PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADExMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 1857. PHILADELPHIA. PRINTED FOR THE ACADEMY 1858. /\5'?i MERBIHEW & TUOJIPaO.N, PRINXEKS. INDEX. Abadie, E. H., U. S. A., don. to mus., V. ; letter from, 179. Abert, Col. J. J., on the mocking bird, 104. American Acad, of Arts and Sciences, don. to lib., vi.* v.* Ashmcad, C. C, don. to mus., ii. iii. Ashmead, S., remarks on presenting algaj, 74 ; don. to museum, ii. iv. vi. Association, Amer., for advancement of Science, don. to lib., ix. Beale, E. F., letter from, 209. Bolton, W. G., don. to mus., iv. Boston, city of, don. to lib., xii. Blanding, Dr. \V., death of, 203. Binney, W. G., description of American land shells, 17 ; notes on American land shells, 183; don. to lib., iii; don. to mus., vi. Riddle, Thos., death of, 151. Bailey, Prof. J. W., death of, 73. Bonaparte, Prince Chas. L., death of, 175. Baird, S. F., M. D., don. to lib., i. is. Brenner, Dr. J., don. to lib., iii. Briinnow, Dr. F., don. to lib., vi. Bronn, H. G., don. to lib., vii. x. Barclay, Rev. Dr., don. to mus., ii. Bennet, D. R., don. to mus. ii. iv. Blackwood, Dr., don. to mus., iii. Biddle, John, letter from, 151 ; don. to mus., iv. Blandy, J. F., don. to mus., iv. Barclay, J. Judson, letter from, 177; don. to mus. v. Blake, Charles W., don. to mus., viii. Bates, Wm. J., don. to mus., iv. Burtt, Dr. J. L., don. to mus., vii. Burtt, R. J., don. to mus. vii. Bertholet, Dr. Peter P., don. to mus., vii. Belhomme, M., on a carmine from Mo- narda didyma, 203. Oassin, John ; catalogue of birds col- lected on the river Muni, W. Africa, by Mr. I . B. DuChaillu, with descrip- tions of new species, 1 ; resolutions by, 73 ; remarks on death of John A. Guex, 75 ; announcement of death of Lieut. J. C. Strain, Cor., 150 ; a reso- lution by, 151 ; notes on the Ameri- can species of Archibuteo and La- nius, and description of a new spe- cies of Toucan, of the genus Sele- nidera, 194 ; don. to mus., v. 1857.] Cassin, W. L., don. to mus., v. vii. Caldwell, Dr. H. Clay, U. S. N., don. to mus., iv. Cleburne, Wm., don. to mus., i. ii. Coleman, Dr. J. P., don. to mus. ii. Cuming, Mr., exchange with, iii. Chandler, W. P., don. to mus., iv. vii. Canfield, F., don. to mus., v. Curtis, Rev. M. A., don. to mus., vii. Curioni, G., don. to lib., v.* Conrad, T. A., description of two new genera of Shells, and rectification of some of the generic names of Ameri- can Tertiary Fossils, 149 ; descrip- tion of a new species of Myacites, description of a new genus of the family Driessenidae, 150 ; observa- tions on a new group of Fossil Shells found in Tippah Co., Miss.j with de- scriptions of fifty-five new species, 205 ; don. to lib. v ;* don. to mus., iii. V. Cook, Geo. H. don. to lib., vii. Cressou, Dr. C. M., don to lib., ix. Committees on scientific papers : on catalogue of the species of Bembi- dium in U. States and contiguous northern regions, by Dr. John L. Le Conte, 1 ; on index to the Bupres- tidse of the U. States, described by Laporte and Gory, with notes, ib., 1 ; on description of several new mam- mals from Western Africa, by Maj. John Le Conte, 1 ; on Aluminium, &c., by W. J. Taylor, 1 ; on catalogue of Birds collected by P. B. DuChail- lu, on the river Muni in Western Af- rica, with descriptions of new spe- cies, by John Cassin, 1 ; on descrip- tions of American land shells, by W. G. Binney, 17 ; on Prodromus descrip- tionis Animalium evertebratorum, quae in expeditione ad Oceanum Pa- cificum Septentrionalem a Republica federata missa Joli. Rogers duce, ob- serv. et descrip. W. Stimpson, 17; on the crania of the Ancient Britons, with remarks on the people them- selves, by Joseph Barnard Davis, 17 ; on notice of a collection of reptiles made by Dr. Hen. A. Ford in the Gaboon country, W. Africa, by Ed- ward Hallowell, M. D., 18 ; on des- cription of thirteen new species of Uniones from Georgia, by Isaac Lea, 18 ; on contributions (No. 1) to the IV. INDEX. Neuropterology of the U. States, by Phil. R. Uhler, 73 ; on descriptions of twelve new species of Naiades, by Isaac Lea, 73 ; on the Caducibranchi- ate Urodele Batrachians, by Edward Hallowell, M.D., 75 ; onTrigonophrys i-ugiceps, ib. 73 ; on synopsis of the species Cliyina and allied genera in the U. States, by John L. Le Conte, M. D., 75 ; on investigation of the Rock Guano of the islands in the Caribbean Sea, by J. W. Taylor, 75 ; on description of six new species of Unio from Alabama, by Isaac Lea, 75 ; on description of eight new spe- cies of Naiades from various parts of the TJ. States, ib., 75 ; on description of three new exotic species of Nai- ades, ib., 75 ; on list of extinct Ver- tebrata, from the region of the Mis- souri, with remarks upon their geo- logical age, by Joseph Leidy, M. D., 75 ; on description of six new spe- cies of fresh water and land shells, by Isaac Lea, 101 ; on examination of a nickel meteorite from Oktibbeha county. Miss., by W. J. Taylor, 101 ; on a supposed new species of mock- ing bird, by Col. J. J. Abert, 104; on explorations under the War Depart- ment ; descriptions of new Creta- ceous and Tertiary Fossils, collected by Dr. F. V. Hayden in Nebraska, with some remarks on the geology of the Upper Missouri country, by F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden, M. D., 104 ; on notes explanatory of a map and section illustrating the geolo- gical structure of the country bor- dering on the Missouri River, from the mouth of Platte River to Fort Benton, in lat. 47° 30' N., long. 110° 30' W., by F. V. Hayden, M. D., 107 ; on the larva of Thyreus Abbotii, by J. P. Kirtland, M. D., 107; on notes on the geology of the Mauvaises Ter- res of White River, Nebraska, by F. V. Hayden, M. D., 149; on prodro- mus descriptionis animalium everte- bratorum, qu^e in Expedition! ad Oceanum Pacificum Septentrionalem a Ropublica Federata missa^Cadwal. Ringgold et Job. Rogers ducibus, observ. et descrip. W. Stimpson, 149 ; on description of two new genera of Shells, and rectification of some of the generic names of American Ter- tiary Fossils, by T. A. Conrad, 149; on notices of the remains of Extinct Fishes, by J. Leidy, M. D., 150 ; on description of a new species of Mya- cites, by T. A. Conrad, 150 ; on des- cription of a new genus of the family DreissenidEe, ib., 150 ; on examina- tion of Enargite, from New Grenada, by W. J. Taylor, 150; on descrip- tions of twenty-seven new species of Uniones from Georgia, by Isaac Lea, 151 ; on three new species of Vesper- tilionidse, by Maj. John Le Conte, 173 ; on observations on the Wild Turkey, ib., 173; on descriptions of some new Reptiles, collected by the U. S. Exploring Expedition under command of Capt. Charles Wilkes, U. S. N., 3d part, by Chas. Girard, 175 ; on rectification of the references of certain of the extinct mammalian genera of Nebraska, by J. Leidy, M. D., 175; on notes on American Land Shells, No. 2, by W. G. Binney, 183 ; on descriptions of some new Reptiles collected by the U. S. Ex- ploring Expedition under the com- mand of Capt. C. Wilkes, U. S. N., by Chas. Girard, 194 ; on notices of new genera and species of marine and fresh water Fishes from Western North America, by Chas. Girard, 194 ; on description of a new species of Cypselus, collected in the N. W. Boundary Survey, A. Campbell, Com- mis., by C. B. R. Kennerly, 194 ; on notes on the American species of Archibuteo and Lanius, and descrip- tion of a new species of Toucan, of the genus Selenidera, by John Cas- sin, 194; on description of several new North American Reptiles, by E. Hallowell, M. D., 203 ; on descrip- tions of Exotic Genera and species of the family Unionidae, by Isaac Lea, LL. D., 203 ; on prodromus des- criptionis Animalium Invertebrato- rum quEe in Expeditione ad Oceanum Pacificum Septentrionalem a Repub- lica federata missa Cadwal. Ring- gold et Joh. Rodgers ducibus, observ. et descrip. W. Stimpson, Pars tertia, 205 ; observations on a group of Fossil Shells found in Tippah Co., Miss., with descriptions of fifty-five new species, by T. A. Conrad, 205. Committees : on memorial to Congress, by Dr. Leidy, 1 ; to make arrange- ments relative to funeral of Dr. E. K. Kane, 73. Committees, election of Standing, 2. Correspondents elected : Brig. Gen. Harney, U. S. A., Capt. Alfred Plea- souton,'228. Corse, Dr. B. M., remarks on the de- [1857. INDEX. velopement of the spawn of the Frog, 173. Davis, Joseph Barnard, on the crania of the Ancient Britons, with remariis on the people themselves, 17 ; don. to lib., vi. Dunn, Dr. Theo. C, don. to mus., vii. viii. Davis, "W. H., don. to mus., viii. Davidson, George R., don to mus. viii. iii. Durand, E., report on Herbarium, 225 ; don. to lib., v. ; don. to mus., v. Dowler, Bennett, M. D., don. to lib., vii.* Dumeril, Dr. Auguste, don. to lib., vii.* Dunglison, Dr. Robley, don. to mus., i. iv., don. to lib., v.* Du Chaillu, P. B., Letter from, 194. Denckla, H., don. to mus., vi. De Vesej, L., don. to mus., ii. iv. Election, Standing Committees, 2 ; an- nual of officers, 227 ; of members and correspondents, 228. Editors Am. Journ. Sci. and Arts, don. to lib., iii. iv. vii. vi.* x. Editor Charleston Medical Journ. and Review, don. to lib., iii. v. vi.* si. Editor Amer. Notes and Queries, don. to lib., iv. Editor Canadian Naturalist and Geolo- gist, don. to lib., iv. vi. v.* vii.* xiv. Editor Canadian Journal Ind. Sci. and Art, don. to lib., iii. vi. v.* vii.* ix. xiv. Editors Nat. His. Review, don. to lib., viii. vii.* x. Editor Journ. Indian Archipelago and East. Asia, don. to lib., v.