the enumeration of articles suitable for the diet of those animals in confmement. Prof. P. had mentioned no animal food, except milk, an omission difficult to account for, as Prof. P. observes in the same paper, " the Marmozet eats spiders with great avidity."
Mr. C. stated that it was a well known fact, that many of the American species fed not upon fruit solely, but also upon insects, bird's eggs, and even
4 [Feb.
birds, and he had also ascertained, that several African species not only devoured insects with eagerness, but also caught them vs'ith great dexterity. A specimen of the Cei-co}}ithecus saher/ts, observed by him, was very I'ond of the common cockroach, and upon being furnished with a daily supply of that insect, actually recovered perfect health alter symptoms of disease had made their appearance. This individual caught cockroaches with surprising adroitness, and when one escaped, he would watch for it to reappear with the patience and quiet of a cat.
Mr. C. stated as his opinion, that all the African monkeys (and perhaps all others) were insect eaters, and to a person aware of the large number and enor- mous size of many of the species of Coleoptera of Africa, it would appear a reason- able supposition that those insects were eaten by monkeys.
All monkeys in confinement should be furnished with animal food, either insects, or raw mutton, or beef, cut into tiiin strips resembling worms, which he had found to be the best substitute.
Mr. C. stated that much of the disease of those animals in captivity, was doubtless to be attributed to the fact, that they were invariably, as far as he had observed, restricted to vegetable food.
February 8th, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
The Chairman read a letter addressed to him by Dr. R. W. Gibbes, dated Columbia, S. C, January 27th, 1848, enclosing another from Prof. Agassiz, addressed to Dr. Gibbes, dated Charleston, December 23d, 1847, and coinciding with him in the opinion that the Basilo- saurus of Harlan, or Zeuglodon celoidcs of Owen, is generically dis- tinct from the species described by Dr. Gibbes under the generic name of Dorudon, and published in these Proceedings. The following is a portion of the letter of Professor Agassiz : —
" I have examined the interesting fossil remains of Cetacea which you left with me yesterday. On close comparison, I have satisfied myself that Basilosaurus or Zeiiglodoii. cetoides, is generically distinct from your second species, which you first described under the generic name of Dorudon. The hollowness of the teeth cannot be indicative of a mere young age of that animal, as the form of the lower jaw is altogether difTerent in the two animals : Zeuglodon having a continuous fissure connecting the alveoli, and another groove along the edge of the jaw-bone, which are wanting in Dorudon. Besides, the posterior branch of the jaw is also different, the two lamcUre of the bone rising to the same height, and much higher in Zeuglodon, than in Dorudon, which has a deep depression upon its external sur- face, owing to the difference in the heiglit of the two laminae. Again, Zeuglodon has deep pits upon the external surface of the lov.-er jaw, shewing that the teeth of the upper jaw left an impression upon the lower, resting upon it, as in the croco- diles of our days, when the mouth is shut. The other portions of the jaws of Dorudon are from the upper jaw, the one with one tooth being from the left side, the other with three teeth being from the right side. I am therefore sorry that you have withdrawn your genus, in deference to the suggestion of Prof. Owen, as he did not insist upon their generic identity, but rather alluded to the close affinity of these remains.
The isolated tooth, though imperfect, is highly interesting, as indicating a new genus of Sauroid Cetacea, allied to Me^alosaurus by the form of the tooth, but difTering byithe form of its root. I would propose to call it Sauro-cHits G-ihhesii. It will easily be distinnuished from the fang of Dorudon, by its great flatness and acute serrated edge. In the form of these anterior teeth tliere is another generic difference between Zeuglodon and Dorudon, worth mentioning; in the former being blunt and short, whilst Dorudon has them acute and sharp upon the edges.
1 thank you for the opportunity you have afforded me to examine these highly
1848.] 5
interesting remains. As soon as I reach Boston, I shall avail myself of the op- portunity of Dr. Warren's collection, to ascertain whether the Zeuglodon of South Carolina is specifically identical with the large species of Alabama, which I begin to doubt."
A letter was read from the Rev. Thomas S. Savapre, addressed to Dr. Hallowell, dated Natchez, Miss., January 15th, 18 tS, stating that he had drawn up some flicts connected with the habits of three of the specimens of Natural History from Africa, lately presented by him to the Society, and had forwarded them with sketches of two of the serpents in a recent state, with some account of them as connected with the superstition of the natives of that part of Africa.
A letter from William Thompson, Esq., addressed to Dr. Griffith, dated Donegal Square, Belfast, January 11th, 184-8, was read, acknow- ledging the receipt of a donation of shells from Dr. Griffith and the Academy, and returning his thanks therefor ; also stating that he was preparing to forward in return, a number of species of Echinodermata and MoUusca, and of Alg(B, about one hundred and fifty species ; and also offering to transmit, if desired, specimens of Irish Crustacea and Zoophytes, also Cirrhipoda, Annelidce, and Amorphozoa, and fossils from the green sand formation of his vicinity.
A letter was read from Dr. Charles T. Jackson, addressed to the Academy, dated Boston, January 20th, 18-18, relating to the proposed erection in Paris of a monument to M. Etienne Geoffi'oy St. Hilaire, and enclosing a printed circular on the subject, dated Paris, April 30th, 1847, signed by Dumeril, Arago, Dumas, Serres, L. Elie de Beaumont, Jomard, Regnault, and Roche, and soliciting the co-operation of scien- tific societies and individuals in this country.
Professor Haldeman made some remarks ou the fibrous lava of the Hawaian Islands, and referred to the formation of a similar material in anthracite blast-furnaces. When the hearth of the furnace is some- what chilled, and the slag not highly fluid, if the blast is allowed to escape over it, it will be drawn out into long threads, which form bunches resembling flax. According to Mr. Dana, the fibrous lava (which Prof. H. proposes to call Stypnite,) is formed from masses of fluid lava cast into the air and struck by the wind.
Dr. Morton oifered some observations of the Bushman Hottentot boy, now in this city, and who was brought here under the kind and paternal auspices of Capt. Chase, United States Consul at the Cape of Good Hope. This gentleman has ex- pressed his intention to be present, with the boy, at a future meeting of the Academy; and in view of this arrangement, Dr.M. stated that he should confine his remarks to a few very interesting points. The boy is supposed to be about eighteen years of age, is three feet eleven inches in height, and of slender make. His complexion is that of a dried leaf, as described by travellers among these people ; the head is elongated, flattened on the coronal region ; full behind, and rather broad between the parietal bones. The face does not project ; the nose is so flat as scarcely to be seen in profile ; the cheek-bones wide, and the forehead low but not receding. The hair is arranged in delicate tufts, of a straight and cylindrical form, each tuft being inserted separately into the scalp, so that the intervening light skin presents a strong contrast with the black hair. If these tufts are examined, the hairs composing them are found to be spiral, and so intimately blended as to give the whole fasciculus a compact appearance, and an extraordinary flexibility. The hairs are very fine; but Dr. M. observed that his friend Dr. Meigs had called
6 [Feb.
his attention to the remarkable fact, that they are flattened, like tape, and as seen under a power of forty or fifty diameters of Chevallier's microscope, each hair has the precise appearance of an ordinary steel watch-spring. Dr. M. had repeated the experiments of Dr. Meigs, with that gentleman's assistance, using one of Oberhauser's microscopes, with the same result. Dr. M. also adverted to a prominence at or near the top of the sacrum, which, so far as he could judge from a very imperfect examination of it, as covered with the boy's usual dress, seems to be a prolongation of the spinous and transverse processes over the region in question ; and which would appear to be the osseous frame-work of that fatty cushion which is of proverbial occurrence in the Hottentot women. Dr. M. expressed a hope that he might yet be able to examine this structure more carefully, and report the facts to the Society. The boy's head corresponds, in most of its developments, to those of two Hottentot skulls in Dr. M.'s collection, sent him by Mr. John Watson, of Cape Town. The mental and moral questions con- nected with the history of this youth, possess an extreme interest, but can only be correctly judged of after more extended inquiries.
Mr. Ashmead made some remarks on what he considered a peculiarity in the calcareous spar, from the Rossie Lead mines, in New York.
The general form presented by fractured crystals of calcareous spar is rhomboedrous. Cleavage is perfect parallel totheprimary planesof a rhomb, andis therefore three-fold.
Some time since, Avhile engaged in reducing to convenient size for the cabinet, some specimens of double refracting spar from the above locality, he observed that some of the fractured crystals were susceptible of mechanical division in different directions from those of the planes of a rhomboedron ; this induced him to slice off the laminae wherever he found cleavage was perfect, and by proceeding with this sort of dissection, the result was a nucleus, of a perfectly geometrical form. It is a solid, bounded by six isosceles triangular planes of similar lustre, or two obtuse three-sided pyramids, placed base to base ; it has but one axis passing through opposite solid angles; assuming the axis to be vertical, the base is an equilateral triangle. As the faces are not parallel, but inclined to each other, it is suscepti- ble of perfect cleavage in six directions.
The solid angle of the apex is similar to the obtuse solid angle of the rhomb, therefore, by truncating the alternate solid angles of the rhomb, this solid is produced.
On motion of Dr. Leldy, the Corresponding Secretary was requested to make some further inquiry of Dr. Joel Y. Shelley, of Berks county, respectinfz; the locality of certain fossils from his vicinity, and the depth at which they were found by him.
February Ibth, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
A letter was read from Dr. William Maxwell Wood, U. S. N., dated Philadelphia, February 11th, 1848, acknowledging the receipt of his notice of election as a Correspondent.
A letter M^as read from the Secretary of the Linnean Society of London, dated Soho Square, December 30th, 1847, acknowledging the receipt of recent numbers of the Proceedings of the Academy.
A supplement to a communication presented at the meeting of Feb- ruary 1st, 1848, entitled "Descriptions of some new plants collected by Mr. William Gambel in the Rocky Mountains and California, by Thomas Nuttall, F. L. S.," was read and referred to the same Commit- ■tee, viz., Dr. Bridges, Mr. Gambel, and Dr. Zantzinger.
1848.] 7
Mr. Cassin read a paper, containing " Descriptions of new species of Birds of the genus Cynnocorax Boie, specimens of which are in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia," which was referred to the following Committee, viz., Dr. Wilson, Mr. Gambel, and Mr. Townsend.
Professor Henry D. Rogers exhibited and explained his Geological Map of Pennsylvania, and also a " Section of the Southern Anthracite coal basin at Pottsville."
Dr. Leidy mentioned to the Society, that he had examined the hair of the Hottentot boy, and that his observations corroborated the state- ment of Dr. Morton, made at last meeting, that it was much com- pressed or flattened. Transverse sections varied in outline from an oval to a very compressed lenticular form.
February 29th, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair.
The Committee on Mr. NuttalPs paper, read 1st and llth insts., reported in favour of publication in the Journal and Proceedings.
Descriptions of Plants collexted by Mr. William Gambel in the Rucky Mountains and Upper Calif ornia. By Thomas Nuttall.
*GAMBELlA.t Natural order, ScROPHULARiNiE. Tribe, ANTiRRHiNEiK.
Calyx 5-parted, nearly equal. Corolla hypogynous, the tube cylindrical, sac- cate at the base, orifice narrowly pervious, the border bilabiate, the palate rather prominent, smooth, upper lip erect; the lower spreading, all the segments nearly equal and oblong. Stamina four, arising from the base of the corolla tube, in- cluded, didynamous :' no sterile filament: anthers bilocular, oblong Ovarium bilocular, with many ovules, seated upon a glandular torus. *7^/e simple, cla- vate, entire. Capsule subglobose, 2-celled, opening below the summit by two or three irregular apertures. Seed, [not seen.] — A spreading bush, with verti- cillate, entire, coriaceous leaves, and axillary and terminal conspicuous scarlet flowers. Allied to Galvezia, but with a prominent palate and a saccate spur at the base of the corolla.
G. speciosa.
Hab. In the island of Santa Catalina on the coast of California. Flowering in the month of February.
*CROSSOSOMA.t
Calyx 5-leaved, imbricated, somewhat coriaceous and persistent, the leaves unequal and concave, with colored margins. Corolla of 5 subsessile, oval petals. Stamina perigynous, about 25, on a fleshy disk; anthers adnate. Urarics two
fin honor of Mr. William Gambel, a naturalist, who has explored Upper Cali- fornia, and made an interesting collection of the plants of that country.
J From xpoaao^ f'-ugc, and ffw^a a body; in allusion to the fimbriate arillus.
8 [Feb.
to five, united at base into a short stipe, 1-celied ; ovules many, attached to the ventral suture in a single crowded series. Sliginas thick and sessile, recurved. Capsules two to five, coriaceous and cylindric, opening longitudinally and in- wards, many-seeded. Seed roundish-reniform, nearly surrounded by a deeply fringed arillus. Embryo not seen. — A Californian shrub, with alternate, entire, crowded, exstipulate leaves, and 1-flowered, short, terminal branchlets ; flowers white.
C. CaUfornica.
Har. Abundant on the borders of streams in the island of Catalina, off the coast of Upper California. Flowering in February.
TRIFOLIUM.
§. *Physantha.. ( Tnvolucrarium.) With the calyx 5-cleft, one or two of the di- visions smaller. Corolla marcescent. The vexillum transformed into a physi- form sac, which at length envelopes the very small wings and monopetalous carina. Stigma capitate. Legume stipitate, 2 to 5-seeded, included in the calyx.
T. *stmophyllain. .\nnual, branching from the base; leaves ternate, smooth and linear, distantly serrulate; stipules subulate, sparingly denticulate; pe- duncles elongated, filiform, heads small and nearly round, the vexillum, at length, forming a membranous inflated sac of equal breadth throughout, embracing the small wings and small carina, which is monopetalous, with but one broad claw attached to the vexillum.
Hab. The island of Catalina, near Santa Pedro, Upper California. Flowering in February.
T . '* G amhelii . Perennial and decumbent, smooth, branching from the base; leaflets roundish-oval or cuneate-oval, obtuse, very minutely and sharply ser- rulate; stipules membranaceous, dilated, entire, with subulate, slender points; peduncles about the length of the leaves; involucrum about S-cleft, the seg- ments lanceolate, acuminate; teeth of the calyx trifid,or simple, with setaceous points; legume stipitate, 3 to .'i-seeded ; wings longer than the vexillum.
Hab. Island of Catalina, St. Simeon and Pueblo de los Angeles.
A large, robust species, with shortish branches, very large stipules, and heads of large flowers, which appear to have been whitish, with purple tips to the carina ; heads of flowers 1 to H inches across; the vexillum very wide below, so as to conceal the other petals ; the wings and carina are also united ; leaflets three quarters of an inch long, and about the same breadth.
T. *cilkdum. Q. Smooth and erect, but little branched ; lower leaves on very long petioles; leaflets cuneate-elliptic or oblong, obtuse, minutely and sharply serrulate; bractes adnate, subciliate, herbaceous, entire and acutely acuminate; capitnli axillar and terminal, rounded, many-flowered, destitute of involucrum, but subtended by a cicatrised circle of points ; the flowers attached to a cylindric torus, often ending in a long subulate point beyond the capitulnm ; segments of the calyx unequal, one of the teeth small, the rest lanceolate, sharply acuminated and bristly ciliated with stiff" hairs ; vexillum enclosing the other petals, which are small; legume flat, stipitate, about 1-seeded.
HiB. Pueblo de los Angeles, Upper California.
Stipules herbaceous ; the leaves rather thick and strongly veined, with forked vessels ; calyx nearly the length of the ochroleucous flower. This is again a Physan-iiia, but without a proper involucrum.
1S4S.] 9
T. ^demidatum. Q. Smooth, stem erect, a little branched, lower leaves on very long petioles; leaflets obcovdate or oboval, minutely and sharply serrulate ; stipules membranaceous, entire and setaceously acuminated; capituli axillary and terminal, rounded, many-flowered, without an involucrum, but with a cica- trised circle in its place, the flowers attached to a conic torus of the same struc- ture ; segments of the calyx subequal, linear lanceolate, sharply acuminated, nearly the length of the small ochroleucous flower; pod stipitate, about 2-seeded.
H-vB. With the above, which it much resembles, but the vexillum is not unusually inflated.
About a span high ; a rather small annual, and very smooth in every part. Leaflets about three-quarters of an inch long, three to four lines wide. Flowers small, with the teeth of the calyx very long and conspicuous.
T. ^diversifolum. Q. Small and smooth, branching from the base; leaflets linear or oblong, obtuse, perfectly entire, or repandly and rather sharply serru- late towards the apex; stipules nearly entire, with subulate points; peduncles longer than the leaves ; heads very small, 8 to 10-flowered; involucrum 6 to 8-parted, the divisions entire, ovate, obtuse ; calyx nearly half the length of the short flowers, the teeth simple and acute ; legume 2-seeded.
Hab. Near St. Simeon, Upper California. Remarkable for the diversity of its foliage, some of the leaflets being linear and quite entire, others with the same slightly serrulate ; in other plants they are cuneate-oblong, and even emarginate. The plant about a span high, with reddish flowers and a deep purple tipped carina.
ASTRAGALUS.
fi. MicROLOBTUM. Annual or perennial? Flowers various. Legume small, scarcely exserted beyond the calyx, 1-seeded.
K. *Catal!.nensis. Q. Nearly erect and much branched ; stipules ovate, dis- tinct, leaflets linear, deeply emarginate, five to seven pair, as well as the stem, scattered with appressed hairs ; flowers ochroleucous, in capitate heads ; seg- ments of the calyx subulate, obtuse, thickly clad with rough white and black hairs, the segments all inclined to the lower side ; legume scarcely exserted, scabrous.
Hab. On the island of Catalina, in Upper California. Flowering in Feb- ruary.
A. *nigrescens. Annual; nearly erect and much branched; stipules ovate, acuminate; leaflets cuneate-linear, deeply emarginate, nearly smooth; flowers ochroleucous, in short oval spikes, at length nodding; segments of the calyx subulate, acute, clothed with shortish black hair; legume ovate, acute, and villous, a little exserted ; cells 1-seeded.
Hab. With the above, which it greatly resembles, but difl^erent in the calyx and pod; flowers less crowded and pedicellate, the calyx not so deeply divided, nor clothed with such long rough hairs ; bractes minute, chaffy, subulate; stipules partly united at the base.
PHLOX.
P. *brijoides. Densely crespitose, very small ; leaves closely imbricated in 4 rows, the ciliar pubescence extending beyond the points of the oblong-lanceo-
2
10 [Feb.
late, very acute short leaves; flowers scarcely exserted ; segments of the calyx obtuse; those of the corolla cuneate, entire.
Hab. On the dividing ridge of the Rocky Mountains. (Nuttall.)
P. *nana. Dwarf and many-stemmed, viscidly pubescent; leaves rather long and linear, acute, the upper ones alternate; peduncles few, from the termi- nal branches, and as well as the calyx pilose; flower exserted, with the tube twice the length of the calyx segments ; border of the corolla longer than the tube, segments cuneate, emarginate.
Hab. Near Santa Fe, Rio del Norte. Flower large and red. Stems many from the same perennial root, 4 to 5 inches high ; the lower leaves 1 1 inches long, from 1 to 2 lines wide, quite flat, and more or less clothed with a small glandular pubescence. Flowers few, and as large as any in the genus ; segments of the calyx linear and acute; the tube of the corolla about twice its length. Corolla more than an inch across. Cells of the ovarium 2-seeded.
PoLEMONiuM *uiscosum. Dvvarf ; every part covered with a short, viscid pu- bescence; leaves nearly as long as the short flower stems, segments rounded, ovate or subcordate, very small and short ; flowers in small terminal clusters ; corolla much longer than the elongated lanceolate segments of the calyx ; ovaries
2 or 3 in each cell.
Hab. On rocky ledges towards the sources of the Platte Flowering in June. (Nuttall.)
GILIA.
G. * multijlora. Biennial, erect and much branched from the base; stems low and pubescent; leaves pinnatifid, mostly trifid, segments narrow linear and mucronulate, above simple; flowers disposed in sessile or pedicellate axillary clusters; tube of the corolla about twice the length of the curved calyx; the segments of the corolla oblong and mucronulate; stamens somewhat exserted.
Hab. Sandy hills along the borders of the Rio del Norte, (New Mexico.) Flowering in August.
S. *ALLOPHyLLuar. Annual. Leaves dissimilar and broad, obscurely
3 to 5-parted, with distinct partial petioles. Stem difTusely branched, the flowers small, partly funnel-form, disposed in cymose racemes. Capsule oval, the cells 2-seeded; the seeds roundish, not angular. Closely allied to Col- lomia, but with the cells of the capsule 2-seeded.