* iii. Editor New Orleans Med. and Surg. Journ., don. to lib., vi.* x. Executors of Dr. A. Binney, don. to lib., viii. Elliot, Mr. J. B., don. to mus., v. vii. Emmons, Ebenezer, don. to lib.,i. Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica, don. to lib., viii. Foulke, Wm. Parker, reply to observa- tions of Hugh Miller, 104; don. to mus., vi. Ford, Dr. Henry A., don. to mus., i. Flint, C. J., don. to lib., v.* Foster, J. W., don. to mus., iii. Front, J. C, M. D., don. to mus., vi. Gillou, C, don. to mus., ii. Gould, A. A., don. to lib., viii. Gibbes, R. W., don. to mus., viii. 1857.] Girard, Chas., M. D., description of some new Reptiles collected by U. S. Ex- plor. Exped., &c., part 3d, 175; part 4th, 194 ; notice on new genera and species of marine and fresh- water fishes of North America, 194. Gucx, John A., death of, 75. Gillis, Lieut., J. M., don. to lib., iv. Gliddon, G. R., death of 203; don. to lib. vii. Garrigues, Dr. S. S., don. to lib., xi. Golding, R. D., don. to mus., iii. Hallowell, Edw., notice of a collec- tion of Reptiles made by Dr. Hen. A. Ford, Gaboon, W. Africa, IS ; on the Caducibranchiate Urodele Batrachi- ans, 73 ; on Trigonophrys rugiccps, 73 ; description of several new North American Reptiles, 203 ; don. to mus , iii. ; remarks on Proteus, 173. Hammond, Dr. W. A., U. S. A., special vote of thanks to, 183 ; don. to mus., i. ii. iv. vi. vii. viii. ; don. to lib., xi. Hayden, F. V.,M. D., notes explanatory of a Map and Section illustrative of the geological structure of the coun- try bordering on the Missouri river, &c., 107 ; notes on the geology of the Mauvaises Terres of White river, Ne- braska, 149. Harris, Edward, remarks on speci- mens of cotton wood and chips cut by beavers, 107 ; don. to mus., iii. viii. Hayes, Dr. I. I., don. to mus., i. iii. vi. Herring, Chas., don. to mus., iii. Holmes, Prof. F. S., don. to mus., v. Hoopes, B., don. to mus., v. Harper, S., LL. D., don. to lib., ix. Hazard, Samuel, don. to mus., vi. Hoy, P. R., don. to mus., i. Harvey, Prof., remarks of, on Caulerpa Ashmeadii, 74. Hartshorne, H., M. D., don. to lib., i. Haldeman, S. S., don. to lib., i. Jeanes, Jos., don. to mus., v. Jordan, A., don. to lib., viii. King, Prof. A. W., don. to mus., vii; Kennerly, C. P. R., description of a new species of Cypselus collected in the N. W. Boundary Survey, 194. Kennicott, Robt., don. to mus., ii. Kirtland, Dr. J. P., on the larva of Tby- reus Abbottii, 107 ; don. to mus., v. Krider, Mr. J., don. to mus. v. Kennedy, Dr. A. L., don. to lib., i. Kane, Dr. E. K., U. S. N., notice of death of, 73 ; don. to mus., i. VI. INDEX. Kittoe, Dr. E, D., don. to mus., iii. I Lea, Isaac, LL. D., Vice President, re- marks on the visual organs of certain species of the Genus Unio, 17 ; de- scription of thirteen new species of Uniones from Georgia, 18 ; descrip- tion of twelve new species of Naiades, 13 ; description of six new species of Unio from Alabama, 75 ; description of eight new species of Naiades, from various parts of the United States, 75 ; description of three new exotic species of Naiades, 75 ; description of six new species of fresh water and land shells, 101 ; remarks on Unio spinosus, 101 ; change of name of Unio umbrosus and Unio Wheatleyi, to U. umbrans and U. Catawbensis, 104; remarks on two specimens from the dark slates of the Red sandstone of Phoenixville, Pa., 149 ; descriptions of twenty-seven new species of Uni- ones from Georgia, 151 ; observa- tions on the geology of the Red sand- stone near Gwynnedd, 173 ; descrip- tions of Exotic Genera and species of the family Unionidas, 203 ; remarks on plates of fresh water Naiades from Siam, 205 ; remarks on Trilobites found at Braintree, Mass., 205 ; don. to mus., i. iv. Le Conte, Maj. John, description of several new mammals from Western Africa, 1 ; on three new species of Vespertilionidffi, 173; observations on the Wild Turkey, 173 ; don. to mus., iii. Le Conte, Dr. J. L., catalogua of the species of Bembidium found in the U. States, 1 ; Index to theBuprestidae of the U. States, described by Laporte and Gory, with notes, 1 ; synopsis of the species of Clivina and allied genera inhabiting the U. States, 75 ; don. to mus., ii. iv. vii. v. Leidy, Joseph, M. D., memorial to Con- gress, 1 ; observations on Entozoa found in the Naiades, 18 ; list of Ex- tinct Vertebrata found in the region of the Missouri, with remarks upon their geological age ; 75 ; observa- tions on coprolites and shales with Posidoniae, 149 ; observations on new Red Sandstone fossils from the Gwyn- nedd Tunnel, North Penna. R. Road, 150 ; rectification of the references of certain of the extinct Mammalian genera of Nebraska, 175 ; remarks on dentition of the Mososaurus, 176 ; on Oceanthus, 177 ; resolutions on death of G. R. Gliddon, 203 ; remarks on a large species of Gordius, 204; remarks on larva of Oestrus or bot- fly, 204 ; remarks on a curious Ani- malcule on stones and dead plants in the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, 204 ; observations on the introduc- tion of the Camel into North Ameri- ca, 210 ; don. to lib., v. vi. ;* don. to mus. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. viii. Lesley, J. P., remarks on specimen of lead, 173. Laughlin, D. M., don. to mus., iv. Lambert, J., don. to mus., iii. Lehman, E., don. to mus., vi. Lesquereux, Leo., don. to mus., vL Luther, S. M., don. to mus., vi. Lapham, J. A., don. to lib., iv. Latour, L. A. Huguet, don. to lib. v. v.* Lowe, Rev. E. J., letter from, 17. Letters 1, 2, 3, 4, of correspondence. Meek, F. B., explorations under the War Department : descriptions of new cretaceous and tertiary fossils collected by Dr. F. V. Hayden in Ne- braska, &c., with some remarks on the geology of the Upper Missouri, by F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden, M. D., 104. Morris, J. C, M. D., remarks on fishes kept in vases without change of water, 150 ; remarks on fishes brought from Panama, 178 ; don. to mus., i. iv, Morton, Thos., M. D., don. to mus., i. Mactier, Wm. L., don. to mus., i. McClane, Wm., don. to mus. ii. Morris, G. C, don. to mus., ii. Mitchell, R. W., don. to mus., iii. vi. Miller, S. F., don. to mus., v. McKown, Capt. J. P., U. S. N., don. to mus., vi. viii. McClellan, Dr. J. H. B., don. to mus. vi. vii. Michener, Ezra, don. to mus., vii. Mitchell, S. Weir, M. D., don. to mus., viii. McCartee, Dr. don. to mus., viii. ix. Minturn, Dr. Edward, don. to mus., viii. Marcou, Jules, don. to lib., i. Motschulsky, V. de, don. to lib., x. Maximilian, Prince de Wied, don. to lib., vi.* ; don. to mus., iv. McEuen, Chas., death of, 204. Nott, J. C, don. to lib., vii. Ord, George, Prcst., don. to lib., v. Osten Sacken, Baron R., exchange with lib. vi. [1857. INDEX. TIJ. Owen, David Dale, don. to lib. vii. Olmsted, D. don. to lib., x. Poey, Felipe, don. to lib., i. Patent Office, don. to lib. ii. x. xii. Prime, P., don. to lib. vi. Powel, J. H., don. to mus., Tii. Powel, S., don. to mus., vii. viii. Pease, Mr., don. to mus. viii. Pennsylvania Hospital, don. to lib., xii. Pratten, H. J., death of, 175. Plympton, E. B., letter from, 203. Quetelet, A., don. to lib., ix. Roy. Lit. University of Havana, don. to lib., i. Rodgers, J., don. to lib., v. Riise, A. H., don. to lib., viii. Rhees, Wm. J., don. to lib., vi.* Redfield, W. C, don. to lib., vii.* Ruschenberger, Dr. W. S. W., U. S. N., don. to mus., i. ii. iii. v. vii. Rand, Wm. H., Dr., don. to mus., iv. Report of Committee on papers of J. L. LeConte, M. D., 2 ; on paper of Maj. J. Le Coute, 10 ; on W. J. Taylor's paper on Aluminium, 11 ; on Mr. Lea's paper, 31 ; on W. G. Binney's paper, 18; on John Cassin's paper, 33 ; on paper of Joseph Bernard Davis, 40 ; on paper of Edward Hallowell, M. D., 48 ; on papers of Edward Hallowell, M. D., for the Journal. 75 ; on paper of John L. Le Conte, M. D., 75 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 83 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 84 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 85 ; on paper of P. R. Uhler, 87 ; on paper of Joseph Leidy, M. D., 89 ; on paper of Wm. J. Taylor, 91 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 101 ; on paper of Wm. J. Taylor, 102 ; on paper of F. V. Hayden, M. D., 109 ; on paper of F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden, M. D., 117 ; on paper of J. P. Kirtland, M. D., 148 ; on paper of F. V. Hayden, 157 ; on paper of W. Stimpson, 159; on paper of T. A. Conard, 165 ; on paper of T. A. Conrad, 166; on paper of T. A. Conrad, 167 ; on paper of Joseph Leidy, M. D., 167 ; on paper of Wm. J. Taylor, 168 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 169 ; on paper of Maj. J. Le Conte, 174 ; on paper of Dr. Joseph Leidy, 175 ; on paper of Maj. J. Le Conte, 179; on paper of Chas. Girard, M. D., 181 ; on paper of W. G. Binney, 183; on paper of Col. J. J. Abert, 195 ; on paper of Chas. Girard, M. D., 195; on paper of ]857.] Chas. Girard, M. D., 200 ; on pape* of C. B. R. Hennerly, M. D., 202 ; on paper of John Cassin, 211 ; on paper of Edward Hallowell, M. D., 215 ; on paper of Wra. Stimpson, 216 ; on paper of T. A. Conrad, 2 1 1 ; on paper of Isaac Lea, LL. D., 211. Report of Recording Sec, Annual, 221. Report of Librarian, Annual, 223. Report of Treasurer, 224. Report of Curators for 1857, 224. Rogers, W. Frederick, death of, 226. Resolutions of Mr. Cassin on death of E. K. Kane, 73 ; of Dr. Le Conte as to Dr. B. Vreeland, U. S. N., 101 ; of Mr. Cassin as to J. H. Slack, 151 ; of Dr. Leidy as to Dr. W. A. Hammond, 183 ; of Dr. Leidv on death of Geo. R. Gliddon, 203. ' Ross, Mrs. David, don. to mus., iv. Stimpson, W., Prodromus descriptionis animalium evertebratorum, quaj in Expeditioni ad Oceanam Pacificum Septentrionalem a Rep. fed. missa, C. Ringgold et J. Rodgers ducibus, 149; Prodromus, &c. &c., Pars tertia, 205, don. to lib., vii.* don. to mus. i. Saussure, H. de, don. to lib. i. iii. t. vii.* X. Schlossberger, J. E., don. to lib., iii. Survey, Geological, of India, don. to lib., vii.* Steiner, Dr. S. H., don. to lib., ix. Smithsonian Institute, don. to lib., ix. don. to mus. vi. Sec. of War, don. to lib., ix. x. School of Mines, don. to lib., iii. iv. vii.* X. Slack, Dr. J. H., thanks to, 151 ; re- marks of, 193; don. to lib., xi. ; don. to mus., iv. V. vi. viii. Souder, Edward A., don. to mus., i. Snowden, James Ross, don. to mus., i. Sheafer, P. W., don. to. mus., ii. SplUman, Dr. Wm., don. to mus., iii. Swift, Mr. R., don. to mus. iii. vi. Struthers, Wm., don. to mus., iii. Smith, A. H., don. to mus., iv. Sharpless, Eugene, don. to mus., v. Society for encouraging Arts, London, don, to lib., x. Squier, E. G., don. to mus., vii. Sergeant, J. Dickinson, don. to mus., viii. Suckley, Geo., M. D., don. to mus., viii. Society Nat. Hist, of Boston, don. to lib., i. iii. iv. t. viii. vii.* ix. xiv. i Society, Elliott, don. to lib., i. ix. Society, Nat. Hist., of Montreal, don. to 1 lib., i. INDEX. Society, American Antiquarian, don. to lib., ii. xiv. Society of Arts, London, don. to lib., ii. V. vi.* vii.* X. xii. Society, American Philosophical, don. to lib., iii. v.* x. Society, Linnean, of London, don. to lib., V. Society, Imp. Zoological, of Acclimata- tion, don. to lib., iv. v. vii.* ix. Society, Academy of Sci., St. Louis, don. to lib., vi. Sclater, P. L., don. to lib., vi. xi. xii. Shumard, B. F., M. D., don. to lib., vi. Society, Danish, of Sciences, don. to lib., ii. Society. Imp., of Naturalists, of Mos- cow, don. to lib., viii. Society, Bavarian, Acad, of Sci., don. to lib., viii. Society, Royal, of Sciences of Upsal, don. to lib , viii. Society, Geological, of London, don. to lib., viii. xi. Society, Royal Imp. Geological, of Vien- na, don. to lib., v.* vi. Society, Royal, of Gottingen, don. to lib., vii. iii. Society, Royal, Academy of Sciences, &c., Belgium, don. to lib., ix. Society of Natural Sciences, Neuchatel, don. to lib., x. Society, British Ass., for advancement of Science, don. to lib., xi. Society of Science, Agriculture and Arts of Lille, don. to lib., xiv. Society, Royal, of Edinburgh, don. to lib., xiv. Society, Royal, Leopold. Carolin. Acad. Vienna, iii., don. to lib., x. Society, Royal Mineralogical, St. Peters- burg, iii., don. to lib., viii. Society, Natural Hist., Frankfurt a M., don. to lib., vi. Society, Nat. Hist., Leipzig, don. to lib., vi. vii. Society, Royal Danish, Nat. Hist., don. to lib., vii. Society, Nat. Hist., of Marburg, don. to lib., vii. Society, Nat. Hist., Basel, don. to lib., vii. Society, Royal Gardeners, Berlin, don. to lib., vii. I Society, Royal Bohemian Nat. Hist., don. to lib., viii. Society, WurttembergNat. Hist., don. to lib., viii. Society, Royal Acad, of Naturalists, don. to lib., viii. Society, Nat. Hist., of Westphalia, don. to lib., viii. x. Society, Nat. Hist., of Emden, don. to lib., viii. X. Society, Lombardy Institute, don. to lib., v.* Society of Nat. Hist., Zurich, don. to lib., v.* vii. Society of Nat. Hist., Duchy of Nassau, don. to lib., v.* Society, Entomological, Stettin, don. to lib., v.* Society, Nat. Hist., Netherland India, lib., vii.* Society, Nat. Hist., Danzig, don. to lib., viii. Society, Nat. Hist., Hamburg, don. to lib., X. Strain, Lieut. J. C, death of, 150. Taliaferro, Dr., don. to mus., i. Tarbe, Prosper, don. to mus., i. Taylor, Wm. J., Aluminium, the pro- gress in its manipulation, 1 ; investi- gation of the Rock Guano of the islands of the Carribbean Sea, 75 ; examination of a Nickel Meteorite, 101; examination of Enargite, 1-50; don. to mus., ii. Thornton, S. C.. don. to mus., viii. Tiffany, Mr., don. to mus., vi. Torrey, Prof. John, don. to mus., iv. Totten, Col. G. M., don. to mus., viii. Troschel, Dr., don. to lib., vii.* Turner, Dr. Thos. J., don. to mus., v. Tyson, J. R., don. to lib., i. vi. Uhler, Philip R., contributions to the Neuropterology of the U. States, 73. Uhler, Dr.W. H., don. to mus., i. ii. iv. vi. Van Leeuwen, J., don. to lib., viii. Vaux, Wm. S., don. to lib., xiv. ; don. to mus., iii. Vreeland, Dr. B., don. to mus., ii. Watson, Joseph, don. to mus., viii. Wayne, Major, U. S. A., remarks oa camels in U. States, 206. Weitenweber, Dr.W. R., don. to lib. viii. Wheatley, C. M., don. to mus., iii. Wilson, Dr. T. B., don. to lib., i. ii. iii. iv. V. vi. vii. v.* vi.* vii.* viii.* ix. X. xi. xii. xiii. xiv. ; don. to mus., i. ii. iv. V. vi. Wilson, Jr., Dr. Jos., U. S. N., don. to mus., iv. vi. Willis, B. B., don. to mus., vi. Woodhouse, Dr. S. W., don. to mus., ii. iii. iv. vi. Wood, Wm. S., don. to mus., ii. Wood, C., don. to mus., iv. Wood, W. W., don. to mus., vi. Yardley, F. W., don. to mus., viii. [1857. PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. t 1857. January 2S)th. Col. M'Call in the Chair. Communications intended for publication in the Proceedings were presented, entitled : Catalogue of the species of Bembidium found in the United States and contiguous northern regions. By John L, LeConte, M. D. Index to the Buprestidse of the United States, described in the work of Laporte and Gory, with notes. By John L. LeConte, M. D. Description of several new Mammals, from WcBtern Africa. By John LeConte. Aluminium ; the progress in its manipulation, W. J. Taylor. Catalogue of birds collected by P. B. Du Chaillu, on the river Muni, Western Africa, with descriptions of new species. By John Cassin. Which were severally referred to Committees. On leave granted. Dr. Leidy introduced a memorial to Congress, praying that a report be ordered to be prepared on the collections of Natural History, recently made by the North Pacific Exploring Ex- pedition, under Com. Rodgers; which was referred to a Committee with power to act. January 27th, Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. The Annual Report of the Publication Committee was read and adopted. In accordance with the By-laws, an election for members of the standing Committees for the present year was held, with the following result :— 1 2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Ethnology. J.'Aitken Meigs, S. S. Haldeman, T. Gr. Morton. Comparative Anatomy and General Zoology. Joseph Leidy, Jas. M. Corse, W. H. Gobrecht. Mammalogy. Geo. A. M'Call, Wm. Camac. Ornithology . Geo. A. M'Call, S. W. Woodhouse. HerpetoJogy and Ichthyology . R. Bridges, J. C. Morris. Conchology. T. B. Wilson, W. G. Binney. Entomology and Crustacea. John A. Guex, F. Scliaf hirt. Botany. S. S. Garrigues, Geology. Chas. E. Smith, Mineralogy. S/Ashmead, Palaeontology. Joseph Leidy, Physics. Fairman Rogers, Library. R. Pearsall, Proceedings. Joseph Leidy, John LeConte, John Cassin, Edw. Hallowell; T. A. Conrad, R. Bridges, E. Durand, Isaac Lea, W. S. Vaux, T. B. Wilson. B. H. Rand, W. S. V^ux, J. Aitkin Meigs, A. J. Brasier. John L. LeConte. F. A. Genth. T. A. Conrad. W. M. Uhler. Joseph Jeanes. Geo. A. M'Call. The following papers, on report of the Committees to which they had been referred, were ordered to be published in the Proceedings. Catalogue of the species of BEMBIDITIM found in the United States and contiguous Northern Kegions. BY JOHN L. LECONTE, M. D. On revising recently my collection of the species of the genus named above, I regretted to find, that in former years I had been led to describe as distinct species, many which a more practiced eye now leads me to consider as varieties. The number, also, of well-defined species, being very great, I have thought it important to attempt to separate them into definite groups, which, by contain- ing a comparatively small number of species, would facilitate the subsequent labors of the student endeavoring to identify his specimens. [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 3 With this object in view, I sought the divisions established by Jacquelin Du Val, in his admirable treatise " De Bevibidiis Europacis"* among our own species, but was much disappointed to find them not at all applicable. After repeated trials to reduce a system on the characters of Du Val, which should present a natural series when applied to the species before me, I was at length com- pelled to adopt another method of division, the result of which is presented below. But first with regard to the limits of Ochthedromus Lee. and its claims to re- gard as a natural genus. European entomologists have thus far refused to place it in their system, adhering to the view that the subulipalpate Carabica, with few exceptions, (Anillus is received by all, Thalassobius and Tachypus by a few) form but one great genus Bembidium. From this view I ventured to dissent many years ago, but more distinctly in ray notes on the classification of the CarabidiB of the United States,* where the Trechi and Berabidia were widely separated on a difference in the mesothoracic parapleurae ; these in the former are divided by a suture near the posterior margin, and in the latter by a diagonal suture. I also found that in the Trechi the marginal stria of the elytra was interrupted at the middle, while in the Bembidia it was entire. Renewed observation has confirmed the result then obtained, and has induced me still farther to enlarge the group of Trechi, by adding to it not only Tachys, but also Anillus, the form recognized by me as Blemus, (which is