G *divaricatii. Annual, diffusely branched and subdecumbent, viscidly puberu- lous ; leaves alternate, digitately united at the base; leaflets 3 to 5, lanceolate acute, attenuated into a petiole, two or four much smaller than the others; branches forked, ending in cymose racemes ; calyx obcoiiic, divided nearly to the base, enlarging with the ripening of the fruit; the segments lanceolate acute, viscid ; corolla small and slender, the tube more than twice the length of the small calyx ; segments of the border oblong ; stamens somewhat exserted, an- thers roundish.
Hab. Monterey, Upper California.
§. *Chrysantha. Annual, pubescent. Leaves sessile, opposite, palmately di- vided, with entire linear segments. Flowers fastigiate, somewhat corymbose on filiform peduncles, (yellow) segments of the calyx acute. Corolla funnel-
184-8.] 11
form, with a short tube, the segments oval and entire. Anthers ovate. Stamens exserted beyond the throat of the corolla. Ovules in the capsule about 20.
G. *aurea. Corolla smooth, about twice the length of the calyx; segments of the leaves short and hispid, 3 to 6.
Hab. Santa Barbara. Flowering in April.
^. Perennials or biennials, with the leaves often sparingly pinnatifid towards the extremity, or entire and linear, fleshy. Flowers in condensed clusters, capi- tate or in spikes, generally white. Corolla tubular, with a deeply 5-cleft, spreading border. Stamens shortly exserted or even with the summit of the tube. Stigmas very short. Ovaries 2 to 4 in a cell, rarely 1. — *Elafhocera.
G. congesta. (Hooker.) Common in the Rocky Mountain region.
G. ^crebrifo/ia. Perennial and branching from the base ; leaves entire, linear, acute and fleshy, smooth, crowded so as to conceal. the stem ; flowers in capi- tate clusters; stamens exserted to the length of the corolla segments.
Hab. Big Sandy Creek of the Colorado of the West. Flowering in July. (Nuttali.)
G. *spici:ifa. Perennial; leaves linear, fleshy; flowers in clusters, spiked; stem and calyx lanuginous, segments of the calyx linear acute and viscid; tube of the corolla exserted; stamens at the summit of the tube.
Hab. On the hills near Scott's Bluffs of the Platte. Flowers white, segments oblong. (Nuttali.)
G. *trijida. Biennial; radical leaves linear; cauline trifid towards the ex- tremity, fleshy and smooth ; flowers clustered in spikes; stem and calyx pubes- cent, segments of the calyx linear and very acute ; tube of the corolla exserted ; stamens at the summit of the tube.
Hab. With the above, which it greatly resembles, except in the leaves; cells of the capsule each with three or four ovules. About a span high, (Nuttali.)
G. *pumila. Perennial? branching from the base ; flowers in terminal clus- ters, subtended by long leaves, wooly at their base ; leaves fleshy, trifid at the extremities ; segments narrow, linear, spinulose at points ; corolla small, the tube exserted ; stamens extending a little beyond the orifice of the tube.
Hab. Near the first range of the Rocky Mountains of the Platte. Flowering in May. (Nuttali.)
G. (CoLLOMioiDEs) ^Jillfolia. Q. Erect and rigid ; stenis smooth below, nearly simple; leaves mostly trifid ; the segments setaceous and rigid ; capituli corymbose and whitely woolly ; tube of the corolla about the length of the calyx; segments of the border lanceolate; stamens shorter than the corolla.
Hab. Near Santa Barbara, Upper California.
LEPTOSIPHON.
L. *hlcolor. Branching from the base ; leaves 3, 5 to 7-cIeft, the lowest much shorter; lower segments oblong-linear, cuneate, the upper subulate, all more or less roughly ciliate; segments of the calyx subulate, lanceolate ; tube of the corolla three times the length of the funnel-formed border, its seg- ments oval and rounded ; stamens about half the length of the border.
Hab. On moist rocks, on the Oregon near the outlet of the Wahlamei; the only place where we saw it, (Nuttali.)
12 . [Feb.
FENZLIA.
F. *speciosa. Copiously branching from the base, nearly glabrous ; leaves linear, entire ; flowers pedunculate, (concolor, nearly white ?) border of the corolla as long as the elongated segments of the smooth calyx.
Hab. On the island of Catallna. Flowering in February.
F. *concinna. (■). Very dwarf and somewhat pubescent, branching from the base; leaves linear, flowers nearly sessile ; segments of the caly.K longer than the cup.
Hab. Near Santa Diego, Upper California. Flowering in May. (Nuttall.)
LEPTODAC TYLON.
L. *cxspitosum. Diffusely casspitose, herbaceous and smooth; leaves imbricated, the segments about 3, flat, with sharp subulate points ; the tube of the corolla exserted ; segments cuneate, entire.
Hab. On the borders- of the Platte, and hills near Scott's Blufi^s. Flowering in May. (Nuttall.)
EUTOCA.
E. ^alhijlora. Q. Glandularly pilose and viscid ; stem erect and branching; leaves broad-ovate, shortly petiolate, subcordate, angularly biserrate ; racemes curved, elongated, many-flowered, calyx segments spaithulate-linear, obtuse ; co- rolla not much longer than the calyx ; capsule many-seeded. '
Hab. Santa Barbara, Upper California.
E. *speciosa. Q. Stem erect and simple; leaves broad ovate, subcordate, doubly serrate, almost lobed, beneath strongly nerved, and, as well as the stem and calyx, hispid and viseidly glandular ; racemes at the summit of the stem, several, circinate, not elongated ; flowers on short pedicels ; segments of the calyx spathulate-linear ; capsule with more than fifty roundish, very rugose seeds.
Hab. Near St. Diego, Upper California. (Nuttall.)
*EUCRYPTA.t Calyx 5-parted, without external appendages ; lobes oval or ovate.. Corolla tubular companulate, half .5-cleft, deciduous, without internal appendages; the lobes rounded; the aestivation with three segments exterior and two interior. Stamens 5, equal, arising from the base of the corolla, smooth, somewhat ex- serted; anthers small and oval, nectary none. Ovary depressed, globose, 1- celled ; placentas 2, free, externally septiferous, each with four dissimilar ovules. Style elongated, very shortly bifid. Stigmas minute. Capsule 2.valved, dividing parallel with the placenta, presenting four roundish, rugose seeds ; concealed in the adnate parietes, as it were, of each of these valves are, (when perfect,) two other seeds, which are even and elliptic ! separated from the other seeds by a perfect membranaceous partition, parallel with the deep con- cavity of the valves, and each of these partitions is again divided internally by a proper transverse septum; so that the capsule is in fact 4-ceiIed, witli closed partitions, and the division of the adnate placentas presents the large circular cavity of the capsule, as if merely 1-celied, with two hemispherical valves! Seed with a corneous, large albumen ; embryo straight, minute, central, not
t So called in allusion to the concealed cells of the capsule.
1848.] 13
half the length of the albumen. — Annuals with bipinnati/id leaves, with the flowers in loose racemes.
E. *paniciilata. Flowers in a loose terminal panicle; stem viscid; uppermost leaves pinnatifid, segments of tlie calyx oval, obtuse.
H.\.B. Near Santa Barbara, Upper California. Flowering in April and May.
E. *folinsa. Leaves all bipinnatifid, hirsute ; racemes not longer than the leaves ; segments of the calyx ovate, acute.
Hab. With the above, which it much resembles, but a lower, less viscid plant, with rather smaller flowers and capsules.
COLLOMIA.
^. Calyx obconic, scarcely cleft to the middle, with foliaceous segments. Flowers racemose, scattered. Intensely bitter to the taste. — *Picracoi,la.
C. *linuiJes. Leaves narrow-linear, scattered, ending in a short mucro ; flowers small, scattered, subsessile, the calyx shorter tnan the tube of the co- rolla.
Hab. Banks pf the Platte. (Nuttall.)
PHACELIA.
P. *canescens. Canescent and hirsute ; leaves spathulate, oblong or sublan- ceolate, entire; racemes condensed into circinate clusters; corolla twice the length of the calyx ; stamens exserted, the filaments pilose.
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains and Blue Mountains of Oregon. (Nuttall.)
p. *glandulosa. Annual or biennial, very pilose, with a soft, short, shining pubescence ; the stems and calyx covered with blackish, viscid, resinous glands; leaves pinnatifid ; the segment.^ somewhat toothed, short and roundish ; flowers shortly pedicellate in crowded circinate spikes; segments of the calyx oblong; stamens exserted ; style pilose.
Hab. About Hams' Fork of the Colorado of the West, on dry, bare hills. (Nutlall )
NAVARRETIA.
N. ^minima. Q. Smooth, dwarf, depressed and branched from the base; leaves somewhat bipinnately divided, with iew and divaricate, subulately sharp segments; floral leaves simply pinnately dissected ; calyx with three of the segments usually entire ; corolla longer than the tube of the calyx; ovary cells 2-seeded.
Hab. Plains of the Oregon, near Walla. Walla, (\uttall.) Seldom more than an inch high; segments of the leaves quite acicular ; flowers small and white, the tube exserted a little beyond the calyx; the stamens slightly exserted.
ERIOGONUM.
E. *acaule. Very dwarf, stemless and cscspitose, the caudex much divided, leaves whitely tomentose, oblong-linear, reflected so as to be semi-cylindric ; involucrum wholly sessile, few flowered, 4 or 5- toothed, the teeth very ob- tuse.
Hab. On the summit of the Rocky Mountains, near the Colorado of the West, at the highest land. A very remarkable dwarf species, forming dense tufts, independent of the subterraneous woody caudex, not an inch high, whitely
14 [Feb.
tomeiitose. Leaves about a line wide and about 3 or 4 long. Flowers yellow and bright, externally somewhat pubescent, as well as the germs.
E. *Andhitt,m. 8temless, ceespitose, the caiidex much divided ; leaves small and spathulate, wholly and whitely tomentose, reflected on the margin ; scapes all radical, terminating in a single capitulum; involucrum divided nearly to the base, the segments about 8, leafy ; flowers yellow, small.
Hab. With the above. (Nuttall.)
With a woody brown subterraneous stem, terminating with cjBspitose tufts of white, softly tomentose leaves ; scape 2 or 3 inches high, with a small umbel of bright yellow flowers, which are pubescent externally, and reflected from the multifid involucrum, which is divided into eight small, leafy appendages. Germ smooth. Stigmas rather long.
E. *denudatum. Annual, very smooth, excepting the under surface of the leaves, which are tomentose; leaves all radical and small, roundish reniform, on long petioles ; stems many, all from the base, naked and scapoid, terminating in a single invohicrum, or corymbosely terminated by 2 or 3; involucres double, the outer or bractes short and 3-cleft, the inner 8-toothed and strongly ribbed, bearing tufts of abortive filaments ; perigonium smooth, (purple.)
Ka.b. In the Rocky Mountains of Upper California.
E. *racf'.mos!t.m. Scape naked and whitely tomentose, as well as the elliptic ovate leaves, sparingly forked at the summit, with the solitary involucres ses- sile and forming a spike ; involucrum very woolly, obsoletely toothed, subtended by a 3-cleft sheathing involucel or bractes; perianth smooth, oblong, attenuated at the base, (flowers ochroleucous?)
Hab. Colorado of the V\ est.
E. '^ellipticum. SufFiuticose ; barren branchlets at the base of the scapoid stem; leaves elliptic or olilong-elliptic, beneath whitely tomentose, above nearly smooth; umbel compound, the forked divisions and general umbel involucrate; the involucels leafy and spreading; involucrum campanulate, lanuginous, 6-cleft, the segments rather longer than the tube, very many-flowered ; perianth exserted, oblanceolate, attenuated to the pedicel, smooth, (or pubescent ?)
Hab. Kocky Mountains. (Nuttall.)
j3. megacephalum. Leaves oblong, subelliptic ; perianth pubescent; umbel simple.
Hab. With the above.
E. *gcn!culu(uiu. SufFruticose, low and considerably branched ; stems clus- tered ; leaves linear, somewhat oblong, revolute on the margin, pubescent above, tomentose beneath ; umbels simple, of few rays, the involucrum of the umbel long and leafy; proper involucrum campanulate, many-flowered, lanuginous; the border many-cleft, the divisions spreading and nearly as long as the cup; ■ flowers yellow, numerous and small, obconic, externally pubescent towards the
base.
Hae. In the Rocky Mountains, on the western slope. (Nuttall.)
E. *cerniium. Q. Leaves all radical, round oval, upon longish petioles, very whitely tomentose beneath, less so above; scape smooth, two or three times dichotomous ; involucres solitary, pedicellate, smooth, pedicels exserted, at
1848.] 15
length cernuus ; involucrate bractes 3-cleft, acute, appressed ; teeth of the iiivo- liicriim acute ; flowers few and small ; segments of the perianth unJulated Hab. On the plains of the Oregon and in the Rocky Mountains. (Nuttall.)
E. *iiiicrotheca.. Suffruticose and dwarf; stems slender and clustered, at first arachnoid tomentose ; leaves linear-oblong, nearly smooth above, whitely tomen- tose beneath, shortly petiolate, the petiole widened at the ba^e ; umbel two or three times di or trichotomous, each division bracteate ; the involucrum small and distinct, pubescent, about G-flowered ; the teeth about six, ovate, obtuse; flowers yellow, very small.
Hab. On the sides of hills in Oregon, cast of Walla- Walla (Nuttall.)
E. *cn)vpanufufui}i. Leaves all radical, clustered upon a thickish caudex, linear- spathulate or narrowly oblong, narrowed below into longish petioles, whitely tomentose on both surfaces ; scaj)es smooth and naked ; umbel about twice tri- chotomous, few-flowered ; bractes acute, a little tomento.se on the margins ; in- volucrum campanulate, about 6 to lO-flowered, smooth, with obtuse teeth; peri- anth yellow, smooth.
Hab. On the western declivity of the Rocky Mountains. (Nuttall )
E. *brevicauUs. Branches very short, arising from a woody caudex, clustered, tomentose ; leaves linear lanceolate, long and rather acute, attenuated into a very long petiole, whitely tomentose beneath, less densely above ; upper sea- poid stem very smooth; the bractes acuminated, tomentosely margined ; umbe two or three times compounded, with very long rays ; teeth of the canpanulate involucrum acute; flowers smooth, yellow and very small.
Hab. On the upper plains of the Oregon. (iXuttall )
E. *gyrophyUum. With a woody caudex ; lower leaves clustered towards the base of the stem, oblong-lanceolate, acute, attenuated at the base, beneath to- mentose and yellowish-white, above slightly pubescent and green; a verticel of leaves on the stem, about 6, subsessile, oblong; umbel simple, of many short rays, with a leafy, spreading involucrum, tomentose within and without, many- flowered, shallow and simple, with longish, reflected teeth ; perianth smooth, exserted.
Hab. Kocky Mountains of the Platte. (Nuttall.)
E. *angiistif(iUuiii. SuflVuticose. with infertile branches towards the base; leaves fasciculated and verticillated, linear-acute, narrowed below, whitely to- mentose beneath, greenish but pubescent above, a verticel of about six leaves on the short stem ; umbel simple, subtended by long, leafy bractes ; divisions of the many-flowered involucrum reflected, pubescent; perianth reflected, smooth.
Hab. Western slope of the Kocky Mountains. (Nuttall.)
E. *effusum. Suffruticose ; leaves linear, oblong, obtuse, beneath whitely tomentose, above pubescent, greenish ; stem tomentose, two oi three times tri- chotomous, divaricate ; bractes ternate, lanceolate-acute ; (flowers not seen.)
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains. (Nuttall.)
E. *micranfhum. Leaves nearly all radical, arising from a thickish, woody caudex, linear-spathulate, or narrowly oblong lanceolate, narrowed below into longish petioles, whitely tomentose on both surfaces; scapes, bractes and invo- lucres tomentose ; umbel decompound, pedicels of the second divisions very short, with about three involucres in each; bractes acute or acuminate ; invo-
.16 [Feb.
lucres campanulate, very small, the teeth obtuse; flowers smooth, small and yellow, dioicoLis ?
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains of Oregon. (T. Kultall.)
In aspect nearly allied to E. campanu/utum, but with rather longer and nar- rower leaves, and the involucres most of them sessile.
E. '^'alburn. Nearly stemless, with a woody caudex ; leaves very whitely to- mentose, spathulate-obovate, obtuse, usually longer than the petiole ; bractes mi-nute, appressed ; umbel nearly simple, of few rays; involucrum tomentose, angular, with shortish teeth; flowers numerous, smooth.
Hab. Rocky Mountains of Oregon (Nuttall.)
E. *rosniarinifolium. Shrubby and much branched, sm.ooth or somewhat pu- bescent; leaves clustered, nearly linear, revolute on the margin, slightly tomen- tose beneath; umbel pedunculate, compound, bractes leafy, numerous ;. involucres usually smooth, with acute teeth ; perianth mostly glabrous.
Hab. Near Santa Barbara, Upper California, (\uttal!.)
^. foliolosum. Leaves more acute, with the petiole, young branches and the perianth, externally near the base, pilosely pubescent.
Hab. With the above.
E. *verticillafum. Biennial ; stem dichotomously branching, the offsets all subtended by verticles of sessile, lanceolate, very acute leaves, in 3's; radical leaves oblong, as well as the stems and branches whitely tomentose, attenuated below into long petioles ; flowers wholly unknown.
Hab. Near St. Diego, Upper California.
We have not seen the plant in flower, but the remarkable characters, some- what resembling those of E. iomentotum, and unlike any other species, perhaps justifies our giving it a passing notice.
E. ^lenelhim. Densely caespitose, with a woody, multifid, short caudex ; leaves roundish, ovate or elliptic, on short petioles, not exserted from the caespi- tose mass, whitely tomentose on both sides, as well as the scape and involucrum ; capitulum solitary, rather small ; involucrum cylindric, with obscure teeth, cluster of involucres 8 or 10 sessile ; flowers small, purple ; segments of the peri- anth oblong, not very unequal.
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains, on the western slope.
-EUCYCLA.t Pcrimith membranaceous, colored, petaloid, dimorphous, the three outer di- visions, orbicular, concave; the three inner linear-oblong, emarginate, connivent into a cylinder. Stamens 9, with short filaments, membranous at base. Sfi/les three, of moderate length, with small, capitate stigmas. Adicniuin attenuated, triangular. Einbryo excentric ; radicle superior; cotyledons flat.
E. *ovnlifoli,a. Leaves all radical, short and roundish-ovate, whitely tomen- tose; capitulum made up of several sessile, whitely tomentose involucres; outer segments of the yellow perianth rather narrower at base, the inner emarginate segments exserted.
Eriogonum ovalifoUum. Nutt., Journ. Acad. Nat Sci., Philad.
Hab. Sources of the Missouri. Flowers bright yellow.
fin reference to the circular figure of the perianth.
1848.] 17
E. ^purpurea. Leaves all radical, short and roundish-ovate, whitely tomen- tose ; capitulum made up of several sessile, smoothish, tomentosely margined involucres; outer segments of the purple perianth orbicular, sometimes emargin- ate at base ; the inner emarginate, narrow, segments scarcely exserted.
Hab. Rock}' Mountains of the Platte.
Scape about a span high, arising from a multifid woody caudex; flowers larger than in the preceding and purple ; filaments much shorter than the perianth, with a torn membranous margin at base ; three stamens seated on each of the inner narrow segments ; embryo rather short.
CHORIZANTHE.
C. *nudicaule. Annual; radical leaves narrow spathulate, pubescent, with long, slender petioles, tomentose beneath; scapiform stem nearly naked, the summit trichotomous, the branchlets once or twice bifid, the flowers cymosely conglomerated ; stem and very unequal toothed involucrum lanuginous ; segments of the sessile, exserted perianth oblong, obtuse.
IIab. Santa Barbara, Upper California. Flowering in April.
C. *angustifolia. Annual and small ; leaves all linear-spathulate, softly la- nuginous, as well as the branches; stem trichotomous, the heads of flowers somewhat racemose ; involucrum pilose, with very unequal, uncinate spreading teeth, subulate to their base; perianth minute, the segments obtuse and without points.
Hab. Pueblo los Angeles, Upper California. Flowering in April.
C. *discolor. Annual or biennial, and rather dwarf; leaves all radical in a rosulate cluster, the primary nearly smooth, rather large, spathulate-oblong, obtuse or emarginate, rather smooth above, whitely tomentose beneath ; the jietioles, stem and involucrum very hairy ; the involucrum with spreading, very unequal teeth subulate to their base; scape low, doubly trichotomous, the flowers in cymose clusters.
Hab. St. Diego, Upper California.
C. *procumbe7is. Annual or biennial, softly pilose ; leaves spathulate, rather small ; stem nearly naked, procumbent, the branches extremely divaricate and fragile, cymose ; flowers in small clusters ; involucrum with the teeth subulate to the base, slightly uncinate, unequal ; perianth segments oblong, entire, (yellow) pubescent.