probably not genuine Blemus), and Lymnaeum, which has been found on the coast of Cali- fornia, at San Diego. Thus of the genera in my table (loc. cit. 39'7) there remains only Pericomp- sus, Bembidium, Octhedromus, Hydrium,''and Patrobus. The last named genus must form a group by itself, or at least separate from Bembidium, and more nearly allied to Pterostichus, or Platynus. Hydrium does not appear to be suf- ficiently definite to be retained. Of the three genera thus retained, Pericompsus is known by the antf.rior tarsi of the male being hardly or not at all dilated, by the anterior tibiae being obliquely truncate at tip, and by the elytra being without scutellar strije : the mentum tooth is small and acute. Bembidium and Ochthedromus differ from Pericompsus only by the male having two joints of the anterior tarsi dilated, by the anterior tibise being somewhat rounded at tip, and by the elytra having a short scutellar stria. They differ among themselves by the comparative size of the middle portion of the mentum, which in the species with impressed square spots is longer and broader than in the others, and also in the comparatively larger size of the first dilated joint of the anterior tarsi in the same species. Nevertheless, taking into account the great variations in character, especially of the mentum, in other groups, it seems to me more natural again to unite them into one genus, to be called Bembidium. And with a view of shewing the re- lations between the different groups, the following table may be made use of. BEMBIDIUM Latr. Legio Ima. Elytra humeris subangulatis, stria 8va a margineremota, inter- stitio 3io punctigero. A. Mentum dente brevi bicuspi ; elytra striis abbreviatis. I. Elytra interstitiis seriatim parce punctatis, setiferis. {Ilydrmm Lee.) II. Elytra glabra, interstitio 3io bipunctato. {Eudromus Kirby.) B. Mentum dente magno, integro : elytra striis integerrimis. III. Elytra interstitio 3io bipunctato et foveis quadratis impresso. (^Bembidium Lee.) IV. Elytra interstitio 3io bipunctato, baud foveato. * Annales de la Soc. Entom. de France, 2nd Ser. 9, 462. t Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. vol. x, STD. 1857.] 4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Legio 2nda. Elytrorum stria 3ia bipunctata : A. Stria 8va ad marginem modice approximata. V. Elytra humeris subaugulatis, stria 5ta ad apicem extensa. Elytra humeris rotundatis, striis antice fortiter punctatis, 5ta vel 7ma ad apicem extensa : VI. Subdepressa, elytrorum striis integris vel postice parum obliteratis. VIL Convexa, elytrorum striis postice valde obliteratis. B. Stria 8va ad marginem valde approximata ; humeris rotundatis. VIII. Thorax planus trapezoideus, utrinque ad basin bifoveatus ; elytra tenuiter striata ; antennse et pedes nigri. IX. Thorax planus trapezoideus, ad basin late foveatus (vel vix bifoveatus), fovea externa minuta ; elytra striis profundis saepe abbreviatis ; anten- narum basis et pedes testacei. (Peryplms p.) X. Thorax convexus subcordatus, fovea basali externa breviore ; elytra striis profundis saepe abbreviatis ; antennarum basis et pedes prsecipue tes- tacei, raro nigri. {PerypJius p.) Legio 3ia. Elytra humeris rotundatis, interstitio 3io punctigero. A. Linea humerali hand hamata. a. Striae frontales norraales ; striae elytrorum nonuUae integrse, (8va ad marginem approximata). XI. Elytra interstitio 3io tripunctato. XII. Elytra interstitio 3io bipunctato.* § Caput subtilissime granulatum. \\ Caput nitidum laeve. 6. Striae frontales convergentes, vel saepe duplices ; elytrorum omnes dorsales abbreviatse. XIII. Striae frontales duplices integrae vix convergentes ; thorax cordatus tran- catus, angulis posticis carinatis. XIV. Striae frontales duplices obliquae, exteriors interrupta; thorax cordatus truncatus, angulis posticis carinatis. XV. Striae frontales duplices obliquae, exteriore interrupta ; thorax cordatus pedunculatus, angulis posticis minutis baud carinatis. XVI. Striae frontales obliquse antice conniventes ; thorax cordatus truncatus, angulis posticis carinatis. c. Striae frontales normales ; elytrorum omnes abbreviatae. XVII. Thorax cordatus ; elytrorum interstitio 3io bipunctato. XVIII. Thorax cordatus ; elytra interstitiis seriatim punctatis. B. Linea humerali hamata, cum stria 5ta coniuncta, hac Integra. XIX. Thorax trapezoideus, angulis posticis carinatis, elytris iridescentibus. Catalogue of Species. I. 1 . B. 1 ae V i g a t u m Say. II. 2. Eudromus n i t i d u s Kirby. JII. 3. B. punctato-striatum Say; stigmaticum Dej.; ? sigillare Say. 4. B. imp res sum GjlLKirhy; CarabusimpressusFsibv. 5. B. palu- d o s u m Sturm, Lee. ; lacustre Lee. 6. B. inaequale Say ; are- narium Dej. IV. 7. Odontium carinatum Lee. 8. B. coxendix Say ; nitidulum Dej. V. 9. OcA^A. b if o s su latu s Lee. ]G. B. am e r i c a n u m Dej. 11. Ochth. dilatatus Lee. 12. B. antiquum Dej. ; ? honestum Say ; var. Ochth. basalts Lee. 13. B. chalceum Dej. VI. 14. Ochth. salehrsitvLs Lqc; v&T. 0. purpurascensliGC. 15. 0. I'ongu- lus Lee; var. 0. $ubceneus Lee. VIL 16. B. nigrum Say. [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 5 Vlfl. IT. Oc/(M. pi an at us Lcc. 18. 0. s im pie x Lcc. 19. B. pi a n in s- c u 1 u m Mann. 20. Perijphus c o m p 1 a n u 1 u s Mann. 21. E. i n c e r t u m Mann. ; Nolaphus incertus Motsch. 22. Fenjph. t e t ra - gl y ptu s Mann. IX. 23. Ochth. f u gax Lee. ; 0. planipennis Lee. 24. Peryphus p 1 a n u .^ Hald. 25. 0. p er spicuus Lee. 26. B. trans v e rs al e Dej. ; var. 0. compar Lee. 27. 0. JI a n n e r h e i ra e i Leo. ; B. irans- wrsaZeJMann. 28. B. 1 u g u b r e Lee. (infra). X. § Antennarunk basis et pedes testacei vel rufi. 29. Oc/f^/t. s t r i o 1 a Lee. 30. PeryjoA. b im ac ulatu s Kirby. 31. Oc/t. parumpunctata Mels. 28. B. rusticorum Kirby ; Gory, 4, 117; tab. 20, 115. A species of Ancy- lochira found in Oregon and California, very similar to A. maculiventris. 29. B. maculipennis Gory, 4, 119; tab. 21, 117. This is most probably a variety of Ancyclochira lineata ; it was subsequently described as A. inconstans Mels. 30. B. consularis Gory, 5, 120 ; tab. 21,118. An Ancylochira previously de- scribed as B. N u t a 1 11 Kirby. 31. B. erythropus Gory, 4, 126; tab. 22, 124. Unknown to me; probably from tropical America. POLYCESTA Serville. 1. P. Velasco L. & G. 2, 6 ; tab. 1, 7. Mexican, but recently found in Texas. CHRYSOBOTHRIS Esch. 1. C. ultramarinaJL. & G. 2, 13; tab. 3, 19. Does not in the least resemble B. ultramarina Say, which is an Ancylochira closely allied to B. decora Fabr. The present species must be called C. az ur e a, the name it bears in Dejean's Catalogue. 2. C. thoracica (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 14; tab. 3, 20. This species is unknown to me, if it is not a variety of the preceding. 3. C. hybernata (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 16 ; tab. 4, 24, Unknown to me if not a variety of the next. 4. C. viridipunctata L. & G. 2, 21 ; tab. 4, 31. Commonly considered as B. hybernata Fabr., and agrees with the description of that author. 5. C. atabalipa L. & G. 2, 43 ; tab. 8, 60. Mexican, but found abundantly in Texas. 6. C. quadriimpressa L. & G. 2, 48 ; tab. 9, 64. Our most common species, and usually considered B. femorata Fabr. ; C. rugosiceps Mels. is a variety. 7. C. femorata L. & G. 2, 48 ; tab. 9, 65. A large species named C. c a I c a - rata in my collection. 8. C. LesueuriL. & G. 2, 49 ; tab. 9, 66. Cannot be identified with certainty. 9. C. Germari L. & G. 2, 50 ; tab. 9, 67. Perhaps a variety of the next, but cannot be certainly determined. 10. C. ignipes L. & G. 2, 50 ; tab. 9, 68. 11. C. dentipesJL. & G. 2, 52; tab. 9, 70. Not Germar's species, but pro- bably a variety of C. f e m o r a ta (C. quadriimpressa L. & G.) [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 9 12. C. scabripennis L. & G. 2, 53; tab. 9, 71. 13. C. pusilla L. & G. 2, 53 ; tab. 10, 72. 14. C. Bigritula L. & G. 2, 54; tab. 10, 73. 15. C. posticalis L. & G. 2, 56; tab. 10, 76. IG. 0. planata L. & G. 2, 56 ; tab. 10, 77. Commonly ooneidered as C. d entip e 8 Germ. 17. C. scitula Gory, 4, 160 ; tab. 27, 155. Perhaps a variety of the next. 18. C. chlorocephala Gory, 4, 161 ; tab. 27, 156. B. Harrisii Hentz. 19. C. errans Gory, 4, 172 ; tab. 28, 167. Unknown to me. 20. C. rugosula Gory, 4, 177 ; tab. 30, 172. Unknown to me. 21. C. floricola Gory, 4, 179; tab. 30, 175. 22. C. dissimilis Gory, 4, 181 ; tab. 31, 177. Not identified. 23. C. Alabama Gory, 4, 185 ; tab. 32, 183. A large not uncommon species. AGRILUS Lap. & Gory. 1. A. latebrus L. & G. 2, 38 ; tab, 9, 50. Unknown to me if dififerent from A. acatipennis. 2. A. ruficollis (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 60; tab. 13, 78. 3. A. difficilis Gory, 4, 224 ; tab. 37, 215. A. occidentalis Uhler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. 7, 416. 4. A. acutipennis Mann. Enum. Buprestides, 109 ; Gory, 4, 225 ; tab. 37, 216. 5. A. anxius Gory, 4, 226 ; tab. 37, 217. 6. A. quadriguttatus Gory, 4, 228 ; tab. 39, 219. 7. A. zemes Gory, 4, 234 ; tab. 39. 225. Unknown to me. 8. A. fuscipennis Gory, 4, 238 ; tab. 39, 230. 9. A. frenatus Gory, 4, 139 ; tab. 40,231. Unknown to me. 10. A. cupricollis Gory, 4, 240 ; tab. 40, 232. 11. A. aurolineatus Gory, 4, 248; tab. 41, 240. A. bilineatus Say. 12. A. subcinetus Gory, 4, 252; tab. 42, 245. 13. A. obsoletoguttatus Gory, 4, 256 ; tab. 43, 249. 14. A. nigricans Gory, 4, 257 ; tab. 43, 250. Unknown to me. 15. A. egenus Gory, 4, 258; tab. 43, 251. 16. A. virens Gory, 4, 259; tab. 43, 252. EUMERUS Lap. & Gory. 1. Eu. ignarus (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 4 ; tab. 1, 5. Buprestis cogitans Weber. COR^BUS Lap. & Gory. 1. C. caliginosus L. & G. 2, 7 ; tab. 2, 9. Unknown to me. ANTHAXIA Esch. 1. A. viridicornis (Say), L. & G. 2, 19 , tab. 5, 25. 2. A. quercata (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 21 ; tab. 5, 28. 3. A. iBneogaster L. & G. 2, 32 ; tab. 7, 44. A California species, remarkable for its broad form. 4. A. viridifrons Gory, 4, 284; tab. 47, 277. 5. A. cyanella Gory, 4, 285 ; tab. 47, 278. A. scoriacea Mels. 6. A. cuneiformis Gory, 4, 290 ; tab. 48, 284. 7. A. flavimana Gory, 4, 291 ; tab. 49, 285. 8. A. bivittata Gory, 4, 292; tab. 49, 286. Unknown to me. BRACHYS Solier. 1. B. alboguttata (Mann.) L. & G. 2, 2 ; tab. 1, 1. Buprestis graci lis Say; belongs to Taphrocerus Solier. 2. B. tesselata (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 3; tab. 1, 2. ? Bupr. ovata Weber. 3. B. terminans (Fabr.) L. & G. 2, 3 ; tab. 1, 3. 4. B. molesta Gory, 4, 332 ; tab. 56, 325. 5. B. aeruginosa Gory, 4, 335 ; tab. 56, 329. 1857.] 10 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 6. B. americana Gory, 4, 346; tab. 58, 343. Metonius purpureas Say, This and the next species belong to Solier's genus Pachyscelis, but the name given by Say has priority. 7. B, punctata Gory, 4, 347 ; tab. 59, 344. Metonius or at us Say. Becriptions of several new MAMMALS from Western Africa. BY JOHN LECONTE. Among a large collection of birds sent from Africa by M. du Chaillu, were a few species of Mammals, which have been referred to me for examination. The following is the result of my researches. Some of them appear to be new, at least I cannot find any thing like them described in any book in the possession of the Academy. I have hesitated about naming them, as some of them may be well known in Europe, but imperfectly described. Semnopithecus anthracinus. Entirely black, hair rather glossy, from two to three inches in length, over the eyes and on the top of the head coarse and bristly. Tragus broad. Thumb of the fore hands a mere oblong tubercle. Nails, except of the hind thumb, long and narrow. Tail very long, slightly tapering towards the point. Length 2 feet 2 inches ; tail 2 feet 7 inphes ; arms 1 foot 6 inches ; legs 1 foot 9 inches. Seems to resemble the Colobus satanas of Waterhouse, Loud. Mag. for 1838, p. 335, which was brought from the Island of Fernando Po. The length of the hair in the specimen sent to England is stated by the very accurate natu- ralist who describes it to be ten inches, whereas in our animal it rarely in any part exceeds two. Cbrcopithecus buccalis. Above and on the sides, hair deep cinereous, annulate with rufous beneath, and on the inner parts of the thighs grey. Hair of the head black, annulate like that of the back. Cheeks with a large yellow spot which extends even behind the ear ; behind the eye this spot appears to be bounded above by black. Arms and hands black, the hairs more or less tipped with rufous ; beneath, except near the hands, they are grey. Tail for one-third of its length, above the color of the back, beneath grey ; the rest of the tail is both above and beneath bright rufous, increasing in intensity to the end. Nails long, narrow and com- pressed. No callosities on the rump. Length 1 foot 8 inehes ; tail 2 feet 5 inches ; arms 8 inches ; legs 1 foot 2 inches. MiOROCEBUS ELEGANTULUS. Hair soft, dark cinereous, tipped with rufous brown, beneath with grey, the latter color extending somewhat towards the back from the axillae and the groins, and on the forward edge of the legs and thighs; tail longer than the body, cy- lindrical, bushy, the hair tipped with grey, and at its root for about one inch in length with rufous. Nose rather pointed. Ears large, oblong, naked except at the base; lower fore teeth nearly horizontal ; nails of the fore hands round with an acumination ; nail of the hind thumb flat, of the first finger falciform and sharp ; of the other fingers like those on the fore hands. Length 8 inches ; tail 12 inches ; head 1 foot 9 inches ; ears I inch. Vespertilio pusillus. Black, body beneath a little mixed with gray. Head short and small. Upper fore teeth four, distant by pairs, simple ; lower, six, trilobate ; nose not eraarginate. Ears small, oval, orillon lanceolate and rather blunt. Interfemoral membrane naked except at the base; tail projecting a little beyond the membrane. Length 1'3 in. ; ears -24; tail -8 ; naked part -05. Extent 6-9. [Jan- NATURAL SCIENCES OF PniLADELPHIA. 11 SOUBX ODORATUS. Dark cinereous brown above inclining to chestnut, beneath slightly paler. Snout proboscidal, deeply emarginate at the point, and furrowed on the under side. Ears large, naked, with two rather large lobes within, the lower one of which appears to be the antitragus ; tail long, triangular. Length 5 inches ; head 1-G5 ; tail 2-6 ; ears -2. This species has a very strong musky odor. SCIURUS SUBVIRIDESCENS. Above black, the hair tipped with pale brown, in some positions appearing greenish; beneath pale yellowish cinereous; tail longer tban the body, of the same colors above and beneath, and tipped with black, not distichous. Head small. Ears rounded and very short, not tufted. Length 6-7 in. ; tail 1-b in. ; head 1-5 in. ; ears "3. SciURUS LEMNISCATU8. Above on the head, upper part of the back and legs rufous brown, mixed with darker and black. The back with four black stripes from the shoulders to the hinder parts of the body and two stripes of yellowish, Avith one of rufous (this last sometimes quite indistinct) down the middle of the back. Hair of the head annulate with black, of the sides dark cinereous tipped with pale rufous. Under side of the head, body and legs white. Head roundish : nose pointed ; lower fore teeth slender; ears small round. Tail distichous. Varies in having the paler stripes scai'cely apparent. Length 7-5 in. ; tail G-5 in. SCIDRUS RUFOBRACeiATCS. Louis Eraser, Zoologia typica No. 24 ; Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1 842, p. 1 28. This animal is figured in Audubon and Bachman's Quadrupeds of North America, under the name of Spermophilus annulatus. The specimen described by Dr. Bachman was purchased in New York from a dealer in preserved birds. It is by no means a native of our continent. SCIURUS PUMILIO. Hair short and soft, dark cinereous, tipped with reddish brown, on the throat and belly with much paler. Head short roundish ; ears small ; tail shorter than the body, distichous ; hair reddish brown at base and tip, black in the middle, appearing by this disposition of colors to be edged with brown ; four of the toes on each foot equal. Length 5-4 ; head -I . ear -2 ; tail 2-3 ; fore leg -9 ; hind leg 1-5. ALUMINIUM. The progress in its manufacture. BY W. J. TAYLOR. The use of sodium in the reduction of metals from their chlorides, as has been so successfully accomplished within the last two years, may be justly considered a great progressive step in science. Aluminium has been the first in which this process has been perfected. What the other metals are which will be reduced successfully from their chlorides by the use of sodium, the future will determine. Some facts concerning the early history of aluminium, the progress made in its manufacture, and the numerous uses to which it can be applied, will not be uninteresting. Much confusion existed in the minds of the early alchymists regarding the oxide alumina. They knew of an alum which was brought from the East, which they regarded for a long time as sulphuric acid combined with an earth. Stahl and others also mistook this earth for lime. Geoffroy, in 1728, pointed out its existence in clay; Marggraff, in 1754, proved it to be a substance having a sepa- 1857.] 12 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP rate existence and peculiar characters. To Oerstedt belongs the credit of first preparing the chloride of aluminium, from which compound W5hler, in 1827, succeeded in first eliminating the metal. Wohler first obtained aluminium in the form of a grey powder, by heating gradually in a porcelain crucible over a spirit lamp equal volumes of metallic potassium and chloride of aluminium ; other chemists, by slight modifications of this process, have obtained aluminium in the form of the grey powder, as first obtained by Wohler. To M. Sainte Claire Deville belongs the credit for first improving the process, so as to produce aluminium in such quantities that its characters as a metal could be fully investigated. M. Ste. Claire Deville used in his process sodium as a substitute for potassium. (It requires 39 parts of potassium to produce the same reductive effect as 23 parts of sodium.) At the time of his first experi- ments sodium was worth one hundred dollars per pound ; he so improved the process for making this metal as to reduce the price to ninety cents per pound. At this time the chloride of aluminium was regarded witli sodium as a curi- osity of the laboratory ; it was then produced in small quantities by heating alumina mixed with coal, in a porcelain tube, and passing over it a current of dry chlorine gas. M. Ste. Claire Deville made farther improvements in this process, so as to make it in an apparatus as large as a gas retort and in quantities proportional, at a price of twenty-five cents per pound. To produce the reaction of sodium with the chloride of aluminium was the most difficult point of the entire process. M. Ste. Claire Deville used for the reduction the distillation of the chloride of aluminium over the sodium, which was