Hab. With the above. Flowering in April and May. (Nuttall.)
A very remarkable species by its procurhbent habit and extreme fragility ; the branchlets and clusters of flowers disjointing into numerous fragments on the slightest touch, like a Loranthus.
C. *uncinata. Like the preceding, but with the teeth of the involucrum strongly and remarkably uncinate and nearly equal ; the tube is almost smooth and strongly ribbed ; it is likewise yellowish, as well as the pubescent perianth.
Hab. With the above. (Nuttall.)
^. Perianth exserted ; the segments oblong, deeply fringed towards their base, (red) styles very long — *Ptilosepal4.
C. -^Jimbriata. Annual; leaves all radical, spathulate-oval, pilose beneath; scape trichotomous ; flowers in compound cymes ; involucrum pubescent,
3
18 , [Feb.
the teeth subulate, unequal: perianth torn at the sides into long capillary fringe.
Hae. With the above. (Nuttall.)
PTEROSTEGIA.
P. '^dlphyUu. O- Pubescent ; leaflets binate, each division obcordate or bilobed ; comnnon petiole on the lower leaves very long; achenium with the angles acute. ^. *biloba. Leaves nearly all 2-lobed, the lobes sometimes emarginated. Hab. Near Santa Barbara. Flowering in May.
P. *micruplnjUa. Q. Somewhat hirsute; leaflets binate, the lower ones twice compounded, divisions obcordate or unequally bilobed, the lobes some- times with a single tooth; common petiole on the lower leaves elongated, the upper leaves sessile ; achenium with obtuse angles.
Hab. With the above, which it greatly resembles, but always smaller leaved and more pubescent.
* NEMACAULTS.f
Involucr urn, none; the flowers monoicous, disposed in round clusters at the joints of the filiform stem, subtended and mixed with elliptical bractes. Feriantli obconic, 6-cleft. Stamens 3. Styles 3, very short, with small subcapitate stigmas. Achenium ovoid, angular only at the summit. — Califirnian annuals, the leaves wholly, and the bractes on the upper side densely and whitely tomentose ; stems smooth or viscid, filiformly elongated and nearly naked, with the flowers disposed in sessile round heads at the joints of the stem, and subtended and mixed with small, elliptical, marginated bractes. The flowers resemble those of Eriogoiium, but the habit, absence of involucrum, and paucity of sta- mens, at once distinguish it.
N. *denudnia.
Hab. St. Diego, Upper Californiaj in sandy places near to the sea shore. Flowering in April and May. (Nuttall.)
N. *foliosa. With the above, from which it perhaps is not distinct; the leaves are much longer, the stem a little glutinous, and with most of the joints of the stem leafy.
•OXYTHECA.J
Dioicous or monoicous. Involucrum small, 4 to 5-toothed, obconic, few- flowered, (3 to 5,) the teeth mostly spinulose. Female perianth closed to the summit, about 6-toothed ; male and hermaphrodite shortly 6-cleft. Staments about 6 ? Achenium compressed, Ssided, elliptic. Style 3. Embryo excen- tric, in a somewhat fleshy perisperm, antitropus. Coiyledones oval, flat ; radicle elongated, curved. — Annuals, with the leaves generally hirsute, nearly all radical ; panicle or branches trichotomous and very divaricate, the ramifications sub- tended by verticillated bractes, free or united, into a cup. Involucres very small, solitary and pedicellate, 4 to .5-toothed, the teeth terminating in very long, sharp, rigiil bristles, more rarely unarmed; perianth pubescent; the branches clothed with viscid, pedicellate glands. Somewhat allied to Chorizanthe, but with the involucrum more than l-flowered, and the achenium compressed.
fFrom the singular prostrate, thread-like stem. J In allusion to the peculiar involucrum
1848.] 19
0. *dendroidea. Leaves all linear, radical, hirsute; scape divaricately di and trichotomoiis ; peduncles capillary; invohicrum about 3-flowered ; awns twice the length of the involiicrum.
Hab. On the sar.d hills of the Rocky Mountains, near Lewis' River.
0. *fuliosa. Leaves liuear-lancsolate, hirsute ; divisions of the trichotomous stem subtended by verticils of leaves ; awns of the involucrum about its length.
H\B. With the above, which it much resembles ; it is, however, a much stouter plant. The leaves about 2 inches-long and 2 to 3 lines wide.
§. *GoMPHOiHECi Dioicous, Annualj stem naked, verticillately branched
and very divaricate. Involucrum small, about 5-toothed, 5-flowered ; without awns.
0. *i(la/idulusa. Leaves all radical, roundish and pilose ; branches verticillate, branchlets very numerous and divaricate, the ultimate ones and pedicels capillary; flowers exserted, pubescent.
Ha'b. Rocky Mountains of Upper California
*STENOGONUM.t
Monoicous. Involucrum none. Flowers naked, in axillary clusters. Perianth triangular, 6-cleft. Stamens 6 ? Styles minute, with capitate stigmas. Achenium conic, triangular, the angles sharp and salient, with a margin. — A small, smooth, rather succulent annual plant of the Rocky Mountains, dichotomously subdi- vided and branched ; leaves entire, opposite or ternate ; flowers yellow, in axillary and terminal clusters, subtended by small, similar, leafy bractes. In the want of involucrum, approaching Nemacaulis, but the habit, flower and achenium are very distinct.
6*. sahuginosu7n.
Hab. Bare saline hills of the Colorado of the West, in the Rocky Moun- tains. Flowering in June and July. (Nuttall.)
*HELIOMERIS.J
Capitulum many-flowered, heterogamous ; rays ligulate, in a single series, neuter; discal florets tubular, hermaphrodite. Involucrum irregularly imbricated and leafy, in about two series, and rather spreading. Receptacle conic, the palea embracing the florets, lanceolate and acute. Corolla, rays ligulate, (10 — 12,) those of the disk tubular, the tube short, throat wide and cylindric, border 5-toothed. Stigmata with oblong tips. Achenia laterally compressed, some- what tetragonous, smooth, and without any pappus.
H. multijtorus.
A perennial tall herb, exactly resembling an Helianthus, with narrow, entire, somewhat scabrous leaves, the lower ones opposite ; flowers yellow, terminal, numerous.
Hab. In Upper California, (Mr. Gambel,) and in the Rocky Mountains collected by Mr. Gordon.
CHRYSOTIIAMNUS.
C. *depressus. Suffruticose and dwarf, nearly smooth; leaves rigid, lance-linear, very acute, 1-nerved; flowers in small corymbs; involucrum
fin allusion to the sharp and slender angles of the achenium. tin allusion to its close affinity to Helianthus.
20 [Feb.
closely imbricated, the scales in 5 rows, lanceolate, acutely acuminated, smooth, the lowest very small, 1 -nerved and somewhat carinate ; pappus fulvous.
Hah. In the sierra of Upper California. Nearly allied to C. pumila, but with a different involucrum. Achenia smooth, 5-ribbed.
*OXYTEN[A.t
Cflj9«7u/Mm heterogamous, many-flowered, the marginal ones in a single series, apetalous and feminine. Florets of the disk tubular, masculine. Involucrum composed of a single series of imbricated, ovate, rather rigid scales, (about 5.) Receptaculum small and flat; its palea narrow, spathulate and membranaceous, tufted with long hairs. — Male Flowers. Corolla obconic, with a narrow tube;
border .5-toothed. Anthers distinct FE>rALE. Corolla none. Stig;maia terete,
filiform, smooth. Achenia bluntly obovate, obcompressed and ridged on the inner side, covered with dense white hairs, situated beneath the scales of the involucrum and without pappus.
O. acerosa.
A large, erect, spreading bush, with the inflorescence of an Tva ■ the leaves alternate, acerosely linear and rigid, pinnately divided into trifid or more com- pound divisions ; capituli sessile, arranged in a compound panicle, as in many Artemisias. The whole plant very bitter, but with very little aroma. In habit more allied to Artemisia than Ira. Appears to be nearly related to Euphrofsyne. of DecandoUe, as well as to Pycrothunmus and Cyclacluena, which last, how- ever, is not sufficiently distinct from ha,
Hab. Rocky Mountains, near Upper California. Flowering in October and November.
GNAPHALIUM.
G. *ramosissiminn. Stem tall and stout, very much branched, the branches fastigiate; leaves and stem green but pubescent, the former linear-lan- ceolate, acuminate, strongly decurrent, viscidly pubescent ; heads mostly peduncu- late in scattered corymbs ; scales of the yellowish-white involucrum oblong- lanceolate, subacute, longer than the florets; achenia smooth.
Hab. Monterey. Flowering in September and October.
STEPHANOMERIA.
S. *elata. Stems stout, erect, grooved and attenuated upwards ; leaves almost filiformly linear, the lowest somewhat pinnatifid, the upper la- ciniately toothed at the embracing base; flowers in a small terminal panicle, (blue,) florets about 10 ; achenia cylindric-oblong, 5-grooved, somewhat rugose.
Hab. Santa Barbara, Upper California.
PTILOMERIS.
P. *tenella. Pappus of 8 to 10, cuneiform, obtuse fringed scales, in the rays minute ; involucrum campanulate, about 8 leaved ; scales ovate, somewhat obtuse ; leaves mostly opposite, pinnatifid, the divisions few, narrow linear.
Hab. In thevicinityof Pueblo de Los Angeles, Upper California. Flowering in April. Very distinct from the Hymenoxys Californica of Hooker.
P. *affi.nis. Similar to the preceding, excepting the pappus, which is fimbri-
+ From olt'T'fvJjf acuminate. In allusion to the rigid narrow foliage
1848.]
21
ate along the margin of the narrow scales, all terminating in awns, excepting the rays, which have the same short awnless pappus as in the preceding.
Hab. With the former. That these are true species, as well as the one which I called P. coronaria, I am persuaded by the fact of their retaining tiie same relative character when cultivated.
HEMIZONIA.
H. *decumhens. Annual, hirsute, pubescent; heads nearly solitary at the summit of the branches; leaves entire, linear, rather obtuse; rays 10 to 15, cu- neate, 3-Iobed ; achenia rugose, with a short, curved beak; pappus of the disk flowers none.
Hab. Near Monterey. A good deal resembling H. fascicu/ata.
§. Heads hemispherical, many-flowered, corymbose; rays 20— 25, receptacular chaff", in a single series, not united ; pappus none ; leaves pinnatifid. — Madiomeris.
H. *macrocephala. Annual ? hirsute ; leaves irregularly pinnatifid, acute, upper ones entire and sessile ; flowers subcorymbose, head hemispherical, many- flowered ; rays 20 to 30, cuneate, 3 lobed; achenia incurved, rugulose, with an oblique apex and stipitate at the base.
Hab. At St. Simeon, Upper California.
MONOLOPIA.
M. *la:iceolata. Young branches and leaves at first somewhat tomen- tose, at length nearly smooth ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, distantly and irregularly toothed, sessile, all alternate, above entire and amplexicaule, acute ; peduncles tomentose ; leaves of the involucrum usually 8, ovate, divided nearly to the base; rays a little longer than the disk; florets all fertile ; receptacle conic, smooth, with projecting papillfe.
Hab. Pueblo de los Angeles, Upper California. Flowering in April,
ERIGERON.
E. ^stenophyllum. Nearly smooth, stem even and cylindric, corym- bose at the summit ; leaves filiform, rather numerous and scattered, minutely scabrous ; involucrum about 3 series, scales linear-lanceolate, acute ; rays nu- merous, elongated, (30 or more.) 2 to 3-toothed ; pappus fulvous, scabrous, with an outer short white series ; achenia nearly smooth and compressed.
Hab. In California, (Monterey ?)
CH.^NACTIS.
C. *denudata. Biennial; glandularly pubescent; peduncles exceedingly long; involucrum viscidly pubescent, rather tomentose; scales linear-lanceo- late; ray-flowers irregular, expanded, shorter than the disk.
Hab. Pueblo de los Angeles, Upper California.
DIETERIA.
S. Involucrum hemispherical, the scales linear and acute ; achenia obovoid and compressed, in the young state with numerous striatures, at length covered with a silky villus; pappus of several series of unequal scabrous bristles, the outer series shorter and more slender, (those in the lay, as in the rest of the genus, much shorter and less numerous.) Biennial or perennial, leaves pinnately lobed or incised ; the lobes ciliated or pointed with bristles. Receptacle fimbrillate or chaffy. Flowers of one colour.— SiDERANTHL'S. (Perhaps a genus.)
22 [Feb.
D. *p;racilift. Biennial, erect; stem pilose, branching above, the 1-flowered slender branchlets forniing a fastigiate corymb; lower leaves pilose, pinnatifid ; the segments oblong obtuse, upper leaves linear, simple and sessile, entire, or minutely toothed, strongly ciliated with slender white bristles, which terminate al! the lobes of the leaves; involucrum not viscid.
Hab. Santa Fu, ^Nevv Mexico.) Flowering in August.
MICROPUS. M. ^heterophyllus. Annual, erect, simple, slender; densely lannginous above, tomentose below; leaves below linear acute, above lanceolate, obtuse and sessile; capituli lateral and terminal, more densely lannginous; discal florets about ^, masculine 3 to 5.
IIab. Santa Barbara, Upper California. Very nearly allied to M. augusti- fdJiiix, but the heads appear larger and more woolly, and the upper leaves are difTerent.
POLYPAPPUS.
P. *.iericciis. Shrubby; younger branches and leaves sericeous ; branches very leafy, ending in small corymbose clusters of flowers; leaves Jance- linear, l-ncrvcd, eiitire, acute, at length nearly smooth ; achenia smooth.
Hab. In Upper California, towards the Rocky Mountains.
BULBOSTYLIS.
§ * PsATiiYROTus. t Anuual, and dichotomously branched ; involucrum of a nearly single series of loosely imbricated, slightly striated scales ; pappus short and scabrous, shorter than the florets; style not bulbous; achenia turbinate, densely villous.
B. *annun. Very dwarf and dichotomously branched, clothed everywhere with greenish furfuraceous scales, and somewhat viscid; leaves cuneate-obovate, toothed at the apex; flowers nearly sessile, crowded into an irregular corymb.
Hab. Rocky Mountains, near Santa Fe.
QUERCUS.
Q. GaniheUi. Leaves obovate, shortly petiolate, narrowed below, sinuately lobed, dilated and somewhat 3-lobed at the summit, beneath pubescent, the lobes rather obtuse, the upper ones subdentate; fruit sessile, small, the cup hemisplierical, scales ovate-acute; the glande ovate and acute, about half im- mersed in the cup; the conic summit short.
Hai5. On the banks of the Rio del Norte, but not abundant. With the aspect of our northern oaks, but very distinct; in the leaf approaching a little to L. oh- tusiloba, but without any near affinity.
OROBANCIIE.
0. *multiJlora. Pubescent ; branching from the base ; flowers subimbri- cated, scales lanceolate-acute; peduncles very short; flowers purplish, re- curved; calyx deeply ."j-cleft, bibracteate at base; segments long and linear ; anthers tufted with hairs.
Hab. Sandy ground along the borders of the Rio del Norte. Flowering in September.
t In reference to the extreme fragility of the branches.
1848.] 23
ASCLEPIAS.
A. ^macrophtjUa. Stem erect and smooth ; leaves verticillate in 3's or 4's, very long and smooth, linear-lanceolate, below and on the branches oppo- site, on very short petioles; peduncles shorter than the leaves; nmbels and flowers rather small and smooth; lobes of the corolla oblong-ovate; process of the nectaries strongly curved, acute ; stype of the nectaries rather short.
Hab. Near Monterey, Upper California.
ST.AINLEYA.
S, *frui!cosa. Smooth ; leaves lanceolate, entire, or sparingly denticulate, attenuated into a longish petiole; lamina of the petals longer than the claws; stipe more than twice the length of the pedicel.
Hab. Rocky Mountains of California. A shrubby species, with flowers very similar to those of S. pinnatijida. Leaves 2 to 2| inches long, less than half an inch wide, the uppermost linear, all thick and apparently succulent.
BARTONIA.
B. *multiJlora. Biennial'' stem smooth, white and shining, corymbosely branched ; leaves narrow-lanceolate, sinuate, pinnatifid, attenuated below and sessile; flowers subtended by one or two linear bractes ; petals 10, oblong- oval, obtuse ; capsule urceolate, with three to four valves; segments of the calyx long and subulate ; seeds in a double series, winged.
Hab. Sandy hills along the borders of the Rio del Norte. Santa Fe, (Mexico.) Flowering in August.
NICOTIANA.
N. *caudata. Annual; leaves lanceolate, sessile, acuminated with very long caudated points ; flowers conglomerated in a terminal panicle upon short peduncles; segments of the calyx and corolla much acuminated.
Hab. Near Monterey. Upper California.
ERIODYCTION.
E. ^angusiifolium. Stem and younger leaves glutinous ; leaves long, linear, entire, revolute on ihe margin; beneath canescent and reticulated; flowers small, in paniculate cymes ; sepals linear, somewhat hirsute.
Had. On the sierra of Upper (California; not seen in flower.
HUMULUS.
H. * Americanus. Leaves 3 to 5-lobed, the upper sometimes entire; inner divisions lanceolate-acuminate, denticulate along the apex ; scales of the cone ovate, acute, the lower ones acuminate.
Hab. 'J'hroughout the United States in alluvial situations. I have also most luxuriant specimens from the borders of streams (Ojito de Navajo) in the Rocky Mountains, near the line of New Mexico, collected by Mr. Gambel.
*CALYCODON.
Spikekts, 1-flowered, the flower sessile, bearded at the base. Glumes 2, un- equal, shorter than the flower, membranaceous, the lower truncate, acutely 3-toothed, the lower smaller, 1-toothed. 'Palcx 2, the lower sublanceolate, cari- iiate, terminating in a longish scabrous awn, at length indurated, with a silky
24 [Feb.
pilose margin ; the upper palea lanceolate, 1-nerved, indurated and involute. Anthers 3. Sligmas 2, plumose. — A scabrous leaved grass, with a simple inar- ticulated culm, terminated by a loose, narrow, somewhat spiked panicle. So called in allusion to the remarkable toothing of the calyx.
C. montanum.
Hau. In the Kocky Mountains, near Santa Fe, Mexico. Flowering in August.
MUHLENBERGIA.
(§ * Trichochloa) ^purpurea. Annual, dwarf; much branched from the base and many-jointed; glumes very short and obtuse; palete and awns purple, the latter capillary, many times longer than the palea, the inner one acute and shortly awned.
Hab, Santa Barbara, Upper California, and the island of Catalina.
CALAMAGROSTIS.
§ * Feichagrostis. — Spikelets 1-flowered, the flower sessile, with long hairs at the base. Glumes 2, subequal, membranaceous, acute, longer than the flower, the lower vsith a short terminal awn. Palese 2, very acute, the lower carinate, ending in an exserted capillary awn, the upper l-nerved acuminate. Carijopsis free, cylindric-oblong, much shorter than the glume.
C. *Andina.
Kab. In Upper California, on the Colorado of the West.
FESTUCA.
§ * Chloropsis. — Spikelets unilateral, 2-flowered, or with the third abortive ; flowers hermaphrodite, distichal. Glumes 2, carinate, unequal. Palew 2, the lower lanceolate, hirsute and concave, ending in a long, slender awn, the upper bicarinate. Stamens 1. Ovary sessile. Styles 2, very short, with plumose stigmas Caryopsis lanceolate, smooth, concave above, nearly free. — A slender Californian annual grass, with a simple, filiform culm, ending in a small, nearly simple, spiked panicle; the spikelets sessile on a continuous, angular rachis, at length cernuus. So closely allied to the Chi,oride.t;, that at first I imagined it would prove a species of Euiriana; it is still, however, a Festuca in habit.
F. microst'ichys.
Hab. Pueblo de los Angeles, Upper California.
§. *TRACHrcARPHA. — Spikelets many-flowered, secund, seated on the sides of a branching angular rachis. Glumes 2, the upper minute. Palese 2, the lower with a long awn and strongly ciliated on the margin. Caryopsis adhering to the upper palea.
F. me(j!;ulura. Slender leaves and elongated, simple culm, smooth; panicle spiked, elongated, the branchlets angular and appressed; paleae and their long awns very scabrous , uppermost floret of the spikelet abortive.
Hab. Santa Barbara, Upper California.
MELICA.
M. ^panicoides. Panicle elongated, many-flowered, the flowers small and numerous; glumes 1-flowered, with a small, infertile rudiment; palece smooth, scarcely longer than the acute glumes. '
Hab. Santa Barbara. Flowering in April.
1848.] 25
M. *poxoidcs. Panicle narrow, many-floweret?, the spikelets erect; spikelets ■with two flowers perfect, and a small rudiment extending beyond the acute glumes; lower palea 5-iierved.