placed in trays of copper enclosed in a tube. The temperature developed by the reaction is very great if the current of the chloride of aluminium be rapid ; by this process it was found that it re- quired at least ten pounds of sodium to produce one pound of aluminium, (part of the aluminium produced being destroyed at its formation by the scorise,) when by theory it required only two and a half pounds. This great loss of sodium and the difficulties in conducting this reaction on a large scale, were very great objections to the process. All the aluminium at the Paris Exhibition was made by this process, and it was from a portion of this that M. Regnault made his investigations, and in which he found copper and iron. The copper came from the trays in which the reduction was made. The presence of these metals in small quantities will account for the peculiar physical properties which he ascribed to aluminium. Circumstances having interrupted M. Ste. Claire Deville in the experiments which he was making on a large scale, the subject rested for a while here. In the meanwhile Heinrich Rose suggested and made experiments with cryolite, (a fluoride of aluminium and sodium,) and gave his views that this mineral was a valuable substance from which to produce aluminium. Wfthler made experiments also with cryolite, and arrived at conclusions somewhat similar to Heinrich Rose. They both succeeded in producing some of the metal, but the results were not entirely satisfactory. M. Ste. Claire Deville again resumed his experiments, but instead of distilling the chloride of aluminium on the metallic sodium, as in his first experiments, he fused in a crucible, in the manner pursued by Rose and Wohler, using, however, with the double chloride of aluminium and sodium and the metallic sodium, the fluoride of calcium, (fluor spar,) or some cryolite as a flux. This experiment of M. Deville was very satisfactory, and the reduction in accordance with the theory. While these experiments were in progress in Europe, similar ones were being made in this country by Mr. Alfred Monnier, in Camden, N. J. ; to him credit is due for having first made aluminium in the United States. Having had oppor- tunities for examining his processes for making the double chloride of aluminium and sodium, metallic sodium, and the modes of reduction, melting and refining the aluminium, the conclusion is satisfactory that the discoveries of science have been successfully applied to render the manufacture of this metal an industrial art. [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 13 Mr. Monnier in his experiments met with the same diCBculties in the reduction. He found, however, by careful investigation and analysis, that the effect pro- duced was also perfectly in accordance with the theory. When, after great dif- ficulties, sufficient quantities of pure aluminium were obtained, and its proper- ties as a metal carefully studied ; it was found that it was not in the least degree oxidized by fusion with the nitrate of potash. This peculiar property causes a strong contrast between it and any well known metal, and this won- derful fact produced a new phase in the manufacture of aluminium. Owing to this discovery, the efforts which had been made to produce aluminium from perfectly pure material were found unnecessary. By using pure materials for its manufacture, it was necessary to employ ap- paratus which was very costly, as it required that it should be free from any injurious substances. By the facility with which aluminium can be refined, owing to its peculiar properties to resist oxidation, it can be manufactured from impure and crude materials, in apparatus which can be cheaply made of still cheaper material, and without the great care and watchfulness necessary in the manipulations, where pure materials are employed. Since July, 1855, Mr. Monnier has made the double chloride by mixing alumina with salt (chloride of Sv/dium) and coal, and bypassing over this mass (ignited) a current of dry chlorine gas, (kaolin or common clay can be used instead of the alumina.) The double chloride runs out from the condenser in a stream, and is collected in a receiver; it becomes solid when cold. The reaction is so complete that no chlorine is lost. It has already been manufactured at a cost of eight cents per pound, but the operations were car- ried on to a very limited extent. It is, however, clearly (to be) demonstrated that, with works of sufficient size and a proportional economy in manufacture, the double chloride of aluminium and sodium, can be produced at a cost not ex- ceeding four and a half cents per pound. In the manufacture of sodium Mr. Monnier has made considerable improve- ment; it has already been produced at a cost of twenty-five cents per pound. In the manufacture of zinc (by the Belgian process) one retort produces about thirteen pounds of metal in 24 hours. In the manufacture of sodium the reduction is so quick that 52 pounds of this metal can be produced in a retort of the same size in the same space of time. The reduction of zinc costs from two to two and a quarter cents per pound. The amount of ore necessary, being from a half to three-quarter cents per pound. Giving for the cost of one pound of metal about three to three and a quarter cents. The reduction of sodium costs about ... 4 cents per pound. The carbonate of soda, 2^ lbs. at 4 cents, . . 10 " •' Giving for total cost of one pound of sodium, . . 14 " Sodium can be manufactured on as large a scale as zinc, and when the work- men have the same practical experience in the manipulations, the price of reduc- tion will be still farther reduced, so that the difference between it and zinc will be that of the first cost of carbonate of soda and the zinc ore. It has already been shown that the double chloride of aluminium and sodium can be produced at a very low price ; metallic sodium can also be made very cheaply ; the reduction is readily effected in accordance with the theory, but the difficulty in uniting the metallic globules of aluminium when formed, is obviated by stirring at this point with a rod, and the destruction of the metal by the alkaline scoria is prevented by adding to the charge of the double chloride of aluminium and sodium, chloride of sodium and metallic sodium, either fluoride of calcium, (fluor spar,) or cryolite. By these means the greater portion of the metal is united in one mass, the other portion of the metal in small globules remain with the slag, which can be removed mechanically, or by first digesting in water ; there will however remain 1857.] 14 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF about ten per cent, with the slag. This will be explained by the following data. Theoretically: • 250 parts of metallic Sodium produce 100 " " Aluminium; VO parts are obtained in one metallic mass ; 20 " " in metallic globules ; 90 " being the nett produce. 10 " remain with the scoria. Total, 100 The alkaline scoria contains large quantities of the chloride of sodium, that can be easily extracted by water, leaving an insoluble residue from which the fluoride of aluminium can be extracted by volatilization. The scoria containing the fluoride and the metallic aluminium is economically used by introducing it again with a new charge of the double chloride of aluminium and sodium, and metallic sodium, and by that means the loss of the metal is rendered very small. Aluminium, when carefully removed from any slag, is readily fused in a crucible by itself; when in fusion (which is at a lower point than that required to fuse silver) the whole is stirred with a rod, and all the globules of metal are united in one mass with the greatest facility ; at this point nitrate of potash ca,n be added, (the stirring continued.) All other metals are oxidized by this process ; the refining is finished when the metal has a pure white color. It can now be poured into a mould of smy shape. Impure aluminium may be whitened by plunging it into caustic potash or soda, washing it quickly with distilled water, plunging it again into pure nitric acid, again washing quickly and thoroughly. The surface then has the fine white color of pure aluminium, which it retains unless afterwards polished. This operation has for its object to dissolve out the metals which darken the color of aluminium by their presence. Aluminium forms alloys with nearly all the metals, but those which it forms with silver and copper are the most interesting. Five parts of aluminium with one hundred parts of pure silver produce an alloy almost as hard as a silver coin, which contains about one-tenth of copper, so that sufficient hardness can be given to silver, without introducing into it a poisonous or an alterable metal. It has the advantage of being worked like silver in a pure state, possessing, however, greater hardness, and being capable of a higher polish. Ten parts of aluminium and ninety parts of copper produce an alloy of a pale gold color, possessing great hardness and considerable malleability ; its hard- ness is greater than that of bronze, in the proportion of fifty-one to forty-nine. It can be worked when warm, with the same facility as the best soft iron. Twenty parts of aluminium and eighty of copper give to the alloy the color and brilliancy of fine gold, and at the same time sufficient hardness to scratch the alloy of gold employed in coin, without imparing in the slightest degree its malleability. By an increase of the per centage of copper in alloys of aluminium the alloy is rendered brittle, showing that the metal must be either used pure or alloyed in small quantities with the copper. This explains the peculiar properties ascribed to it by M. Regnault in his in- vestigations on the physical properties of the aluminium prepared by M. Deville, exhibited at the Paris exhibition. Numerous experiments have been made (without regard to economy of manu- facture) to obtain the aluminium directly from the oxide alumina, or from the fluoride of aluminium. But the results obtained by the use of this double chloride of aluminium and [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 15 sodium, have fully demonstrated that it is the most economical mode by which to produce this metal. Theoretically it requires — 3-86 Chlorine, at 6 cents per pound, . . . -23 16-100 1-86 Alumina, at 3 " " 05 58-100 5-68 Carbonate of Soda, at 4 cents per pound, . -22 72-100 Total, -51 46-100 Making for the materials for manufacturing one pound of aluminium, estimated at the market prices, 51^ cents. Practically it requires — 16 lbs. of the double chloride of aluminium and sodium, at 8 cts. per lb., $1 28 2| lbs. metallic sodium, at about 25 cents per lb., .... 70 Flux aud cost of reduction, 2 02 Total, $4 00 By manufacturing on a larger scale, and by using the slag as a flux instead of employing fresh material, the lowest cost will be reduced to the following : 10 lbs. of double chloride of aluminium and sodium, at 4J cents per lb., $0 45 2\ lbs. of sodium, at 14 cents per lb., ....... 35 Cost of reduction, 20 Total, $1 00 It is seen that the actual cost of one pound of aluminium, when manufactured extensively, will be about double the theoretical cost as before estimated, (fifty- one cents.) For the production of aluminium are used clay, salt, sulphur, manganese, lime and fluor spar, materials which are very abundant and cheap ; all that is now required is practical experience, to reduce the price of the metal still nearer to the price of the raw materials, as has been before stated. The history of the useful arts coutains numerous instances that, where skill and perfection of ap- paratus are required, difficulties are speedily overcome. The density of aluminium when moulded is 2-56. The density of aluminium when rolled is 2-67. In equal weight with silver it is four times more volumi- nous. In equal weights with copper, bronze, brass and German silver, it pos- sesses from three to three and a half times greater volume. In equal volumes with the above metals and alloys it possesses greater rigidity. Mention has already been made of a very important property of aluminium when pure ; that is to resist oxidation, a property which it possesses to a greater degree than the other metals. Aluminium is not acted upon by nitric acid, hydrosulphuric acid, or by the or- ganic acids ; slightly by sulphuric acid. It is but little affected by fusion with sulphur ; mustard is found to act upon it slightly. Its true solvent is hydro- chloric acid. When we compare it in these respects with those metals, which are acted upon by most of these acids giving salts, which are more or less poisonous, the comparison is favorable to aluminium, as its salts, if formed, are innocuous. According to M. C. Tissier, aluminium is not changed by a solution of nitrate or sulphate of copper, but it is dissolved by a solution of chloride of copper with the separation of metallic copper. It is attacked, however, by a solution of ni- trate or sulphate of copper when it contains chloride of sodium, and this proves that chloride of copper is formed by the presence of the chloride of sodium. Aluminium is not attacked by an aqueous solution of alum, or by one of chlo- ride of sodium, but a mixture of the two dissolves it with an evolution of hydro- gen, aud this proves that chloride of aluminium is contained in the mixture. Wheatstone long since showed that aluminium was as strongly electro-nega- tive as platinum. Its sonorous qualities are very great, like tlaat of crystal. Various are the uses which can be made of the aluminium and of its alloys with silver and copper. All the purposes for which it could be advantageously em- ployed in virtue of its peculiar properties, of not tarnishing by exposure to at- mospheric agencies, aud its lightness combined with its extraordinary strength, 1857.] 16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF would be far too tedious to enumerate. A few instances only will suffice of its adaptability for philosophical apparatus, for all articles for table, for service and ornament, for kitchen utensils, for the works of clocks and even watches, for trappings of harness, for plate and door knobs, keys, &c. Its sonorous quali- ties render it valuable for making bells. In the galvano-plastic arts it replaces platinum. Aluminium is most easily soldered with its own alloys. The alloys most con- venient are those with silver, zinc or tin, their point of fusion being below that of aluminium. The soldering may be done by means of a spirit lamp, and with- out any previous cleaning. Pure aluminium can be easily distinguished from impure by its greater white- ness, its indistinct traces of crystallization ; occasionally one or two well- defined hexagons can be recognized on the surface of the ingots. The impure has a bluish tint like zinc, and if the entire surface is not crystalline, the upper surface is always more so than in pure aluminium; the form of the crystals is also quite different. In giving the theoretical proportion of material employed in the manufacture of aluminium, the relative cheapness of its production, its properties and strength when comparing it bulk for bulk with other metals, it is desired to demonstrate its valuable properties and uses, also to guard against the fictitious reports so current of its excessive cheapness. Note. — The experiment of Sir H. Davy should be mentioned in the early pro- duction of this metal ; he endeavored to produce it by passing the vapor of po- tassium over alumina at a white heat ; he obtained only small grey particles interspersed with aluminate of potash. [Jan. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PniLADELPHIA. 17 February 3tZ. Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. A letter was read from Rev. E. J. Lowe, dated Observatory, Beeston, near Nottingham, (England,) Jan. 7th, 1857, containing the following passage : — "The late Mr. Lawson, F. R. S., left rae his valuable collection of Meteoro- logical Instruments, amongst which are Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Hygrometer, which is in as good working order as on the day it was made, an Electric Kite belonging to Dr. Franklin, and several letters. Mr. Lawson had a card placed on the hygrometer, with the following inscription, ' Invented by and belonged to Dr. Benjamin Franklin, the Patriot of Philadelphia.' I have mentioned this, thinking that you would feel an interest as American Philosophers in the information respecting the instruments of that glorious philosopher Dr. Frank- lin." Communications were presented for publication in the Proceedings entitled : — 1. Descriptions of American land shells. By W. G. Binney. 2. Prodromus descriptionis Animalium evertebratorum, qu?e in es- peditione ad Oceanum Pacificum Septentrionalera a Republica Federata missa, Joh. Rodgcrs duce, observ. et descripit W. Stimpson. 3. On the Crania of the Ancient Britons, with remarks on the people themselves. By Joseph Barnard Davis. Which were severally referred to Committees. Mr. Lea made the following remarks on the visual organs of certain species of the genus Unio : He 'stated that he had at various times paid a good deal of attention to the habits and organs of the Naiades of our own country, and for that purpose frequently had them for long periods in a living state under his observation. Their condition as to special sense has been of great interest, and particularly those of touch, hearing and sight. In the course of these investigations, it be- came evident to him that some species of Unio were sensitive to light, and he found one species ( Unio radiatus) very eminently so. He stated that he was not aware of its ever having been suggested that any of the family were possessed of organs of sight, even in a young state, as in the case of the young of Mytilus edulis. It is well known that some of the Molluscs have large and perfect eyes, while some others have imperfect ones, but generally they are altogether devoid of the optic nerve. The Sirombidce are said to possess an eye highly organised, but in most of the Gasteropoda it is of a more simple structure, and perhaps only possesses sensibility of light without the power of distinct vision. The terres- trial Gasteropoda have usually a distinct eyeball on the extremity of the superior tentacula, which Dr. Leidy has shown, in some of our species of Helices, to possess a crystalline lens and choroidea, with clear, consistent, vitreous humor. Cuvier and Lamarck considered the whole class of Conchifera to be devoid of eyes, but Poll has shown that in Fecten varius, Lin., the margin of the mantle is furnished with numerous eyes. These, according to Carpenter, are protected by a sclerotic coat with a transparent cornea in front, a layer of pigment, a crystalline lens and vitreous body, and a retinal expansion proceeding from an optic nerve. In the course of his observations, Mr. Lea became satisfied that the closing of the siphonal tubes, on his approach to the specimens he had in his vivarium, was not altogether occasioned by the vibration caused by his ap- proach, and he accordingly arranged numerous individuals of several species with a view carefully to observe them. In the course of these e.xaminations repeatedly made, he found several species of Unio quite sensitive to his passing his hand between them and the light, while the Margaritana margarttifera, and 1857.] 