Hae. Santa Barbara, Upper California.
*STENOCHLOA.t
Splkelctfi about o-flowered ; flowers distichal, hermaphrodite. Glumes 2, awn- less, lanceolate, acute, much exceeding the spikeiet in length, Puhx 2, awn- Jess, the lower concave, ovate, nearly nerveless and pubescent, the upper bicari- nate. Slamina 3. Ovarium stipitate. Stylts 2. Stigmas plumose. Caryupsis free, oblong-lanceolate.
S. Californica
Hab. Island of Santa Catalina.
*PLEO.°OGO]Nr.
Spikelets 1 flowered. Glumes 2, nnequal, nearly as long as the flower ; the lower with two awns, the upper entire, with one awn. Falea: 2, the lower oblong, with the apex produced into a short awn, the upper without awn and 2nerved. Stamens 3. Styles 2. Stigmus pilose, slender.— Culm compressed, somewhat branched ; leaves linear, short and rigid ; spikes terminal, simple, not jointed.
P. setosun^.
Hab. Mountains of Santa Fe, Mexico.
MONARDA.
M. *peciinata. Biennial? slightly pubescent; leaves oblong-lanceolate, denticulate, shortly petiolate ; capituli proliferous, rather small, subtended by herbaceous bracts, some of them purplish, ovate-acute, strongly ciliated, as weil as the elongated, setaceous teeth of the calyx; corolla widely ringent, the tube scarcely exserted beyond the calyx.
Hab. Near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
HEDEOMA.
H. *ciliala. Perennial ; minutely pubescent, branching much from the base; leaves linear-obtuse, shortly petiolate, entire ; flowers, two or three to- gether in the axills ; calyx hirsute, with long, unequal ciliate teeth; corolla about the length of the calyx.
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains, towards Santa Fe.
SISYMBRIUM.
S. *reflexum. Smooth; leaves somewhat lyrate pinnatifid, the ter- minal lobe toothed, upper leaves nearly entire and denticulate ; flowers small ; petals linear-spathulate, a little longer than the colored calyx ; pods subterete, very long, nearly sessile, rigidly reflected and acuminated with the style.
Hab. Near St. Pedro, Upper California.
URTICA.
U. *holosericea. Perennial and tall; leaves opposite, large, on long peti- oles, cordate-ovate, acute, above lanceolate, coarsely serrated, smooth, beneath silky villous, as well as the stems and petioles, the latter also pilose ; flowers
tSo called in allusion to its macilent appearance.
4
26 [i^EB.
tetrandrous, in axillary, filifortn, compound racemes, the upper clusters stylife- rous only.
Hab. Near Monterey, Upper California.
PEUOEDANUM.
^. Carpels with two of the lateral ribs undulately winged; vitttc indistinct, 1 or 2; commissure *Peccelimum.
P. *abrolanifi)Uu)n. Somewhat pubescent, branching from the base ; leaves ternately decompound, ultimate segments narrowly linear ; involucels about 7 to Qleaved, the leaflets palmate, distinct, petiolulate, nearly as long as the um- bellet; fruit obovate-elliptical, with a broad, winged margin, and some of the inner ribs with undulated membranaceous margins.
Hab. Pueblo de los Angeles, Upper California. (A single specimen, not far enough advanced to ascertain the ultimate character of the fruit.)
Tlie Committee on Mr. Cassin's " Descriptions of two new species of Cyanoco?-ax, contained in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia," reported in favour of publication.
Descriptions of new species of the Genus Cyanocorax, Boie, of which specimens are in the collectio7i of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadefphia.
By John Cassis.
CxANOCoaAX Harrissit nobis. Head crested, which, with the cheeks and entire front of the face and neck, to the breast, are brownish black. Occipital region and back of the neck, white, which colour gradually blends into that of the back.
Upper surface of the body, wings and tail, glossy violet blue, darker on the wings and tail.
Under parts of the body, from the breast to the under tail coverts, including the latter, of the same colour as the back, but more tinged with cinereous.
Inner webs of primaries, and under surfaces of the wings and tail, black.
Bill and legs, black. Tail without white.
Total length of skin, from tip of bill to end of tail, about 14 inches, wings 8 inches, tail 7 inches.
Hab. Guayaquil, South America.
The specimen now described belongs to the Rivoli collection, and is labelled, " Corvus cle Guayaquil."
This species belongs to the same group as C. cayanus, Lin?!., C. cyanopogon, Weid., and others, but may readily be distinguished from any described species, by the uniformity of the colours of the upper and under parts of the body, and also by the entire absence of white on the tail.
I have named this handsome bird in honour of Edward Harris, Esq., of Moores- town. New Jersey, the early friend and associate of Mr. Audubon, and author of various valuable contributions to the natural history of North America.
Cyanocorax concolor, nobis. Entire plumage glossy ultramarine blue, except the inner webs of the primaries, and the under surfaces of the wings and tail. which are black. Bill and lesjs black. No crest whatever.
1848.]
27
Total length of skin, from lip of bill to end of tail about 12^ inches, wing
G-3-. inches, tail G;^ inches. 10-. HvB. South America.
This species, of which one specimen in the Rivoli collection is now described,
is remarkable for the uniform colour of its plumage, in which respect it differs
from any other species known to me. It is, however, more nearly related to
C. viridkyanus {D' Orb.) C. ornaius (Lfss.) and C. urmillutus (G. ]\ Gray,)
than to any others, from which I infer that it is, in common with those beautiful
species, an inhabitant of the northern part of South America.
The Committee on Dr. Leidy's paper, entitled " On certain bodies resembling the Pacinian corpuscles in the Boa constrictor," reported in favour of publication.
On some bodies in the Boa Constrictor resemlling tlue Faciman ccrpiiscles.
By Joseph Leidy, M. D.
While engaged with my friend, Dr. Hallowell, a few weeks since, in dissecting the specimen of Boa constrictor presented to the Academy by Dr. Watson, I observed along the course of the nervi intercostales, at or towards their anterior extremity, a number of small, hard, rounded, or ovoid bodies, which, to the naked eye, had very much the appearance of the corpuscula Pacini of man and other mammifera, and such an opinion I expressed at the time to Dr. Hallowell.
These bodies average from three to seven in number to each nerve, and generally measure eight millemetres in diameter. They are white, shining, and opalescent in appearance, and are closely attached to the side of the nerve, • enclosed within its sheath and projecting beyond its outline, instead of being attached to a pedicle derived from an adjacent nerve, as in the Pacinian corpuscle of man.
Upon investigating the structure of these bodies through the aid of the micro- scope, I find that they consist of a central, globular mass, measuring .33 mille- metres in diameter, invested by a series of semitransparent capsules in the neigh- borhood of fifty in number.
The central mass is semi-opaque, homogeneous, granular in structure, slightly yellowish in colour, and has in most cases a darker and more consistent nucleus having apparently the same composition. Acetic acid had almost no influence upon it. With the greatest care, and the use of the highest powers of the micro- scope, I could discern nothing more than a finely granular constitution in it. A somewhat analogous appearance I have noticed in the nervous structure in the interior of the Pacinian corpuscle of the new-born child.
The capsules enclosing the central mass form a stratum of the same or one- third greater diameter; they are perfectly distinct from one another, are further separated by the endosmosis of fluid, and have the same appearance as those of the Pacinian corpuscle of man. Evidently fibrous, or composed of the white fibrous element, they are rendered quite translucent by the application of acetic acid. Situated upon their inner surface, at nearly regular distances from one another, are situated projecting, elongated oval, or fusiform, a few sigmoid, gran- ular nuclei, larger than those of the Pacinian corpuscle of man, and measuring .025 mil. in length, by .0075 mil. in breadth.
The outermost capsules become blended with the white fibrous tissue, forming the sheath of the nerve. No nerve fibril passes into the interior of these bodies, although from their great resemblance to the Pacinian corpuscle I had expected to
28 [Feb.
find such an arrangement. Generally I found them situated on one side of a nerve projecting from the bundle of nerve tubules and enveloped in the same sheath, but in several instances I found them separating, or situated between several of the nerve tubes, the tubes so separated, after passing the bodies, resuming their position along with the others. Besides being invested by the nervous sheath, they are more closely held in connection with the nerve by means of transverse fibres of white fibrous tissue. After having thus discovered and examined these curious bodies in the Boa, I expected to find the same in other serpents, and ' I accordingly obtained a Coluber constrictor and Leptophis sauritus, into which I carried my comparative researches, but without finding the least trace of a similar or analogous structure. From their absence in these two serpents, it occurred to my mind that they might be the ova of entozoa — but the entire struc- ture precludes any idea of this kind — and although they have several of the most important elements of structure of the Pacinian corpuscle, yet they have no nerve, of which as a conductor, ifwe consider the Pacinian corpuscle in any way the centre of any kind of nervous or other power, must be considered as a sine qua non ; but if a mere filament of distribution, it would be comparatively of little importance, and the close apposition of the bodies with the nerves in the Boa, might possibly answer the same purpose. But if they are of the nature of the Pacinian corpuscle, why not exist in all serpents ? In this maze of perplexity, I present these observa- tions to the Academy, and hope that future researches will throw some light upon the subject.
Before finishing with these remarks, it may be important for me to state that I saw none of these bodies in any other situation in the Boa, than along the nerves mentioned, although I examined all other parts carefully, excepting the viscera
and their attachments.
Explanation of the Figtires.
Fig. 1. Represents a portion of an intercostal nerve of the Boa constrictor, with the sheath removed, and exhibiting five of the bodies which resemble the Pacinian corpuscle, acted upon by dilute acetic acid, and highly magnified. The upper three bodies on the left side, it will be observed, have separated some of the nerve tubules from the main body of the nerve; a. Central mass of granular substance ; h. external investing capsules ; c. nuclei of the capsules.
Fig. 2. Represents a portion of a nerve, with the sheath removed from one side, and one of the "bodies " with the sheath remaining upon the other side, acted on by dilute acetic acid, and more highly magnified than Fig. I. a. nervi tubuli ; b. fibrous sheath of the nerve ; c. several primitive nuclei of the fibrous element of the sheath; d. one of the "bodies"; e. central granular mass; /. ex- ternal investing capsules ; g. nuclei of the capsules.
Fig. 3. Represents a portion of several of the capsules very highly magnified so as to exhibit the structure of the nuclei, a. capsules; b. nuclei.
Fig. 4. Represents the eye of Balanus rugosus, much magnified, a. optic nerve ; c vitreous body.
William E. Whitman, Esq., John Jay Smith, Esq., William R. Lejee, Esq., Henrj^ C. Lea, Esq., and Francis F. Wolgemuth, Esq., all of Philadelphia, were elected Members, zxxA the following were elected Corresponde7its :
Rev. William Scoresby, D. D., of England.
Jean Jaq. Kaup, of Darmstadt.
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DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM
IN January and February, 1848.
Jamiary Ath.
Cynocephalus Sphjmx. From Dr. G. Wat?on.
Scolopendra gigas/, from jMaracaibo. From Dr. C. D. Meigs.
Copper Ore, from the vicinity of Princeton,. N. J. From Dr. D. C. Skerrett.
Specimen of a Taenia, and an Ascaris, from the intestine of an ox. From Dr. Dickeson.
Dr. Wilson presented crania of the following : — Yulpes fulvus, Procyon lotor, Felis domesticus, Putorius vison, Scalops aquaticus, Sciuriis vulpinus, S. striatus, Strix nasvia, Quiscalus versicolor, Picus auratus, Chelonura serpentina, Rana pipiens.
January Wth.
Mounted specimen of Felis chibi-gouazou. From Dr. P. B. Goddard.
Two hundred and twenty-six specimens of shells, comprising sixty genera and one hundred and twenty species, from Western Africa. From the Rev. Thos. S. Savage.
Two species of Serpula and one of Spatangus, and specimens of Achatina perdix, A. striata, and A. purpurea. From the same.
January 18fA.
Mounted skeleton of Trionyx ferox. From Dr. Meigs.
Mounted skeleton of Bubo virginianus. From Mr. Lambert.
Mounted skeletons of Falco lineatus, Sturnus ludovicianus, and Scolopax Wilsoni. From Dr. Wilson.
Procyon lotor, and Hapale cedipus, (two specimens.) From Dr. Watson.
Mass of Fossil Corallines, from Havana; and six species of fossil Helix, one of Paludina, one of Helicina and one of Pupa, from the Drift, West of Natchez, Miss. From Dr. Dickeson.
Five Peruvian crania, and fragments of two others, presented to Dr. Morton by Dr. Joseph Wilson, U. S. N. Deposited by Dr. Morton.
Medallion of Cuvier. Presented by the artist, Mons. A. Bovy, through Mr. Vattemare.
Fehrziary 1st.
Eggs of fifty-six species, and the nests of twenty-four species, of American Birds. Presented by Prof. S. F. Baird, of Carlisle, Pa.
The Ornithological collection of M. Boucier, of Lyons, consisting of 1039 speci- mens. Deposited by Dr. Wilson.
Fehruary^Sth.
Dr. Dickeson deposited Chelonura Temminckii, (head, carapace and sternum,) head of a Chelonian, crania of Kinostenaon pennsylvanicum, Emys picta, E. mo- bilensis, E. floridana, E. serrata, and E. insculpta ?
Mounted specimen of Hapale ccdipus. From Dr. Watson.
Mounted specimen of Gerbillus canadensis. From Dr. Wilson.
February 15tk.
Trionyx ferox, (mounted,) and a remarkable dwarf variety of Gallus domesti- cus. From Mr. Wm. S. Wood.
Mounted skeleton of Ardea herodias. From Dr. Wilson.
Cynocephalus sphynx. From Dr. Watson.
Specimen of Lophius piscatorius, from Manhattan Bay. Presented by Messrs. Ashmead, Pearsall, Percival, Hallowell, Wilson and others.
Vomer , from , in spirits. From Mr. Samuel Ashmead.
30 [Fkb.
Ftbrnari/ 2:2./.
Specimen of Cynocephalus porcarius. From Dr. G. Watson.
Specimen (in flower) of an Acacia, from New Holland. From Mr. Kilvington.
A collection of American Lepidoptera. From Dr. Heerman.
DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY
IN January and February, 1848. January -ith.
Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich Russischen Mineralogischen Gesellschaft zu St. Petersburg, 1845, 1846. From the Imperial Mineralogical Society, through Charles Cramer, Esq.
American Journal of "Agriculture and Science, Dec, 1847. From the Editor.
Dr. Wilson deposited the following works:
Second voyage dans I'interieur de I'Afrique par le Cap de Bonne Esperance dans les annees, 1783, 1784 and 1785 : par F. Levaillant. 5 vols. Svo.
Outlines of the Geography of Plants, &c. By J. F. Meyen, M. D. Trans- lated by Margaret Johnston. Svo.
Illustrations of British Mycology: by Mrs. T. J. Hussey. Parts 1 — 7. 4to.
The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera, by Edward Doubleday. Part 13. 4to.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. No. 134.
Reports and Papers on Botany ; By Zuccarini, Griseback, Nagell, and Link. 8vo.
Johannis Henrici Linckii de Stellis Marinis liber singularis. Folio.
A Statigraphical list of British fossils. By James Tennant, F. G. S. 12mo.
The Bird-fancier's Recreation; an 18mo. vol. published in London in 1783.
Reports on the progress of Zoology and Botany. 1841,1842. Svo.
Catalogues of the Leverian, London and YarmoTith Museums; in one vol. Svo.
Catalogue of the Minerals in the United Service Museum ; catalogues of the Museum of the Sussex Scientific and Literary Institution at Brighton ; of the Finsbury Missionary Museum; of Sir Hans Sloane's Museum; of Rackstrow's, Forster's and others' collections; and of the objects of Natural History and Ethnography composing the G^iiana Exhibition.
A geographical and comparative list of the Birds of Europe and North America. By Charles Lucien Bonaparte. Svo.
Lectures on Metallurgy, delivered at the London Institution, Feb., 1823, by John Taylor, Esq. Svo.
The Mineral Topography of Great Britain. By A. W. Tooke, F. G. S.
Memorandum of objects of Geological interest in the vicinity of Dublin.
Examen critique du Cosmos de Humboldt ; par A. J. Rey de Morande.
Report of an Expedition into the interior of British Guiana in 1835 and 1836.' By Robert Heermann Schomburgk, Esq.
Description of a new species of Plesiosaurias, in the Museum of the Bristol Institution. By Samuel Stutchbury.
Verzeichness aller in Europa vorkommenden Geschlechter der Insekten nach Latreille's system; goordnet von Craft Ernst Hoffmann.
An P2ssay on the study of the Animal Kingdom. By Robert E. Grant, M. D.
Monographia Psittacorum ; auctor Wagler. 4to.
Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa. By Andrew Smith, M. D. No. •25. 4to.
Recueil de cent-trente-trois Oiseaux. Folio.
January Wth.
Etwas ueber die Natur-wunder in Nord-America, zusammengetragen von Charles Cramer. Svo. From Mr. Conrad.
Naturgeschichte der Infusionsthiere von Prof. S. Kutorga. Svo. and Atlas. From the same.
1S4.8.] 31
Report and Resolves of the Legislature of Maine respecting international and literary exchanges. From Aaron Young, Jr., Esq.
Fauna der Vorweit; von Dr. C. G. Giebel. Part 2. 8vo. From Mr. Lambert.
On the Cypress Timber of Mississippi and Louisiana. By M. W. Dickeson, M. D.,and Andrew Brown. From Dr. Dickeson.
Proceedings of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Vol 1. Nos. 11 and 12. From the Society.
Note sur le parallelisme des Depots Paleozoiqnes de I'Amerique Septentrionale avec ceux de I'Europe, &c. From the Author, M. de Verneuil.
A selection of the Correspondence of Linneus and other Naturalists from the original manuscripts. By Sir J. Edwards Smith. 2 vols. 8vo. Deposited by Dr. Wilson.
Oken's Isis. No. 8, for 1847. From the same.
Palaeontology of New York. By James Hall. Vol. 1. 4to. From the Author.
Jamiary 18?/i.
Report of the Joint Library Committee of the Legislature of New York on the subject of International exchanges. From M. Alex. Vattemare.
Proceedings of the Geological and Polytechnic Society of the West Riding of Y'orkshire. Vols. 1 and 2, (to 1846 inclusive.) From Mr. Henry Denny, of Leeds, England. ^
Twenty-seventh Report of the Council of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. 1847. From the Society.
Researches into the comparative strijcture of the Liver. By Joseph Leidy, M. D. From the Author.
Henry G. Bohn's Catalogue of Books. Vol. 1. 8vo. From the Publisher.
The Carices of the Northern United States : By John Carey. From Dr. Zantzins;er.
Dr. Wilson deposited the following: —
Voyage autour du Monde sur les Corvettes I'Uranie et la Physicienne en 1817, 1820. Texte, tomes 10, 4to; planches, tomes 4, folio.
Voyage autour du Monde de la Corvette La Fa\'orite pendant les annees 1830, 1831 and 1832. Texte, tomes 5, 8vo. ; Hydrographie, tome 1, folio. Histoiredu voyage, tome 1, folio.
Avium species nova?, quas in itinere per Brasiliane an. 1817 — 1820, collegit et descripsit Dr. T. B. de Spix. 2 vols., folio.
Manuel du Libraire et de I'amateur de livres: par T. C. Brunet. 5 vols. 8vo.
Fehruary 1st.
Bibliotheca historico-naturalis : von Wilhelm Engelmann. Erster band. 8vo, Deposited by Dr. Wilson.
Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. X., new series. Part 1. 4to. From the Society.
The American Journal of Science and Arts. Second series. No. 13. January, 1848. From the Editors.
The Literary Record and Journal of the.-Linnean Association of Pennsylvania College. Vol. 4, No. 3. From the Association.
American Journal of Agriculture and Science. Vol. 7, No. 1. From the Editor.
A statement of the claims of Charles T; Jackson, M. D., to the discovery of the applicability of Sulphuric Ether to the prevention of pain in surgical opera- tions. By Martin Gay, M. D. From Dr. Jackson.
Tribute to American Geologists. (Translated from " Lemons de Geologic pra- tique par M. Elie de Beaumont," by Charles T. Jackson, M. D.) From the same.
Observations on the Temple of Serapis at Pozzuoli, near Naples, &c. By Charles Babbage, Esq. 8vo. 1847. From the Author.
Revue Zoologique. No. 10, for 1847. Deposited by Dr. Wilson.
The Anatomy of the Human Body. By William Cheselden. 8vo. From Dr. Dawson, of Philadelphia.
32 [Feb.
A compendium of the Anatomy of the Human Body. By Andrew Fyfe. 3 vols. 8vo.
A very old work [small 4to., without title) on " Dystillations," in four books or parts. From Dr. Morton.
Vehrnarij Sl/i,
Literary Record and Journal of the Linnean Association of Pennsylvania College. Vol. 4, No. 4. From the Association.
Lamarck's Genera of Shells. Translated from the French. By Augustus A. Gould, M. D. 12mo. From Prof. Haldeman.
Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. Vol. 3, Part 4. 4to. Proceedings of the same, Nos. 155 to 177 inclusive. Reports of the Council and Auditors of the same for 1847; and List of the Fellows, Honorary, Foreign, and Corresponding Members of the same for 1847. From the Society.
Bulietinof the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Vol. l,No. 13. Dec, 1847. From the Society.
Objections to the theories severally of Franklin, Dufay and Ampere, &c. By Robert Hare. From the Author.
On a law of cohesive attraction as exemplified in a Crystal of Snow. By James D. Dana. From the Author.
On ceftain laws of cohesive attraction. By James D. Dana. From the same.
Origin of the constituent and adventitious minerals of Trap and the allied rocks. By James D. Dana. From the same.
Notice of Dr. Blum's treatise on pseudomorphous minerals, and observations on pseudomorphism. By James D. Dana. From the same.
Fehr2iary 15th.
Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. Vol.22. Part 2. 4to. London, 1847 ; Proceedings of the same, Nos. 30 to 33 inclusive ; and List of the same for 1847. From the Society.
The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia. Nos. 1, 2 and 3. July, Aug. and Sept., 1817. Singapore. From the Editor.
The American Journal of Agriculture and Science. Vol. 7, No. 2. From the Editor.
February 22d.
The Musci and Hepatica; of the Northern United States. By Wm. S. Sullivant. From Dr. Asa Gray.
The Carices of the Northern United States. By John Carey. From the same.
Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, pp. 161 to 296. From the Academy.
Dr. Wilson deposited the following works : —
Elements of Conchology, according to the Linnean system : By the Rev. E. J. Burrow, 8vo.
Elements of Concholosy. By Emanuel Mendes da Costa. 8vo.
Description d'une collection de Mineraux, formee par M; Henri Heuland. 3 vols. 8vo. and Atlas.
Outlines of the Geology of the vicinity of Cheltenham. By R. J. Murchison. New edition. 8vo.
A history of the Molluscous Animals of Scotland, with an account of the Cir- rhipedal Animals of the N. E. District. By Wm. Macgillivray. Second edition. 12mo.
The Ancient World, or picturesque sketches of Creation. By D. T. Anstead. 12mo.
Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia from Moreton Bay to Port Es- sington, in 1844 and 1845. By Dr. Ludwig Leichardt. 8vo.
Description of the Rapacious Birds of Great Britain. By Wm. Macgillivray. 12mo.
Ornithologia nova. 2 vols. 12mo. Birmingham, 1743.
Wanderings in South America, the North West of the United States, and the
184.8.] 33
Antilles, in 1S12, 1816, 1820 and 1834, &c. By Charles Waterton, Esq. Fourth edition. 12mo.
A Synopsis of the Birds of Australia and the adjacent islands. By John Gould. Parts 1 to 4. 8vo.
Narrative of a Journey to the shores of the Polar Sen, in 1819, 1820, 1821 and 1822. By John Franklin, Capt. R. N. 4to.
Narrative of a Second Expedition to the shores of the Polar Sea in 1825, 1826 and 1827. By John Franklin, Capt. R. N., &c. 4to.
Historia naturalis Testaceorum Brittanice. By Emanuel Mendes da Costa. 4to.
Indian Zoology. By Thomas Pennant. Second edition. 4to.
A Natural History of British Birds, &c. By Mr. Hayes. Folio.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Nos. 135, 136.
The Quarterly Journal of the Geographical Society of London. Vol. 3. Part 1.
Illustrations of British Mycology. By Mrs. J. T. Hussey. Part 9. 4to.
The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera. By Edward Doubleday. Part 14. 4to.
The Genera of Birds. By George Robert Gray. Part 42. 4to.
A list of Rocks and Strata, arranged in the order they generally occur in, with reference to Sowerby's works.
Dr. Wilson also presented a very fine collection of Medals in Copper bronzed, executed in Paris, and arranged on a board covered with crimson velvet, and per- forated for the purpose of receiving them ; the whole enclosed in a highly finished frame of black walnut, glazed on both sides. The collection embraces the fol- lowing : —
Georges Cuvier, Linnaeus, Hans Sloane, Priestley, Xavier Bichat, Bergman, F. J. V. Broussais, Lavoisier, E. Riippell, Vesalius, Geoffroy St. Hilaire, Bar- tholinus, F. J. Gall, Gaspard Monge, Jean and J. P. J. D'Arcet, Pictet, O. de Serres, Lacaille, Berzelius, Colombus, Saussure, Fernel, Aldrovandus, Buffon, James Cook, Lavater, Bernard de Jussieu, J. J. Rousseau, Galvani, Newton, Dupuytren, Kant, Bonnet, Hatier, Ambroise Pare, Franklin, J. Coster, Harvey, Sydenham, Roger Bacon, Boerhaave, P. A. Beclard, Leibnitz.
t
5
i
1848.] 35
March Ith, 1848,
Dr. Bridges in the Chair.
Dr. Morton read a communication from the Rev. Dr. Bacliman, of Charleston, S. C, entitled, " Notes on the generation of the Virginian Oj)ossum (Didelpliis Virginiana) ;'' which was referred to the following Committee : Dr. Morton, Dr. Leidy, and Dr. Hallowell.
Mr. Peirce stated to the Society, that within the last week, he had had an opportunity of seeing several interesting specimens of a hybrid between the Guinea fowl and Peacock. They were the property of a farmer residing near Phcenixville, in this State, were about four months old, and possessed, in a marked degree, the distinctive characters of both parents. He expressed a hope of being enabled to obtain one or more of them for the Society's collections.
March 21st, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
A letter was read from Sir Michael Faraday, dated Royal Institution, London, 24th February, 1848, acknowledging the receipt of his notice of election as a Correspondent.
Dr. Hallowell read a paper, entitled " Descriptions of two new species of Onychocephalus from the Western Coast of Africa ;" and also communicated some " Notes of the post mortem appearances of a Cynocephalus papion, which died at the Menagerie in Philadelphia." Both of which papers were referred to a Committee, consisting of Dr. Leidy, Dr. Morton, and Dr. Wilson.
Dr. Leidy presented a communication from Prof. Haldeman, descri- bing numerous species of Jlphodius, and designed as a supplement to his Entomological papers, read at previous meetings of the Society, and reported for publication in the next number of the Journal. Re- ferred to the Committee on the former papers.
April Uh, 1848.
Mr. Phillips in the Chair.
A letter was read from the Rev, Dr. Savage, addressed to Dr. Hallowell, dated Natchez, Mississippi, March 10th, 1848, desiring numbers of the Proceedings in which he was deficient, and in relation to a communication which he had transmitted for publication in the Proceedings, on the habits of some of the Reptilia of Western Africa.
A letter was read from the Secretary of the " Societe imperiale des Naturalisles de Moscou," dated Moscow, May, 1847, accompanying the donation of the Numbers of the Bulletin of the Society, announced this evening.
The Rev. Dr. Bachman communicated through Dr. Morton, some
PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELnilA. — VOL. IV. NO. 11. 6
36 [Apkjl,
additional observations on the generation of the Opossum, which were read and referred to the Committee on the previous paper, viz : Drs. Morton, Leidy, and Hallowell.
Dr. Morton also read a letter from Dr. Middleton Michel, of Charleston, S. C, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Bachman, containing some highly interesting " Facts concerning the habits and generation of the Opossum." Referred to the above Committee.
Mr. Henry C. Lea communicated, for publication in the Journal, a paper entitled " Catalogues of the Tertiary Testacea of the United States ; by Henry C. Lea." Referred to a Committee, consisting of Dr. Morton, Mr. Phillips, and Mr. Conrad.
Dr. Leidy read a paper, describing a new fossil genus of Ruminan- toid Pachyderms, {Merycoidodon Culhcrtsonii;) which was referred tcJ Drs. Wilson, Morton, and Pickering.
On motion Resolved, That a copy of the Proceedings, as far as pub- lished, be presented to the Rev. Dr. T. S. Savage.
On motion, also Resolved, That a copy of the first number of the New Series of the Journal, be presented to M. Fischer de Waldheim.
Jlpril nth, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
Letters M'ere read —
From Prideaux John Selby, Esq., dated Twizell House, Northum- berland, England, March 14th, 1848, returning acknowledgments for his election as a correspondent : —
From Richard Brown, Esq., dated Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, N. S., March 1st, 1848, offering for the acceptance of the Academy, a number of interesting coal fossils from that region : —
From Mr. Joseph Smith, of Amherst, N.S., dated March 29th, 1848, in relation to the " Joggins main seam of Coal " in that vicinity : —
From the Secretary of the American Philosophical Society, dated April 9th, 1848, acknowledging the receipt of the last number of the Proceedings.
A letter was read from the Rev. Dr. T. S. Savage, addressed to Dr. Hallowell, dated. Natchez, Miss., Jan. 10, 1848, containing the follow- ing interesting information, in relation to the habits of some specimens of Natural History from Africa, recently presented by the writer to the Society.
«' It was my intention to have made an earlier communication on the habits of several of the specimens of Natural History, which I sent to the cabinet of the Academy of Natural Sciences, from Liberia, but having been much occupied in matters of higher moment, I have not found the time to do it, and, even now, I must defer my observations on the ants, &c.
At the present time, I propose to give a few facts respecting but one specimen of the Saurians, ^of which I send several, some of which I think will prove to be new) and two Ophidians.
I. Crocodilida, At this distance of time, I cannot say whether I found this
1848.]
37
to be an alligator or gavial, but, my impression is, that it was the latter. The question, however, you will be able to decide. It was captured at Cavalla, a mission station of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a coast town belonging to the tribe of Africans called Grebos, the aboriginal inhabitants of the region of Cape Palmas. Its local native name is the same as that given to the dog, which, adopting as we do, the principles of Pickering for the reduction to writing of the Indian languages, is written Kbinh, not easily expressed in English.
Its habits are the same, in general, as those of the crocodile proper, and alliga- tor. It inhabits the smaller fresh water streams and standing water in the low grounds, feeding on fish and aquatic reptiles. It digs a hole in the bed or banks of streams for a temporary abode, whence it springs upon its unwary prey. It deposits its eggs on the surface of the ground, and covers them over with leaves and light trash, in which particular, it differs from the crocodile proper, and alligator. It is timid and harmless, frequently taken by the natives and esteemed highly for food. This individual would not have escaped the caldron, had it not been for a fortunate junction of circumstances with their superstitions.
2. Ophidians. Amphisboena.
I send a sketch taken soon after its capture, which accurately shows its colours in a recent state. It was captured by one of my Missionary associates on the beach.
It is stated in works on Natural History, that its food is principally ants. I am inclined to think this correct, as it is the opinion of intelligent natives in Africa, from the fact, that this animal inhabits the domicils of the " white ant" (Termes bellicosus of Smeathman, T. fatale of Linn.) and hence has received the name of Nj/onh-re-tedi, literally the white ant snake.
It is not often visible, and its dubious character renders it an object of great dread to the natives, it being considered dangerous to look upon it. It is con- sidered an extraordinary Fetish, i. e., something that has the power in itself, of exerting a direct influence upon other bodies, for good or evil. Of this reptile an evil influence is always predicted.
Viper. (Cerastes nasicornis, Hal Proceed. A. N. S, Vol. Ill, p. 319.)
The natives dread this serpent more than any other known.
It is very venomous — slow and sluggish in its movements — retreats from man, except when trodden on, or opposed in its progress.
It inhabits both high and low grounds, feeding on rats, the smaller reptiles, and fresh water fish that inhabit the marshes.
Its vicinity is known by a peculiar sound-, somewhat like a suppressed groan ; this is succeeded by a hissing or blowing noise. The former is a warning that every one, acquainted with its habits, remembers and knows well the necessity of heeding; the latter indicates a readiness to bite. When it is about to make an attack, it flattens its head and body, retracting itself upon its tail, and then, with its mouth enormously distended, its fangs protruded, and eyes flashing fire, it darts at its prey. It is said not to spring, but, with the latter part of its body and tail fixed to the ground, to strike at its victim.
The poison is very intense; generally it proves immediately fatal, but some- times hours will intervene. It is probably modified in its action, in such cases, by the difference of susceptibility in persons, superficial character of the wound, and perhaps other incidental circumtances.
38 [Apuii.,
The native treatment for the bite of this, and all other serpents, is, to /luck out the poison .- make a free incision over the wound, and apply the juice of an unknown plant, sometimes a strong decoction of the same. Recovery is some- limes said to occur, but very rarely, however. A direct, deep flesh wound is supposed always to prove fatal.
The symptoms are, severe pain in the parts— rigors more or less palpable — sensation of heat — vomiting — profuse perspiration and purging. If not much reduction of vital energy attend, there is a possibility of recovery ; but if, on the contrary, an early sickness comes on, there can be no hope — death soon follows.
A case occurred at one of our mission station.?, supposed to be from the bite of this viper, though it is not certain. A young man had been out in search of Palm-nuts (fruit of the Elais guiniensis.) As he was returning, he heard the warning sound, but knowing the habits of the reptile, and supposing it to be on one side, he proceeded without precaution, and was bitten in the calf of his leg. He represented himself as being immediately disabled. He halloed' till some one came to his relief, and was carried on the mission premises, which were at hand. It is supposed that a half hour, perhaps an hour, had passed. The leg, when fust seen, was greatly swollen, nearly to the size of his thigh: the skin was tense and hot, with great pain in the surrounding parts. A free incision was made, and the blood pressed out. Stimulants and narcotics were freely given, and recovery succeeded.
The intensity of the poison has been manifested several times in the case of dogs. One case of this kind came under my immediate notice. Some of the mission scholars had permission to spend an afternoon in hunting. They pro- cured for this purpose a valuable dog from a neighbouring colonist. They had not left the road for the thicket long, before they heard a piercing cry of dis- tress from the dog. They ran immediately to the spot, where they saw this viper, and the dog lying on his back, as if in convulsions. They shot the ser- pent, and carried them both to the road, by which time the dog was dead. From a minute examination into the circumstances of the case, I was convinced that not more than fifteen minutes could have transpired from the bite, to the death of the dog.
The original of the sketch I send, you have in the cabinet. It was captured on the high grounds of my own premises. In company with one of my asso-i ciates, I was drawn to the spot by the barking of our dogs. We found them surrounding the viper, and not twice its length from it. It was retracted upon itself, as already described, its body and tail flattened, and the latter acting as a fulcrum ; from this as a fixed point, it was darting forward alternately at the dogs. At every stroke, its jaws were widely extended, its fangs protruded to a fearful length, and its eyes rolled and flashed terribly to the beholder. My companion, being a good marksman, succeeded in biinging down the serpent without injury to the dogs. It measured as follows: — Length 3.U-12 feet; greatest circumference of the abdomen 9.1-12 inches ; width of the head at base 3 inches ; length of head 2..5-8 inches; length of the horny processes over the nose 7-16 of an inch. Its abdomen M-as considerably distended, on opening which, three rati, and other food undigested, were discovered.
It may not be irrelevant here to remark, that several cases of bites and stinga of venomous reptiles and insects, have come under my notice at (-ape Talmas,
1848.]
39
which I have treated on the principles ahove stated. I have heard of deaths fronn these causes, hut none have fallen within my observation. One case, that of a colonist, nearly proved fatal, hut I supposed it was from the time the poison had to act in the system before he came under treatment. He was a sawyer, and was in the act of preparing a log for the saw, when he was bitten by a snake which he observed retreating. Being intent upon his work at the time, he did not get a good view of it, but said it presented a green aspect, probably another species. He had but one companion, who carried him on his back for two or three hours, when he reached my premises. The wound was in the foot ; this was greatly swollen, as vias also the leg as high as the knee. He seemed to be greatly prostrated and in great pain ; vomited several times a light-coloured watery fluid. I immediately administered, in large doses, strong rum and sulphate of morphine, and made a free incision over the wound. So reduced was the vitality of the parts that scarcely any blood flowed at first, but a passive hemorrhage came on subsequently, to stop which the blood vessels had to be taken np and tied. The whole limb up to the groin, became enormously swollen ; a bad sore followed from the incision, and the cuticle of the leg, to a great extent, came off. He recovered at the end of three weeks.
The statement is made in works on Natural History, and by travellers, that the centipedes and scorpions of tropical climates are deadly poisonous. But in respect to those of West Africa, it is incorrect. Many stings from both have come within my notice, and have proved no more than the stings of bees and wasps."
Dr. Morton offered the following remarks on the ancient Peruvian crania from Pisco, deposited by him this evening.
He pointed out the fact that all the crania in his collection from this locality, upwards of seventy in number, have been modified by pressure into artificial forms, in one of which the head is extended or elongated in the upward direction, though in very different degrees, while in another class, the pressure has been so applied, as to flatten the forehead, and to widen and elongate the whole structure, in the manner yet practised by the Indian tribes of Oregon. Dr. Morton read translations from the works of several of the earliest travellers and historians of Peru, — Cieza, Torquanda and Garciloso de la Vega, containing descriptions of these very forms of the head, and the artificial processes that were then in use to produce them.
Dr. M. concluded by remarking, that if no other evidence had descended to us than the statements of these authors, the facts would never have been believed • but we have now abundant proof of their correctness, in the multitudes of desiccated bodies that yet remain in the Peruvian cemeteries, and which, in that dry climate, have resisted the ravages of time and temperature for hundreds, and perhaps for thousands of years.
.^pril I8t/i, 1848.
Vice President Morton in the Chair,
A letter was read from William C. Redfifld, Esq., dated New York, April 17th, 1848, expressing his thanks and those of Professor Agassiz,
^^ [April,
for the specimens of fossil fishes loaned to them by permission of the Society, for comparison and description, and returning the same to the Cabinet.
^pril 25th, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
The Committee to whom was referred Dr. Bachman's communica- tions in relation to the generation of the Opossum, and also the letter oC Dr. Middleton Michel, of Charleston, S. C, on the same subject, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Bachman, reported in favour of publication.
Notes on the Generation of the Virgmian Opossum (^Didelphis Virgiiiiana.^
By John Bachman, D. D.
Under an impression that the following extracts from notes made at intervals during the last few years, may throw some additional light on the natural history of one of the most interesting of American quadrupeds, I communicate them for the information of the Society.
March 1st, 184G. — Received to day five female opossums, captured last night. One of these had ten young in the pouch; another nine; the third had eleven ; the fourth fourteen, 'i'hey were all very diminutive, and appeared to be nearly the same age — about two or three days. The fifth was a small animal of the preceding autumn, and I was doubtful whether she had been impregnated.
March 3d. — On the evening of this day, I examined my small female opossum The mammary organs were considerably distended, and I began to suspect that I had erred in my previous conjectures, and concluded to dissect her on the fol- lowing day.
March 4th. — At 7 o'clock this morning, when prepared to commence my dis- section of the opossum, I discovered three young in the pouch, and supposing that so small a female would produce no additional number, I concluded that 1 would spare her life. She was confined in a box in a room wheie I was writing. When I occasionally looked at her I found her lying on her side, her body drawn up in tho shape of a ball ; the vulva appeared to reach the pouch, which was occasionally distended with her paws. At 6 o'clock in the afternoon, as she had appeared very restless for several hours, I was induced to examine her again, when I discovered that she had added four more to her previous number, making her young family now to consist of seven. With no inconsiderable labour, and the exercise of much patience, I removed three of the young from the teat, one of which perished under the proce.=s. The three weighed twelve grains, averaging four grains each. I replaced the two living ones in the pouch; at 9 o'clock examined her and found the young again attached to the teats.
The young were naked, blind, ears protuberances covered by an integument ; mouth closed, with the exception of a very small orifice sufficiently large to receive the small attenuated teat. Tail \ inch in length.
March li. — Weighed the largest of the young, and found that it had increased to 30 grains. Length of body 1* inch, tail ^ inch. The nostrils were now open. The young were very tenacious of life, as on removing two they remained
1848.] 4.1
alive through a cool night in a room containing no fire, anJ still evidenced a slight motion at 12 o'clock on the following day. 'l"he teats of the mother, after the young had been gently drawn off, measured an inch in length, having been much distended, and appeared to have been drawn into the stomach of the young.
March IGth. — The dark colour of the eye can be seen through the transparent skin, but it is still perfectly closed. A few hairs have mude their appearance on the moustache. I'he orifice of the ears beginning to be developed. Nails visible and sharp. The porich of the young females is quite apparent, and the sexes may be determined as soon as born. They voided urine and excrement — used their prehensile tails, which were seen entwined around the necks of others even at a week old.
February and March, 1847. Made a number of observations on a large number of females. As they, however, all had young in their pouches before I procured them, I will only notice one experiment made in order to ascertain the manner in which the young became attached to the teats.
March 11th.— Conjecturing that the young were aided by the mother in finding the teat, and believing that she would not readily adopt the young of another, or afford them any assistance, I removed six of the ten which composed her brood — returned two of her own to the pouch, together with three others, fully double the size, that had been obtained from another female. She was soon observed doubled up, with her nose in the pouch, and continued so for an hour, when she was examined, and one of her own small young was found attached to the teat. Seven hours afterwards she was again examined, and both the small ones were attached, but the three larger ones still remained crawling about the pouch.
March 12ih. — The mother seemed now to have adopted the strangers, and the whole family of different sizes were deriving sustenance from her.
February 11th, 1848.— Having received from the country a large female that appeared to be impregnated, I this day dissected her. As soon as the uterus was removed from the body of the animal, which had just been killed and was yet warm, I observed the whole mass in irregular motion. There were nine young that would evidently have been produced in one or two days. Three were con- tained in one department and six in the other. They lay embedded in a thick dark-brown mucous substance, which filled and greatly distended the sacs. They possessed more life and motion than I had previously been led to suppose. One of them moved several inches on the table, and survived two hours. I attempted to weigh this uterine fcetus, and as far a.s I could ascertain with an imperfect pair of scales, it weighed 3 grains.
Although naturalists at the present day could scarcely enter'ain a doubt that the process of generation in this species did not differ materially from those of the Kangaroo and other Marsupialia, yet I am not aware that the young of the Virginian Opossum had been previously detected in the uterus.
The short period of gestation, the reluctance of many of them in copulating in a state of confinement, unless perfectly domesticated, rendered the discovery one of considerable difficulty. I have moreover found, that during the period of ges- tation, the females, like those of some other species, particularly the Bear, can seldom be found.
In February, 1847, by offering premiums to servants, I procured from various localities, in three nights, 35 opossums, and there was not a single female in
42 . [April,
the whole number. As soon, however, as the young were contained in the pouch, I received more females than males.
February 14th, 1848. — Dissected a small female that had been captured six days before. She proved impregnated, but in a much earlier stage of develop- ment than the one I examined three days ago. On opening the uterus, I found five on one side and seven on the other. These were nearly the size of a garden pea, and resembled pellucid vesicles. Under a microscope the germinal mem- brane represented a cellular structure as in olher animals. The corpora-lutea corresponded with the number of ova.
The manner in which tiie act of copulation is effected is no longer a subject of conjecture, although I have not personally observed it. An intelligent coloured man in whose veracity I place great confidence, was requested five years ago to watch this process. He assured me that he had observed the female receiving the embraces of the male while lying on her side. Within the last few weeks. Dr. Middleton Michel of this city, an intelligent and close observer, who has devoted much time to the investigation of this subject, has observed this process with two female opossums which he has preserved in a domesticated state. He informs me that they received the male whilst lying on their right side.
From various observations I have made for the last three years, I had set down the period of gestation in the opossum at 17 days. I received a female, said by the servant to have been captured in the act of copulation. She pro- duced her young on the seventeenth day. I had, however, placed her with a male that I kept in confinement at the time ; but she exhibited such a savage temper towards him, that for the sake of peace, I was compelled to separate them after three days. Dr. Michel, however, informs me that a female in his possession, produced young on the fourteenth day. Although I was at first confident that the true period was 17 days, I think it probable that from the superior advantages Dr. Michel has possessed with his animals in a state of domestication, he may have approximated nearer to the true time than myself.
In the second volume on American Quadrupeds, now in the course of publica- tion, the history of this animal will be treated more in detail.
Further Observations on the Generation of the Opoxsiim.
By the Rev. Dr. Bachman.
February I5th, 1848. — On the morning of this day I received five female opossums from the country, three of whom I was informed by Col. Hail, (who zealously and successfully interested himself in procuring specimens for my examination), had produced young in the box in which they were confined, a day or two previous to their having been sent. Their several pouches contained eight, nine, and eleven young. There were two, as he informed me, in the stale in which I was anxious to obtain them ; as they had not yet produced their young. On examination, however, 1 discovered that one of the two had evi- dently brought forih amid the joltings consequent on her conveyance from the country. Five young were in the pouch. I observed, on examination, that a sixth was lying at the bottom of the box, and was still living. Supposing it possible that all the young had not been excluded, I concluded to sacrifice the mother; and was repaid for an apparent cruelty, exercised very reluctantly, by
lS-i8.J 43
discovering that the female was still in the act of parturition; a rennaining young one was found in the vagina, within half an inch of the external surface. It was moving, head downwards, among a reddish-brown mucous mass, such as had been previously observed in the uterus of a female already referred to. There was not even the rudiment of a placenta. If it had previously existed, it must have been ruptured in the passage of the fcEtus, and escaped my most care- ful search. I was however under an impression that I discovered the slight rudiment of an umbilical cord. The nostrils were open ; the lung-^ were filled with air ; and, on a subsequent experiment, they were observed to float on the surface of water. On dissecting the uterus it was found flaccid and nearly empty, a slight brown mucus on the sides only being visible.
On the afternoon of the same day I had the remaining female destroyed. On dissecting down to the uterus, I found it greatly distended — full of young, and, as t then supposeil, near the period of production. There was a constant but irregular motion in the various parts; and I felt confident that I would now be furnished with the long sought for opportunity of making a thorough investigation of the various particulars that required farther elucidation. I concluded, how- ever, previously, to have a drawing made of the uterus as it presented itself in this state; this consumed the remainder of the evening. As the weather was warm I made a slight incision in the parts, and placed the whole in alcohol. On the following morning, when, with a scientific friend, we entered on the exami- nation, I was greatly disappointed and mortified, to find that the whole had been so much dissolved by the alcohol that we could make no satisfactory examina- tion. The young were lying in broken fragments in the midst of the unctuous and now considerably diminished mass. I now can scarcely suppQse that the motion I had observed for an hour while the drawing was in progress could have been any other than a muscular contraction and dilation of the different parts of the uterus itself, and not of the young, which were evidently not sufficiently advanced to have occasioned it.
I would here observe that where the outward integuments of animals are so very tender as those of young opossums a few days previous to their birth, it is advisable to dilute the alcohol to more than half its original strength, as I find the young one that was fully formed, taken from the mother a few moments before birth by the Caesarean operation referred to, has been preserved in good order in alcohol thus diluted.
In conclusion I will yet add a brief summary of the present state of our know- ledge of the natural history of an animal, whose anatomical structure and peculiar habits have led to the adoption of many vulgai errors, and produced several con- tradictory theories among physiologists. We will thus be enabled to see what important points still remain for farther investigation, and will at the same time be gratified to observe that, although our progress in the investigation of a sin- gularly perplexed subject has been very slow, yet there has been a gradual advance in our knowledge, leading us to the conviction, that in a very few years the history of the opossum will be as correctly and familiarly known to the community at large as that of the hare or squirrel.
1. The interesting group of the Marsupialia has recently been arranged by Owen into five tribes and families, and sixteen genera : these include about seventy known species, to which additions are continually making ; the Virginian opossum being, however, the only species known in the United States. The
7
I
4i4> [April,
osteological characters of the latter species have been so accurately described and delineated that little remains to be added in this department.
3. The organs of generation being found perfect and adapted to their peculiar uses — the double uterus to the bifurcated organ of the male — should have in themselves been sufficient to have thrown doubts on the assertions of our early authors — Marcgrave, Pison, Valentyn, Beverly, the Marquis of Chastellux, Pennant, and others — that "the pouch was the matrix of the young opossum, and that the mammsc aie, with regard to the young, what stalks are to their fruits."
3. The mode of copulation, although differing from that of the majority of quadrupeds, is far from being the only exception to a general law ; our porcupine (Hystrix dorsata) may be cited as another instance. In this respect the actions of animals correspond with their peculiar organization, and the structure of the genital organs, as well as the whole anatomy of the opossum, are in accordance with this habit.
4. The question propounded in 1819, to naturalists, by Geoffroy, "Are the pouched animals born attached to the teats of the mother?" is satisfactorily answered.
5. The period of gestation being between fifteen and seventeen days, is in this respect shorter than that of any other known species (tluit of the Kangaroo being thirty-eight days), suggests the idea of the probability of some modification of uterine structure, approaching in some respects that of the birds and ovo- viviparous reptiles.
G. Although the period of gestation is so short, the young are far more per- fectly developed at birth than has been usually supposed. The views of Blu- rnenbach, who likens them to abortions, as well as those of Dr. Barton, (I quote from Griffith as I have not recently seen the original) appear in this particular surprisingly inaccurate. "The Didelphes," he says, "put forth, not fcetuses, but gelatinous bodies ; they weigh at their first appear- ance generally about a grain, some a little more, and seven of them together weighed ten grains." My observations have convinced me that they are far from being merely "gelatinous bodies," but that they are pretty well developed, indeed nearly as much so as the young of the white-footed mouse and several other species of Rodentia. They are covered by one integument — nourished by the mammse — breathe through nostrils— are remarkably tenacious of life, and are capable of a progressive movement at the moment of their birth. Hence I am not fully satisfied with the accuracy of the terms used by De Blainville nnd Dr. Barton — when they speak of two sorts of gestation — one uterine and the other mammary. It is admitted that for so large an animal as the adult opossum, the young are not only very small, but feeble, and are for several weeks sustained in a kind of secondary domicil, termed the pouch, where they receive warmth, and that they continue during this period firmly attached to the teats, which they do not relinquish till they are pretty well grown. It will be recollected, however, that there is in several of our animals an approach to this latter peculiarity. The white-footed mouse (Mus Icucopus); the Florida rat (Neotoma Floridana), and several species of Bats are known, the two former to travel, and the latter to fly about for one or two weeks, with their young attached to their teats, and that these young are not only blind and naked, but nearlj-^ as helpless as those of the opossum. It will be farther recollected that there are several species in
1848.] 45
the extensive group of Mammals to which the opossum belongs, that are desti- tute of the pouch, the young in these cases adhering to the teats like those of the Florida rat, &c., exhibiting an approach to species of a different conformation.
7. The manner in which the young are placed into the pouch and attached to the teati, I have referred to in my observations on the female that brought forth her young in the room where I was sitting, on the 4th March, 1846 (although I was not at the time aware that she was in the act of parturition). She was reclining in the corner of the cage, a little on one side, with her shoulders some- what elevated; her body was much doubled, the vulva nearly reaching the pouch, the latter being occasionally opened by her paws. She was busily em- ployed with her nose and mouth licking, as I thought, her pouch, but which I after- wards ascertained was her young. I came to the conclusion that she shoved them into the pouch, and with her nose or tongue moved them to the vicinity of the teats, where, by an instinct of nature, the teat was drawn into the small orifice of the mouth by suction. I observed subsequently that the well-formed young I extracted from the vagina, which T rolled in warm cotton, was instinc- tively engaged in sucking at the fibres of the cotton, and had succeeded in draw- ing into its mouth a considerable length of thread. I may here remark that on the 21st of February of the present year a female opossum was sent to me late in the evening. She had been much wounded on being captured, and died in con- sequence a few days afterwards. On the morning after I received her I perceived in her pouch seven young ; they had not been attached and were dead ; abortion had taken place, and they had evidently been placed in the pouch by the mother's imcontroUable attachment to her offspring even after they were dead.
8. The opossum is one of the most prolific of our quadrupeds. I consider the early parts of the three months of March, May and July as the periods when they successively bring forth ; it is even probable that they breed still more fre- quently, as I have observed the young during all the spring and summer months. I find in my notes the following memorandum: «' May, 1830. In searching for insects I was removing with my foot some sticks composing the nest of the Flo- rida rat. I was startled on finding my boot unceremoniously and rudely seized by an animal which I soon ascertained was a female opossum. She had in her pouch five very small young, whilst seven others, about the size of full grown rats, were detected peeping from under the rubbish, and were captured."
0. An interesting inquiry remains to be answered. Is the opossum a placental or a non-placental animal? If I am to understand by this term, whether the opossum has or has not a placenta, I can readily answer in the negative. In these intricate matters the naturalist should, if possible, see with his own eyes, and speak at all times as feeling himself firm on his own feet. I have had all the opportunities I could have desired of perfectly satisfying my own mind on this subject, but can only state that in all the examinations I have made I could never find the slightest appearance of a placenta, and I do not bslieve that one exists.
I am, however, far from being equilly satisfied on another point, to which I confess my observations were not directed until it was almost too late to make the necessary investigations. Although I do not believe that a placenta exists, or that there is any attachment of the fcctus to the parietes of the uterus, it does not from hence follow as a necessary consequence that there is no allantois. If an animal has a placenta there is a sure evidence of the pre-existence of an allantois ; but there is in many animals, and especially among the smaller species of Mar-
46 ■ ' [April,
snpialia, a modified structure in these parts; and the allantols, umbilical cord, as well as the omphalo-mcsenteric arteries and veins may exist in the absence of a placenta. In the very unsatisfactory examinations I have been enabled to make on this subject, I came to the conclusion that there was some reason to believe that an allantois existed, and that there were some traces of the omphalo- mesenteric vessels running through the mucolis substance in which the young lay imbedded. It is proper, however, to observe, that my friends Prof. Hume and Drs. Harlbeck and Michel, who subsequently examined the well preserved spe- cimen of the 15th, and the imperfect remains of the contents of the other uteri, came to the very opposite conclusion. I nevertheless hazard the conjecture that these appendages may yet be found in the uterus at an advanced stage of preg- nancy. This suspicion, however, remains either lo be confirmed or refuted by a more favourable opportunity for examination. Owen, in describing, in 1834, the foetus and membranes of the Kangaroo at apparently the middle period of uterine gestation, found its condition such as obtains in the viper and other ovo- viviparous reptiles, there being no trace of the existence of an allantois In 1837, however (see Magazine of Nat. Hist., p. 481), having received another specimen in a more advanced stage, he found numerous ramifications of the um- bilical vessels constituting a true allantois. The umbilical cord extended three lines from the abdominal surface of the foetus. Having seen and examined that specimen, I may have unconsciously formed a theory which has misled me in conjecturing that I had observed a similar organization in the opossum.
Letter from MiJdleton Michel,, M. D., of Charleston, S. C.
To tlie Rev. .Tuhn Baclinian, U. D.
Dear Du. — You will oblige me by adding the few facts which I am able to state, concerning the habits and generation of our Opossums, to your valuable communication, addressed to the Philadelphia Academy of Natural f^ciences.
1st. I have first noticed their mode of copulation, which, though singular in itself, finds its explanation in the position and structure of the penis. The female, after repeated solicitations on the part of the male, which are conducted as among other animals, finally reclines upon her left side, beijig drawn into this position by the male ; his front legs are employed in securing her, while the hinder ones are made to pass on each side of the loins of the female, over and between htr hind legs. The penis, measuring two inches and more, is thus brought into more immediate relation with the sexual organs of the female. Copulation lasted five minutes. The sperm passes along the lateral canals, its only possible course, as the bifurcated organ of intromission is received to some distance into them.
2d. I have further determined, that the period of gestation is not twenty and twenty two davs as has been believed I placed a female with the male on the 27th of January, and on the 2Sth, at 7| o'clock, A. M., I witnessed them en- gaged in the act. She was left three days with the male, then isolated, and on the 12th of February, fifteen days after the first coitus, had her young, six in number, in the pouch. Admitting that the period may vary from fifteen to seventeen days, the having settled this point I regard of pai amount importance in answer to another question to be presently examined.
3d. The rut begins in January and continues till June, as I have seen ynuiin just received into the pouch during these months.
1848.] 47
4th. Tlie number of yoiing is from six to Ihirteen. I have had a female wiih thirteen in the pouch; never less Xh&nfivr^
5th. 'ilie size of the young at birth is four lines in length, two in breadth , weight four grains.
6th. The structure of the male and female organs has been well described by Cowper, I'l/ron, De Bltinville, Home, and others. But I would remark that there is no communication between the uterine extremity of the lateral tubes (or the sinus, as I would term ii.) and the vagina, as figured by Home and others.
7th This leads me to mention that parturition takes place as foHoivs: the young pass down tlirough the lateral tubes, there being no other exit for ihem, and immediately after parturitidu these canals are very much enlargerl.
The mode of transmission to the pouch is a part of the process hitherto un- known, which I have recently witnessed as well as the nature of the circum- stances would permit. The female stood on her hind legs, and ihe body being much bent, the young ap|)eared at the vulva ; they were licked into the pouch. They were born without any trace of an umbilical cord, The pouch was not interfered with for some time, when her mouth was introduced into it while her front paws held it open ; after this manoeuvre was completed, the little ones were all found attached to the teats, I wou'd further remark that this attachment is an instinctive acton their part, as it is impossible to conceive of any interference of the mother effecting it- The mouths of the embryons present but an infinitely small opening, compared w-ith the size of the teat, and with the hand it is an almost impossible attempt to attach them.
8th. The ova in the vesicles are larger in proportion than in other mammalia; the vitellus is enveloped by a thin vitelline membrane. The germinal vesicle is, however, in the same position as in other mammals; the transformation in the tubes, where I have met with one, after fecundation, appears the same as in the rabbit. In the uterus, the germinal membrane has the same structure and ap- pearance as in the rabbit. I'his stage I witnessed, through Dr. Uachman's kind- ness, as he gave me the uterus to e.xainine.
9th. Whether these animals be placental or non-placental, is a question which I cannot positively decide until I have finished the series of observations pro- posed, but the inference that they are not placental, is rendered legitimate, first, by the peculiarities in the structure of the brain and other organs, which show their close proximity to the bird ; second, by no allantois attached and conveying blood vessels to the chorion ; third, by the short period of gestation; for the ova were discovered in the uterus on the ninth day, and the period of gestation being fifteen or sixteen days would render such" a structure needless.
The Committee on Dr. Leicly's description of a new fossil genus of Ruminantoid Pachydermata, reported in favour of publication.
On a Ni:w Fossil Genus and Species of Riiniinuntoid racliydermata : Merycoido'
don Cii/hcrfsonii.
By Joseph Leidy, M. D.
Meryroidndon.* This genus is founded u[)oii two fragments handed to me by Dr. Morton, who obtained them for the cabinet of the Academy, from Mr. Cul-
juJjpvxolC^W' rumino ; £1805- forma; ogwi', dens.
48 • [April,
bertson, the same gentleman who lately enriched our collection by the deposit of the cranium of Poebrotherium, described in the number of the Proceedings for Nov. and Dec, 1847.
One of the fragments is a small portion of the upper jaw of the right side, con- taining the posterior two molar teeth, and attached to a jrartion of the same kind of matrix, which partially enveloped the cranium of Pocbrotherium. The two teeth are perfect, with the exception that the antero-external demicone of the penultimate molar is broken away. The penultimate molar has four fangs, the interna! ones of which are divergent from the external. The last molar was just upon the point of protruding so that the crown only is formed.
The other fragment is a portion two inches long of the right side of the infe- rior maxilla, and contains the posterior three molars. The internal half of the crown of the antepenultimate molar is destroyed, as is also a small projecting point on the internal surface of the penultimate molar. The last molar is in the same condition as the corresponding superior tooth. The external part of the upper enameled surface of the crown of the antepenultimate molar is worn away from the outside inwardly, as is also the edge of the same part of the crown of the penultimate molar.
The enamel is thin and about as rugose as that of Cervus virginianus.
The molars, like those of Merycopotamus,' have the antero-posterior cleft di. viding the primary lobes, forming two bends triangular convex,' inwards in the superior teeth, outwards in the inferior teeth; producing a crown having the ruminant pattern.
The inner demicones of the superior molars are triangular convex. Their inner surface inclines outwards from the base, at an angle of 65 degrees, and is a very little concave in this direction. 'I"he outer surface is concave, inclined at an angle of about 50 degrees, and runs into the outer demicones at the depth of from three to three and a half lines from the apex of the latter. "The exposed part of their base is surrounded by a projecting ridge, about one-fifth of a line deep on the anterior and posterior sides of the tooth, and perceptible internally merely as a slight rising of the base, excepting opposite the interlobular depres- sion, where a small irregular and rather inconspicuous tubercle exists, apparently formed by the union of the ridge of the two internal demicones at this point, but no ridge passes from this tubercle outwards into the interlobular fissure as in Merycopotamus.
The inner demicones fold around the external convexities of the exterior demi- cones. The antero-external edge of the enamel fold of the postero-internal demi- cone projects a line or more between the postero-external edge of the antero in- ternal demicone, and the postero-external demicone, causing the latter edge to bend abruptly forwards towards the antero-external demicone.
The points of the exterior demicones project above those of the interior, less in the last than in the penultimate molar. The internal surface is triangular con- vex, with a little vertical inclination. The external surface is concave from side to side, nearly vertical, and is slightly elevated in a vertical line in the middle.
The postero-external angle of the postero-external demicone of the penultimate molar, forms a strong, rounded, vertical prominence, which in the last molar is
* Vol. 2, pi. 140, Fig. 8,
18i8.] 49
considerably more developed, so as to present the appearance of an almost dis- tinct 'Tonical column.
Opposite the interlobular depression of the last molar, the exterior demicones combine to form a strong and much projecting, triangular, vertical ridge, the base of the triangle corresponding to the base of the crown. A similar ridge, though not quite so prominent, exists at the antero-external angle of the antero- external demicone. These ridges probably also existed in the penultimate molar, which is not capable of being determined from the imperfi ction of the s[iecimen.
These teeth differ from the molar tooth of the Merycopotamus, figured in Owen's Odontography,* by being much smaller, the ridge along the base of the iimer demicones being neither so strong nor rugged, in the projection of the ena- mel fold on the crown separating the antero-internal, from the postero-external demicone, by the presence of the two strongly prominent external ridges, and the absence or very slight development of the convex ridge at the bottom of the ex- ternal concavities.
The inferior molars, in general appearance resemble tho^e of Dichobune, Cuv.
The exterior demicones are a little longer and about as broad as the interior superior ones, and their external prismatic surface is not so much inclined. At their base, on the front and back of the teeth, there exists a ridge corresponding in its characters to that of the superior internal demicones. Between the two demicones at their base, exists a triangular tubercle, apparently produced by the union of the basial ridges of the demicones at this point. 'J he supero-internal face is concave, but does not descend so much as the correspomling surface of the supero-internal demicones.
The points of the inner demicones, when compared with the exterior ones, rise higher than the corresponding or exterior demicones of the superior teeth.
Their external surface is compressedly triangularornearly convex, and nearly vertical. Internally they are more oblique, concave from side to side, but ele- vated into a broad convex ridge in the middle. The posterior angle has the ap- pearance of being slightly twisted inwards, so as to produce a small prominence. Below the posterior prominent angle of the antero-internal demicone, and pro- jecting from the base of the posterior demicone, is a small tubercle that looks as if squeezed in the angle of separation between the demicones.
In the specimen, the posterior molar has but two lobes, which if it be the nor- mal condition, would be a remarkable peculiarity among the ruminantoid Pachy- dermata. A third lobe might have existed which has been broken off, although the tooth has no appearance of such a loss.
The breadth of the lower jaw, below" the penultimate molar, is about equal to that of Cervus virginianus, and internally, just above th? base and parallel to it, it is deeply depressed. The species I have named " Culbertsonii," in honor of the family, to vphom science is indebted for the preservation of these interest- ing remains.
Measureme7its.-]^ Superior molars : — ,
Penultimate :
Greatest heighth of crown, at exterior demicones, ... .5
* Owen's Odontography, Vol. 1, p. 566.
t The measurements are taken in English inches and parts of ditto.
50
[Apiul,
Greatest transverse diameter, at base of posterior demicones,
<< antero posterior diameter,
" heigiith of internal anterior demicone,
«' «« " posterior "
}3readth of internal demicones, at base, Length of external fangs, . . , . .
«« internal " .....
Posterior :
Greatest heighth of crown, externally,
" transverse diameter, ....
(• antero-posterior diameter, Length of internal demicones, ....
Liferior molars : Antepenultimate : Greatest heighth of crown, internally, .
" transverse diameter, ....
" antero posterior diameter.
Penultimate :
Greatest heighth of crown
«' transverse diameter, . . . , . " antero-posterior diameter, . , ,
Posterior :
Greatest heighth of crown, ..... " transverse diameter, ....
'• , antero-posterior diameter, Breadth of lower jaw below penultimate molar,
.7
.675
.375
.3
.475
.4
.35
.5 .7 .8 .3
.375
.5
.6
-4 .5 .6
.433 .5 .65 LOS
Explanal'wn of the Figures.
All the figures are of the size of nature.
Fig. 1. Represents an external view of the fragment of the upper jaw of the right side, containing the posterior two molar teeth of Merycoidodon Culbert- sonii.
Fig. 2. Superior view of the same fra4ment, as fig. 1.
Fig. 3. Hxternal view of the fragment of the lower jaw on the right side, con- taining the posterior three molar teeth.
Fig. 4. Internal view of the same fragment as fig. 3.
Fig. 5. Superior view of the same fragment as fig. 3.
The Committee on two papers by Dr. Hallowcll, entitled " De- scriptions of two new species of Onychocephalus," and " Notes of the post mortem appearances of a Cynocephalus papion," reported in favour of publication.*
An amendment to Article IX, Chapter 8, of the By-Laws, altering one of the days of admission of the public from Saturday to Friday, was adopted.
*These papers will appear in the next number of the Proceedings.
1848.1 ^51
ELECTION.
Charles D. Meigs, M. D., of Philadelphia, was elected a Member, and : —
Professor Eschricht, of Copenhagen,
Christian Gotiried Ehrenburg, of Berlin,
Prof. J. Frederick Schouw, of Copenhagen,
Col. J. C. Fremont, U. S. A.,
William L. Jones, M. D., of Riceboro, Georgia, were elected Correspondents of the Academy.
DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM
In March and April, 18-18. March 1th.
Two hundred specimens of American and Foreign Lepidoptera. From Dr. Wilson.
Two crania of Vulpes fulvis, one of Strix ncevia, one of Falco , and one
of Pipelo erythropthalmus. From Dr. Wilson.
Cineras vittata, from the Baltic. From Dr. Griffith.
March Uth.
Several specimens of Copper Ore, from the Bristol Mines, Connecticut. From Mr. T. Fisher.
Specimen in skin of Petaurista taguanoides, from Port Jackson. From Mr. James Taylor.
Musci and Hepaticae, from the Andes of Quito, collected by Mr. Wm. Jameson, and presented by him through Seth Swainson, Esq., U. S. Consul at Guayaquil.
The following extensive and valuable collections of Fossils were presented by Dr. T. B. Wilson.
1. Mr. Conrad's collection oi Americaii Fossils, containing about one thousand species and three thousand specimens, and including the originals of Dr. Morton from the cretaceous formation.
2. A general collection of British Fossils, from the Tertiary to the Lias in- clusive, and also Fishes from the Old Red Sandstone, containing about two thousand five hundred species, and eight thousand specimens. This collection embraces a part of the selected specimens from the Cabinet of the late Miss Benett, of England, all of which have not yet been received.
3. A collection of Italian Fossils, from the Tertiary of Piedmont, containing about six hundred species and two thousand specimens.
4. A collection of German Fossils from the Tertiary, Solenhofen Slate, Musch- elkalk, Zechstein, Kupferscheifer, Lias and Silurian, comprising about five hun- dred species and six hundred and fifty specimens.
March 2\st.
Mounted Skeleton of Ursus Americanus, (young). From Mr. L. J. Germain.
Mounted Skeleton of Procyon lotor. From Mr. L. J. Germain and Dr. Watson.
Skeleton of Cynocephalus papion, (young). From Dr. Watson.
Skeletons of Hapale cedipus, and of Monitor ornatus. From Dr. Hallowell.
Fifteen Peruvian crania from Pisco, near Lima, and three Peruvian vases, col- lected by Mr. William A. Foster, and deposited by Dr. Morton.
Specimen of Scaraboeus tityus, from Cape May, From Dr. Townsend.
8
52 [April.
April ^th.
The second portion of the Rivoli collection of Birds, containing two thousand five hundred and eighty-four specinnens. Deposited by Dr. T. B. Wilson.
Mounted Skeleton of Vulpes fulvis. From Mr. Ashmead.
Two fragments of the jaWs of a new fossil genus of Mammalia, {Merycoidodon Cidbertsonii, Leidy,) found near the " Black Hills," Western Missouri. De- posited by Mr. Joseph Culbertson.
Fifteen additional Peruvian crania from Pisco, and one Peruvian vase. Deposi- ted by Dr. Morton.
Original specimen of Picus Lecontei. Deposited by Dr. William L. Jones, of Riceboro, Georgia.
April 18th.
Two hundred and seventy-eight specimens from the Crag, Chalk, Lias, and Upper Silurian formations of England, and ten additional specimens from the Benett collection. Deposited by Dr. Wilson.
DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY
In Makch and April, 1848.
Fnigmens d'histoire naturelle systematique et physiologique sur les Musair- aignes : par G. L. Duvernoy. 4to. From Dr. Morton.
Organon der Weltgeschichte von Dr. J. H. Pulte. 8vo. From the Author.
Literary Record and Journal of the Linnean Association of Pennsylvania Col- lege, Vol. 4. No. 5. From the Association.
The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia. Nos. 4 and G. From the Editor.
Caloric, origin, matter and law of the Universe. By Trastour. From the Author.
Metamorphosis et historia Naturalis [nsectorum. Auctore Joanne Goedartio. 2 vols. 12mo. From Dr. Leidy.
Memoir on the reproduction of the Opossum. By Charles D. Meigs, M. D. From the Author.
System der Urweltleichen Konchylien : Von Heinrich G. Brown. Folio. From Dr. Griffith.
Dial of the Seasons, or a portraiture of Nature. By Thomas Fisher. 8vo. From the Author.
The following were deposited by Dr. Wilson :
Nouveaux elernens de Botanique et de Physiologic vegetale : par Achille Richard. 4th edition. 8vo.
The Entomology of Australia. By George Robert Gray. 4to. Part 1. Genus Phasma.
The natural history of many Zoophytes, collected by the late John Ellis, Esq., and arranged and described by the late Daniel Solander, M. D. 4to.
Die im Bernstein befind lichen organischen reste der Vorwelt von Dr. George Carl Berendt. Part 1. Folio.
Fauna Caspio-Caucasia, nonnuUis observationibus novis illustravit Edwardus Eichwald. 4to.
Lectures on Physiology, Zoology, and the natural history of Man. By William Laurence. 8vo.
Essai historique sur les Races Anciennes et Modernes de I'Afrique Septentrio- nale; par Pascal 1 Duprat. 8vo.
An Introduction to the study of Natural History, in a series of Lectures, delivered in New York by Professor Agassiz. 8vo.
Travels in North America, in the years 1841-2. By Charles Lyell, Esq. F. R. S. 2 vols. 8vo.
Rapports du Physique et du Moral de I'Homme • par P. J. G. Cabanis. 2 vols. 8vo.
lcS4-8.J 53
Synopsis of the species of Insects belonging to the family ol Phasmiilce. By George Robert Gray. 8vo.
Philosophic Zoologique, &c.: par J. B. P. A. Lamarck. 2 vols. nvo.
The Natural History of Man. By James Cowles Prichard, M. D., F. R. S. 2d edition. 8vo.
Ethnographical Maps to the same work. By J. C. Prichard, M. D. Folio.
Researches into the physical history of Mankind. By J. C. Prichard, M. 1). ■J vols. 8vo.
Voyage a la Nouvelle Guinee : par M. Sonnerat. 4to.
Dissertation sur les varietes naturelles qui caracteriscent la physionomie des Hommes des divers climats et des differens ages. Ouvrage posthume de M, Pierre Camper. Traduit du HoUandois par H. J. Jansen. 4to.
A history of British forest trees, indigenous and introduced. By Prideaux John Selby, F. L. S. 8vo.
A catalogue of plants growing in the vicinity of Berwick upon Tweed. By J. V. Thompson Esq. 8vo.
Werner's nomenclature of colours, with additions, &c. By Patrick Syme. Svo.
A history of British Quadrupeds, including the Cetacea. By Thomas Bell, F. R. S. Svo.
Discours sur les Revolutions de la surface du Globe : par M. le Baron Cuvier. Svo.
Les Peuples de le Russie : 2 vols. Folio.
Journal of researches made in Natural History during the voyage of the H. M. S. Beagle. By Charles Darwin, F. R. S. Svo.
Treatise on insects injurious to gardeners, foresters, and farmers. By Vincent Kceller, Translated from the German by J. and M. Loudon. Svo.
Taxidermy : with the biography of Zoologists and notices of their works. By William Swainson, F. R. S. Svo.
Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation. 2d edition. Svo.
The principles of Descriptive and Physiological Botany. By the Rev. J. S. Henslow. Svo.
Vegetable substances used for the food of Man. 12mo.
Manual of the Practical Naturalist. 12mo.
Memorials of John Ray ; edited by Edwin Lankester,- M. D. Svo.
The Anatomy of the Brain, with a general view of the Nervous System. By J. G. Spurzheim, M. D. Translated from the French, by R. Willis. Svo.
Animal and Vegetable Physiology considered with reference to Natural Theology. By Peter Mark Roget, M. D. (Fifth Bridgewater Treatise.) 2 vols. Svo.
The second, third, and fourth Bridgewater Treatises. By John Kidd, M. D., the Rev. Wm. Whewell, and Sir Charles Bell. In one Vol. Svo.
The sixth Bridgewater Treatise. By the Rev. Wm. Buckland, D. D. In two vols. Svo.
The ninth Bridgewater Treatise. By Charles Babbage, Esq. Svo.
An introduction to Entomology. By Wm. Kirby and Wm. Spence. 4th edition. 4 vols. Svo.
Southern Ichthyology ; or a description ol the Fishes of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. By John Edwards Holbrook, M. D. No. 2. 4to.
A monograph on recent and fossil Crinoidea. By Thomas Austin, Esq., and T. Austin, Jr. 4to. Nos 1—6.
Illustrations of British Mycology. By Mrs. T. J. Hussey. 4to. Parts S and 10.
Illustrations of Indian Ornithology. By T. C. Jerdon, Esq. Parts 1,2, and 3. Ito.
Noveau manuel de Botanique ; par MM. Girardin et Jules Juillet. 12mo.
The Cabinet Cyclopcedia : conducted by the Rev. Dionysius Lardner. Fishes, Amphibia, and Reptiles, 2 vols.; Animals in Menageries, 1 vol.; Classification of Quadrupeds,! vol.; Geography and Classification of Animals, 1 vol.; Study of Natural History, 1 vol.; Habits and Instincts of Animals, 1 vol.; Malacolosry, 1 vol.; History and Natural arrangement of Insects, 1 vol.
54- [April,
Comptes Rendus. Tomes 24 and 25. 1817.
Revue Zoologique. No. 11. 1847.
Oken's Isis for 1845, and No. 10 for 1847.
The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera. By Edward Doubleday. No. 15. 4to.
Phycologia Britannica. By William Henry Harvey, M. U. Parts 1 — 25. 8vo.
Voyage de la Coquille. Botanique, Atlas folio. Hydrographie, 1 vol. Folio.
Petrefacta Germaniaa ; von August Goldfuss.
Geology, introductory, descriptive, and practical. By David Thomas Anstead, F. R. S. 2 vols. 8vo.
A history of British Zoophytes. By George Johnston, M. D. Vols. 1 and 2. 8vo.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Vol. 1. 2d series. No. 1.
A history of British Crustacea. By Thomas Bell, F. L. S. Parts 1 — 6. 8vo.
United States Exploring Expedition : Zoophytes, by James D. Dana. 4to.; Ethnography and Philology, by Horatio Dale, 4to.
An introduction to the Comparative Anatomy of Animals, by C. G. Carus, M. D.: translated from the German by R. T. Gore. 2 vols. 8vo. Atlas 4to.
Geology of the Voyage of the H. M. S. Beagle. By Charles Darwin. Svo.
On the alternations of generation : by Steenstrup.
March 2lst.
Identities of Light and Heat, of Caloric and Electricity. By C. Campbell Cooper. Svo. From the Author.
American Journal of Science and Arts. No. 11. 2d series. From the Editor. Littell's Living Age. No. 201. March 18th, 1848. From R. H. Dana, Jr.
April -Ith.
A description of the character and habits of Troglodytes gorilla, by Thomas S. Savage, M. D., and of the Osteology of the same, by Jeffries Wyman M. D. 4to. From Dr. Wyman.
Literary record and Journal of the Linnean Association of Pennsylvania Col- lege. Vol. 4. No. 6. From the Association.
Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. 4. Nos. 38 and 39. From the Society.
Descriptions of plants collected in the Rocky Mountains and California by Mr. Wm. Gambel. By Thomas Nuttal!. From Mr. Gambel.
Spicilegium Entomographia^ Rossicce. Auctore G. Fischer de Waldheim. Svo. From the Author.
Oryctographie du Gouvernement de Moscou par G. Fischer de Waldheim. Folio. From the same.
Notice sur quelques Sauriens fossilns du Gouvernement de Moscou; par G. Fischer de Waldheim. Ito. Froni the pame.
Entomographie de la Russie, par G. F. de Waldheim. Vol. 4. (Orthopteres de la Russie.) 4to. From the same.
Bulletin de la Societe Imperials des Naturalistes de Moscou Nos. 1, 2, 3' 1846. No. 4, 1845. From the Society.
De I'Encephale, ou Cervcau en general et en particulier : par Chaussier. Svo. Deposited by Dr. Griffith.
Memoir de Geo-zoologie sur les Oursins fossiles des environs de Dax : par M. Giateloup. From the same.
Tabula affinitatum animalium, &c.; Auctore Johanne Heerman. 4to. From the
same.
A collection of Dresses, ancient and modern, after the designs of Holbein, Vandyke, &c. 2 vols. Folio. From the same.
Dr. Wilson deposited the following works : —
Recherches sur les Ossemens fossiles : par Georges Cuvier. 1th edition. 1^) vols. Svo. Atlas, 2 vols. 4to.
niustrations of Ornithology. By Sir Wm. Jardine, and Prideaux John Selby. New series. 1 vol. 4to.
1848.] 55
Exotic Conchology. By Wm. Swainson, F. R. S. 2J edition. 4to.
The Conchologist's Nomenclator. By Agnes Catlovv, and Lovell Reeve. 8vo.
Catalogue raisonne de Coquilles, &c. 12mo.
A history of British Mollusca and their shells. By Prof. Edward Forbes, and Sylvanus Hanley. Part 1. 4to.
Lamarck's genera of Shells; translated from the French by J. G. Children. 8vo.
The Conchological Illustrations. By G. B. Sowerby, Jun. 8vo.
An illustrated and descriptive catalogue of recent shells. By Sylvanus Hanley, F. L. S.; the plates forming a third edition of the Index Testaceologicus by Wm. Wood. Text, parts 1 and 2 ; Plates, parts 1 and 2.
The Linnean System of Conchology. By John Mawe. 8vo.
A Conchological Manual. By George B. Sowerby, Jun. Third edition. 8vo.
A Manual of the land and fresh-water shells of the British Islands. By Wm. Turton, M. D. New edition by Jno. Edward Gray. IQmo.
A Conchological Dictionary of the British Islands. By Wm. Turton, M. D. 12mo.
British Fauna. By Wm. Turton, M. D. 12mo.
The Conchologist's Text Book. By Capt. Thomas Brown. Fifth edition. 12mo.
Conchylia Insularum Britannicarum. By Wm. Turton, M. D. -Ito.
Nouveau manuel complet du Naturaliste preparateur, par M. Boitard. 12mo.
Conchologia iconica : Monographs of twenty-nine Genera of Shells. By Lovell Reeve. 4to.
Species Conchyliorum. Vol. 1. Part 1. 4to.
A catalogue of the Shells in the collection of the late Earl of Tankerville, with an Appendix by G. B. Sowerby. 4to.
Illustrations Conchyliologiques, ou descriptions et figures de toutes les coquilles commes vivantes et fossiles ; par M. Chenu. 76 Liv. Folio.
Legons elementaires d histoire naturelle par M. J. C. Chenu. 8vo.
Testacea fluviatilia quas in itcnere per Brasiliam an. 1817-20 collegit et pinguenda curavit Dr. J. B. de Spix. 4to.
Choix de Coquillages et de Crustaces par Frangois Michel Regenfuss. Folio.
Thesaurus Conchyliorum : or Monographs of Genera of Shells : edited by G. B. Sowerby, Jun. 2 vols. 4to.
The Zoology of the Voyage of the Sulphur. Vol. 2. Ito. Mollusca, by R. B Hinds, Esq.
Genera of recent and fossil shells. By George B. Sowerby, Jun. 2 vols. 8vo.-
April llth,
De Lalande's Catalogue of Stars. 8vo. From the British Association.
LaCaille's Catalogue of Stars. 8vo. From the same.
Geological Report of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois, in 1839. By David Dale Owen, M. D. From the Hon. G. M. Dallas.
English Botany. By James Edward Smith. 14 vols. 8vo. Deposited by Dr. Griffith.
The Botanical Magazine. By William Curtis. 13th, 14th, and 15th vols. Svo. From the same.
Journal of an Expedition to explore the course and termination of the Niger. By Richard and John Lander. 2 vols. 12mo. From the same.
Recherches sur le systeme nerveux et sur celui du cerveau : par F. J. Gall et G. Spurzheim. 4to. From the same.
Descriptive Catalogue of the Anatomical Museum of the Boston Society for medical improvement. By J. B. S. Jackson, M. D. From the Author.
Corrections and additions to his ])nper on tlie Lonjicornia of the United States. Bv S. S. ITaldeman. From the Author.
56 [April.
April \^th.
Memoirs of the life of Dr. Thomas Beddows. Cy John Edmonds Stock, M. D. 4to. Deposited by Dr. GriHith.
Dr. Wilson deposited the following: —
Illustrations of British Mycology. By Mrs. T. G. Hussey. Part xi. 4to
Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa. By Andrew Smith, M. D. No. 26. 4to.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Second series. Vol.1. No. 2.
Phycologia Brittanica. By William Henry Harvey, M. D. Part 26.
A history of British MoUusca and their Shells. By Prof. Forbes and Sylvanus Hanley. Part 2.
The Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera. By Edward Doubleday. Part 16. 4to.
The Genera of Birds. By George Robert Gray. Part 43. 4to.
Voyage en Abyssinie : par MM. Ferrett et Galinier. Texte, livs. 1-4. Plan- ches. 1 — 4. Folio.
Memoir on the naturalization of the Alpaca. By William Walton. 8vo.
Notice of Zamia gigas. By James Yates, Esq. 8vo.
A familiar history of Birds. By the Rev. Edward Stanley, F. L. S. 2 vols. 12mo.
Manual of British Botany. By Charles Cardale Babington, F. L, S. Second edition. 8vo.
Essays on Natural History, chiefly Ornithology. By Charles Waterton, Esq. Second edition, first and second series. 2 vols. ]2mo.
The Natural History of Birds. By Robert Mudie. 12mo.
Woodarch's introduction to the study of Conchology. By J. Mawe. Fourth edition. 8vo.
A manual of the British Algae. By William Henry Harvey, M. D. 8vo.
Narrative of a Survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia in 1818-'22. By Capt. Phillip P. King. 2 vols. 8vo.
Contribution towards a history of Swansea. By Lewis W. Dilwyn. 8vo.
Observations on Natural History. By the Rev. Leonard Jenyns,F. L. S. Svo.
Voyage dans I'Afrique Australe dans les an. 1838 — 1844. Par M. Adolphe Delegorgue. 2 vols. Svo.
Bibliotheque Conchyliologique Chenu. Ire serie, tomes 1 — 4; 2me serie, tome 1. Svo.
Souvenirs d'un voyage dans I'Indede 1S34 a 1839. Par M. Adolphe Delessert. Svo.
A voyage around the World, particularly to the N. W. coast of America, in 1785— '88. By Capt. Nathaniel Portlock. 4to.
Receuil de Coquilles decrites par Lamarck, publie par M. Benjamin Delessert. Folio.
1848.] 57
Maxj 2d, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
A letter was read from the Hon. George Bancroft, dated U. S. Legation, London, 14th April, 1848, stating that he had received from the Hon. East India Co. a proposal to present to the Academy a series of casts of India Fossils in the Company's possession, and request- ing instructions on the subject.
Dr. Dickeson communicated a paper for publication in the Journal, entitled ''Microscopic examination of the development of the foetus of the Succinia amphibia,^^ which was referred to Drs. Griffith, Hallowell, and C. D. Meigs as a Committee.
Dr. Morton read the following communication from E.. W. Gibbes, M. D., of Charleston, S. C.
" In June, 1845, I submitted to the Academy, an account of a non-descript fos- sil from tiie Eocene of South Carolina. I expressed the opinion that it was generically different from any previously published specimens, and called it DoRDDoy serratus. Casts of the teeth were forwarded to Prof. Owen, by my friend Dr. S. G. Morton. In the "Proceedings'' of the Academy of Feb. 1846, a notice appeared that a letter had been receiTed from Prof. Owen, of London, dated November 11th, 1845, in reference to the fossil genus Dorudon. He con- sidered it to be the same as his genus Zeiiglodon (Basilosauhus, Harlan,) to which also he referred the very extensive series of bones collected by Dr. Koch, in Alabama, then on exhibition in London.
Prof. Owen's letter was kindly forwarded to me by Dr. Morton, who wrote me that he considered Prof. Owen's authority as decisive, and that I must yield my genus, requesting me at the same time to prepare for the Academy's Journal, then about to be resumed, a paper on the jiresent knowledge of Zecglodon. In deference to such high authority, I yielded the genus, though in my reply I ex- pressed the opinion that I still thought the character different. In my paper published in the first number of the Journal, I described Dorudon as a second species of Zeu^ludoii, giving Prof. Owen's letter, and stating the characters upon which I had made its generic distinction, expressing the opinion that what I had considered a very important character, " should not be set aside."
On a visit to Charleston, in December last by Prof Agassiz, I took the op- portunity of submitting the specimens (some of which he had not seen) again to his critical inspection, and the result was that he adopts all tlie characters upon which I had based the genus, and upon his authority I respectfully reclaim the genus DoRUDON.
The following letter he kindly sent me in relation to the specimens, as well as to his discovery among my fossils of a new genus, which he names Sauuocetus."*
*See the letter referred to, at page 4, Vol. 4, No. 1 of these Proceedings.
PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA. — VOL. IV. NO. III. 9
f>S (May,
May 9th, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
Dr. Pickering called the attention of the Society to the fact that in all the estimates relating to the length of the year, no reference had been made to the time taken for light to reach us from the sun, about eight minutes and a half. He supposed that if that estimate was taken into the calculations, a slight difference would be found in the results.
Dr. Bridges remarked that the same estimate was taken at the com- mencement of the calculation as at the end — that the relative position of the sun to the earth was the same at both times; and he asked if the consequence was not, that the length of time between each posi- tion so estimated would be precisely the same as if the allowance spoken of by Dr. Pickering wa^ made ?
The effect of making such allowance would only be to add eight minutes and a half to each end, which would, of course, leave the difference between such ends the same as before.
Dr. Meigs offered some remarks on the mode of copulation in the Opossum, which he felt satisfied was performed mo)-e canino, as ob- served by Dr. Ellerslie Wallace of this city; and that the statements contained in a recent communication to the Academy on this subject, by Drs, Bachman and Michel, that the connection took place in a lateral position, were erroneous.
May 16th, 1848. Dr. Bridges in the Chair.
Dr. Gambel presented and read a communication from Major McCall, entitled " Some Notes on Mexican Birds heretofore not fully described ;" which was referred to a Committee consisting of Dr. Gambel, Mr. Harris, and Dr. Wilson.
May 23, 1848.
Mr. Vaux in the Chair.
Dr. Bridges presented a paper by T. A. Conrad, being "Additions" to his " Observations on the Eocene formation and descriptions of one hundred and five new fossils of that period, from the vicinity of Vicksburg, Mississippi, with an appendix," read on the 12th October, 1847, intended to be embodied with that communication, and for pub- lication in the Journal.
Referred to the former Committee, Dr. Griffith being substituted for Dr. Leid}^, absent.
1S4S.] 59
Maij 30ih, 1848. Vice President Morton in the Chair.
(The following papers were reported for publication in the last No. but unavoidably deferred.)
Description of two new species of Onychncephalus, from the Western Coast of
Africa.
By Edward Halloweli., M. D,
Onychocephalus. Dumeril and Bibron.
Generic Characters. — Head provided with plates; depressed, terminating in front in a thin or cutting edge. Rostral plate folded under the snout, and expanding as a disk upon the head, of variable form. An anterior frontal, a frontal properly- called, a pair of supra-oculars.a pair of parietals, an inter-parietal, a pair of nasals, a pair of frontonasals, a pair of preoculars, a pair of oculars. Nostrils hemidis- coidal opening inferiorly between the nasal and the frontonasal. Eyes lateral, distinct."
Onychoeephalus Liberiensis. (See Plate, fig. 1 and 2.)
Specific Characters. — Length of tail equal to*transverse diameter of head taken at its middle; tail incurvated, conical, terminating in a spin"?; the upper portion of the rostral plate very convex, quadrilateral, its cutting edge slightly arched, not extending across the snout; colour above blackish, variegated with yellow; under surface yellow, with black spots upon the sides.
De.scripfiun. — Head rather small, wedge shaped above, rounded anteriorly; the rostral plate is large, convex superiorly, presenting four sides at its upper sur- face ; of these the jiosterior is rounded where it lies in contact with the anterior frontal ; the lateral margins are slightly curved and are in contact with the frontonasal; the anterior margin forms a projecting convex edge where it is continuous with the under surface of the rostral which is four-sided; the lateral margins of this under portion of the rostral are concave, so as to receive the nasal plates which lie along their exterior border; the inferior margin is the most nar- row, its mid lie portion, (about one-third of It) projecting backward, and forming part of the margin of the upper lip; the nasal plate is long and narrow, broadest near the middle, being somewhat triangular in shape, the apex presenting forward; the nostrils are elongated narro v slits, looking outward and backward, and are placed in the fronto nasal suture, formed by the juxta position of the nasal and fronto nasal plates ; the fronto-nasal are narrow and o! long, much broader below; anteriorly they lie in contact with the rostral, presenting a slightly undulating line at their junction; the posterior margin is deeply incurvated except toward its superior extremity ; it lies in contact with the preocular which is received into the hollow formed hy its posterior margin; the preocular has the form of an oval disk with a s ip rior and inferior extremity, which are pointed; the ocular plate, which is immediately behind it, is very large; its posterior margin is con-
60 [May
Tex, the anterior concave; the eye is placed in the angle formed by the junction of the preocular, and the supraocular; the latter is a narrow, oblong plate, with a rounded posterior margin ; the anterior frontal is a large plate immediately in contact with the rostral, measuring two lines in its transverse direction in the specimen examined ; its posterior margin is rounded; the frontal is a very small plate compared with the anterior frontal, also with a rounded posterior margin ; it is in contact in front with the anterior frontal, and with the preocular; im- mediately behind it is the inter-parietal which is less extended in the transverse direction than the frontal, and its posterior border is much less convex than that of the former plate, and of the scale behind it; the inter-parietal are placed imme- diately behind the supraocular and the posterior frontal, and are in contact at their internal margin with the fiontal,and externally with the ocular ; the supra labials, four narrow, elongated plates, margin each side of the upper lip; that nearest the angle of the mouth is the longest; the eyes are small, but distinct, placed upon theside of the head near the superior extremity of the preocular; scales upon the chin, neck, and throat small, increasing in size upon the body and tail, where they are of nearly uniform size ; these scales are rounded posteriorly, more ex- tended transversely than in length. There are 28 longitudinal and 309 transverse rows upon the body, and 11 rows upon the tail.
Coloration. — Above brownish, approaching to black, clouded with yellow; under surface yellow for the most part, presenting a few spots of black, chiefly upon the sides.
Dimfnsio'is. — Entire length 2 feet 4 lines : length of head 5 lines; greatest breadth 4 lines ; length of tail 5 lijjes ; greatest circumference of body 2 inches, 9 lines.
Habitat. — Liberia, Western Coast of Africa. A specimen in the Museum of the Academy.
Habits. — Dr. Savage informs me that this animal inhabits the domicils of the I' white ant" ^Termes bellicosus of Smeathman,) which probably constitutes its food, and hence has received ihe name of Ni/onk're-teai, literally the iv Idle ant snake. (See Proceed, for April, 1848, p. 37.) Its tenacity of life is very re- markable.
Onychocephalus nigro-lineatus. (See Plate, fig. 3.)
Specijic Characters. — Tail short, of same length as head measured transversely; rostral plate four-sided, longer than broad, rounded posteriorly, the sides slightly convex; nostrils in the fronto nasal suture; body cylindrical, slemler, presenting numerous lines of black upon a ground of silvery grey.
Deticription. — Head small, depressed, convex in front, rostral plate more ex- tended in the longitudinal direction than transversely, its sides slightly convex, rounded posteriorly ; the under part of the rostral is urceolate in form, having a small projection at its posterior extremity; it is somewhat excavated laterally, passing backward between the nasal plates ; it presents a well defined edge, at the line of demarcation between its superior portion, extending across it ; the nasal are narrow, oblong plates, placed between the frontonasal, and the rostral at its inferior part, in contact above with the fronto-nasal ; the fronto-nasal are situated above between the rostral and the preocular; they are much more nar- row superiorly than at their inferior portion, where they are in contact with
Fi^.2.
Fi:^.-f
Fia. 3.
1848.]
61
the nasal ; the nostril, the greater part of which is in the fronto-nasal, occu- pies the fronto-nasal suture; the anterior frontal is a well defined plate lying innnnediately posterior to the rostral, and in contact also in front with the fronto nasal plates, this portion being excavated to receive the corresponding por- tion of the latter; it is convex upon its posterior border, where it is in con- tact with the posterior frontal and the supraocular, the latter being exterior to it, and also to the fronto-nasal ; the preocular is triangular in form, its widest part being downward, lying in front of the ocular and in contact with the supra- ocular; the eye, which is snnall, but distinct, is placed in the angle fornned by those two plates; the ocularis large, convex upon its posterior border ; it is in contact above where it fo'msan acute angle, with the inter-parietal superiorly with the supra-ocular, anteriorly with the preocular, and inferiorly with the superior labials; the frontal is much smaller than the anterior frontal ; it has immediately behind it the inter-parietal, and upon the external aspect of its pos- terior border the parietal ; the inti^r-parietal is a small plate resembling the frontal in form, but smaller; the parietals are more extended in the transverse direction than longitudinally ; in front they touch the ocular and supraocular, latero-exter- nally the frontal, and posteriorly the inter-parietal; four small quadrangular plates margin the upper lip on each side; the eyes are latero-superior placed as above mentioned ; the body is slender, of nearly uniform size, somewhat thicker near the middle, covered with scales which are broader than they are long, presenting a rounded margin posteriorly, somewhat smaller near the head than upon other parts of the body ; of these scales there are 29 longitudinal, and 344 transverse rows; there are 16 rows upon the tail ; the tail terminates in a pointed spine.
Coloration. — (From a specimen in spirits.) The entire under surface of the animal is yellow, without spots ; the back presents iO narrow black lines, ex- tending from the head to the extremity of the tail ; of these the two exterior are less distinct than the rest; the three central ones become broader toward the tail; the intervening portion i.s white or silvery grey.
Dinteasio/is. — Length of head 2 lines; greatest breadth transversely 2i lines; length of tail 2 lines; length of body 8 inches 2 lines, (I'r.) greatest circum- ference 7 lines.
llubllat. — Liberia, West Coast of Africa. Specimen in the Museum of the Academy.
General Observations. — The reptiles above described, belong to the first section of the Ophidians, described by Uumeril and Bibron; viz., the Scolecophidians,* or vermiform non venomous serpents. There can be no doubt, we think, that they are new. But three species of the genus Onychocephalus are described hy them in their Erpetoiogie generale, or Histoire Naturelle complete des reptiles, which con tains descriptions of all the species of reptiles known. They are the Ony- chocephalus Delaiandii, multilineatus, and unilineafus The first is figured in the work of Dr. .'\ndrew Smith, upon the Zoology of Southern Africa, and does not bear the least resemblance to either of them, differing from both in size and in the relative proportions of the head and tail, and in its coloration, being of an uniform brown colour, both upon its upper and under surface In multilineatus the tail is double in length the breadth of the head, and the body presents a series of white lines upon a ground of silvery grey. In unilineatus a single black line passes along the median line of the back, which is of an olive-brown colour.
* P'rom SxwTujjj fxdj, vermis, lumbricus, et o^i^, serpens.
62 [May,
Notes of the post mortem appearances of a Cynncpphalus Papion, which died at the Menagerie in Philadelphia.
By Edward Halloweli, M. D.
The animal is young, measuring about fourteen inches in length.
Head — Brain not examined.
Thorax. — The upper lobes of the right lung are firmly adherent to the pleura; the whole of this portion of the lung is infiltrated with tubercular matter, firm to the touch, and having a white caseifornn appearance ; the entire mass measures three inches in length, by two in breadth, French measure; the lowest lobe of this lung is of a brick dust red colour; presenting numerous tubercles immediately beneath the pleura, varying in size from that of a grain of sand t) two lines and a half ; the two lobes of the opposite lung are slightly adherent, and studded with tubercles, the largest of which measures five lines in its greatest extent; the gene- ral colour of this lung is reddish-brown. The tubercular infiltration above men- tioned, occupies the whole of the uf)per lobes o*" the right lung which have a uni- formly dull white colour throughout, and are resisting ^o the touch; the lowest lobe is partially hepatized, containing a number of tubercles, most of which are observed immediately beneath the pleura; the base ol the right lung is partially adherent to the diaphragm. ') here are two distinct lobes to the left lung, the upper presenting a slight fissure upon its anterior border; the tissue of both is im- perfectly crepitant, containing numerous tubercles deposited near the surface of the lung beneath the pleura; the largest of these measures four Imes in d atrieter; the lining membrane of the cesophagus is pale, having a slight rosy tint and appears healthy ; the mucous membrane of the trachea and bronchi is pale ; the bronchial glands are tuberculous, but not remarkably enlarged. Hta/i — The two surfaces of the pericardium are adherent throughout, their separation requiring some effort ; the external surface of the heart is covered in nearly its whole extent with a thin layer of false membrane of a slightly yellow colour, giving it an appearance of roughness ; the general colour of the pericardium is pale with a tinge of redness ; upon the surface of the heart, imbedded in its tissue, innmediately beneath the peric irdiuin are several snnall tubercles, having the sanne aspect as those of similar dinnensions found in other organs ; the ven- tricles are ennpty containing no coagula.
Abdomen. — The liver is divided into four lobes, one of which presents two small subdivisions; it is of a brownish red colour; about a dozen scattered tubercles, the largest having the size of millet seed are observed in its subperi- toneal tissue; it measures four inches transversely, by two inches four lines in its longitudin .1 d ameter. and fourteen lines in depth ; its tissue when cut into presents nothing remarkable; the ga/l-b/adder is moderately distended with bile of a brown colour and almost fluid consistence. S/jlctn — The spleen measures two inches ten lines in length and fifteen lines in its greatest breadth ; it pre- sents upon its convex surface numerous elevations, caused by the deposition of tuberculous matter within its tissue, giving it a highly bosselated appear- ance, resembling in some degree the cancerous dep sits observed in the human liver; the largest of these measures seven lines in diameter, and is elevated about three lines above the surface of the spleen; the tuberculous deposite resembles in colour that of the lung, and appears to be composed of numerous
1848.] 63
agglomerated granules ; ten of these large masses may be counted upon its sur- face; the general colour of the spleen is brownish-red. The s/owafA measures three and a half inches transversely, by two inches four lines in its small diameter, when moderately distended; the fibres of its muscular coat are seen very distinctly through the peritoneum; it is quite pale externally, and no tubercular deposites are observed upon it; it contains a large quantity of pultaceous matter resem- bling thin gruel mingled with portions of a bright yePovv colour ; the mucous membrane is pale, presenting, however, a slate coloured tinge, which is most marked at its pyloric portion, where it is much softened ; the mucous fol- licles are not apparent. 'I'he large intestine contains a considerable quantity of foecal matter, of a bright orange co/our throughout; the lining membrane is pale; the small intestine measures seven feet, eight and a half inches in length; the large intestine measures ten feet, three and a half inches in extent, exclusive of the cspcnm, which is two and a half inches in length; there is no appendicula vermiformis ; the mucous membrane of the large intestine is much corrugated, but pale and apparently healthy. The mucous follicles are quite distinct when the intestine is held up to the light; there are no valvulsE conniventes in the small intestine, nor are any glands of Peyer to be seen; the solitary glands of the small intestine also, are not apparent; the mucous lining of the small in- testine in quite pa'e throughout, and no tubercles or ulcerations are observed in any part of it, or of tne large intestine; it contains a quantity of brownish looking matter. Tho general api^earance of the large intestine, viewed externally, is pals, with a slight rosy tint, in portions mingled with yellow, the lat'er colour being that of its contents; n> tubercles are observed in the subp ritoneal tissue of either the small or large intestine ; several of the mesenteric glands are enlarged, the largest being six lines in length, by five in breadth. The kidneys, when cut into, present nothing remarkable; no tuber Ics are observed upon their surface; Xhe pancreas is a slender organ, measuring four inches (Fr.) transversely, by half an inch in breadth, of a brownish colour, throughout presenting no tubercles ; bladder pale.
The Committee on the following communication by Major McCall, reported in favor of publication in the Proceedings.
Some Notes on Mexican