2 18 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF Anodonta undulata and A. lacustris, Lea, showed no signs of sensitiveness. Unio ■inflalus exhibited but little motion, while numerous specimens of U. radiatus in- variably gave more or less sign when the interruption of light took place. Some individuals were more sensitive than others, and the females exhibited this power much more than the males, often withdrawing, not only their siphons, but their mantle within the valves. It is difficult to say with certainty how far their visual organs are developed, as well also as to number and exact position. The fringes of the branchial and and anal siphons are, in the Uniones, formed of small, subconical tentacula. These are larger in the branchial siphon of Unio, while they do not exist at all in the anal opening of Anodonta;. With a good lens the terminal point of the tentacula may be observed to be rounded and furnished with at least the ap- pearance of an eye, and that it will prove to be a true eye, however imperfect, there can be but little doubt. Mr. Lea did not intend to pursue the minute ana- tomy of this organ ; he left it to Dr. Leidy, who had done so much in the histo- logy of the terrestrial Gasteropods, believing that he would be able to make out the complete anatomy of the eye in the U7iio. February 17 tJi. Vice-President Lea in the Chair. Communications for publication in the Proceedings were read, en- titled :— 1. Notice of a collection of Reptiles made by Dr. Henry A. Ford in the Gaboon country, West Africa, by Edward Hallowell, M. D. 2. Description of thirteen new species of Uniones from Georgia, by Isaac Lea. Which were referred as usual to Committees. Dr. Leidy made the following observations on entozoa found in the Naiades. He had observed a curious parasite allied to Aspidogaster conchicola, infesting Anodonta fiuviatilis and Anodonta lacustris, within the cleft of the upper bran- chial cavity, adhering to the outer surface of the renal organ and the con- tiguous margin of the foot. The new parasite, for which the name of Cotylaspis insignis was proposed, is from ^ aline to 1 line long, curved funnel shaped, with the base forming an oval ventral disk provided with an outer circle and an inner row of acetabula 29 in number. The animal is provided with distinct eyes, while Aspidogaster, in accordance with its being imprisoned in the pericardium of the Naiades, is blind. February 2At7i. Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. The following communications, on report of the Committees to which they had been referred, were ordered to be published in the Proceed- ings. Descriptions of Americau L and Shells. BY W. G. BINNEY. Helix intercisa. Testa solidissima, luteo-ciuerea, apicc rufa, globoso-conica ; epira brevis, sutura impressa ; anfr. quinque convexiusculi, lineis parallelis, vol- ventibas, yalde demissis, strias incrementales distiactas intercidentibus ; anfractue [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 19 nltimus globosus, supra perphcriam fascia unica, rufa, obscurissima ornatus ; apertura maxime obliqua, forma equicalcei, rotundata; labrum albo-cinercum, incrassatum, siibtus reflcxiusculum, subunidentatum, umbilicum occultans ; margiaibus approximatis, callo iuterjunctis. Diam. maj. 22 ; min. 19; alt. 15 mill. Habitat in provincia Oregon. Figurata est sub nomine //. Nickliniana, Lea, var. tabula vi. patris mihi Amos Binney, Doctoris, (Terrestrial Mollusks, iii. t. vi. fig. 1, icon in medio posita, vol. ii. p. 120). Sed differt ab hac specie ct ab II. Californiense, Lea, forma testa solidiori, apertura, et sculpturae indentatae et gramilatae absentia. Ab aliis Californias et Oregon speciebus hodie cognitis, lineis profundis volven- tibus facile noscitur. SucciNE.\ LiNEATA. Tcsta oblongo-ovata solidiori, albida, vel cinerea ; spira elevata, acuta sutura impressa, anfr. ternis convexis, lineis crassis paral- lelis inter rugas incrementalcs volventibus ornata ; apertura oviformis, partem testae dimidiam aequante ; columella plicata, pariete callo albo induta. Diam. 6, alt. 12 miU. In provincia Nebraska, ad flumen ' Yellowstone' prope Fort Union specimina plurima collegit Dr. F. v^. Hajden. Similis sh calvarium, found in 1855 at a depth of 10 feet in Suffolk street in Dublin; of course the term ancient in this place must be taken conditionally, as applying probably to medieval and not to pnmeval times. The internal capacity of this calvarium is notless than 123-5 cubic inches, or very nearly 10 cubic inches more than that of the Dutchman of noble birth in the i\[ortonian Collection. An assertion is frequently made by the advocates of the progressive develop- ment and improvement of all races, which it may not be improper to allude to here. They maintain that the influence of what is denominated civilization is able to develope the brain of any race materially in the course of ages, and con- sequently its osseous case. This doctrine of development is distinct from that which affirms that different races of men are distinguished by crania of different capacities ; on the contrary, it supposes that all races may, by a process of civilization and development attain to a large capacity of the skull and corres- ponding great brain. As far as the observations of ancient British. crania we have previously mentioned, they do not give any countenance to this theory of development. And, we may add, that our further observations, although neither so numerous nor so extensive as they ought to be, and as we hope to make them, on ancient Roman and on Anglo-Saxon skulls, are equally far from rendering this doctrine support. Of the hitherto few skulls already engraved in the " Crania Britannica," we may refer to one ancient Roman skull derived from the city of York, the Roman "Eburacum." The internal capacity of this cranium amounts to no less than 104-7 cubic inches. Another fine cranium of an Anglo- Saxon derived from an ancient cemetery in Cambridgeshire, has an internal capacity of no less than 109-6 cubic inches. As far, therefore, as these data go, they give no countenance to the assumption that, as races proceed in their ad- vancement from the state of barbarism upwards, their brains gradually expand. With the capability of all races to make this advance, another assumption that is usually associated with the former, we have nothing to do at present. It would be quite unnecessary to remark upon the permanency of cranial forms before an Academy presided over by Morton, any more than to dwell upon primitive diversity, which has already been alluded to. But the series of sknlls to which the attention of the Academy has been solicited, afford additional evi- dence which bears upon these points. And an attentive consideration of ancient skulls will develope a series of remarkable diversities. Professor Morton, in his elaborate and well-reasoned work, " Crania ^gyp- tica," which stands in so near a relationship to this Academy, has pointed out in the most masterly manner the characteristics of the cranium of the ancient Egyptians. That delicate cranial form was proper to them, whom Morton ulti- mately concluded to be indigenous to the valley of the Nile, and strictly abo- rignes. It was we, believe, deserving of the epithet idiogeneous, or especially proper to the race, and had a relation to them alone, and to no other race, an- cient or modern. There is a peculiarity in the generality of the mummified 1857.] 46 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP heads of the ancient Egyptians, well seen in the skulls also, ■which Morton has not expressly mentioned, but which always strikes us at the first glance. Like all ocular impressions, it is more readily perceived than described. But it arises from the particular outlines by which the profile of the cranium is circumscribed. The base line, the most essential feature, runs along the whole of the base of the lower jaw from the tip of the pointed chin, and passing thence directly to and along all the external centre of the occipital bone as far as its tuberosity. This base line may be seen to be totally at variance with the line which bounds the ancient British skull in the same direction from the profiles before the Academy. "We believe it is only found in crania of an African lineage, and in none so level and uniform as in those of the ancient Egyptians. If we let down upon this base a facial line, which shall run along the forehead, and, with only a slight deviation, till it runs also along the forepart of the pointed chin, we thus bound the cranium in these two directions by right lines, which meet at a more acute angle than in any other race. They are strictly Egyptian in their character, for in the negro races this facial line has no proper commencement from the re- ceding forehead, and is seriously interrupted by the prognathous jaws and teeth. It is the form we have thus endeavored to analyse and describe which imparts to the ancient Egyptian skull its delicate and elegant character. How diverse is the robust erect form of the ancient British skull, marked by great depressions of the facial surfsice, and instead of the graceful long nasal bones, abrupt and short ones, standing immediately below the frowning frontal protuberance, with the intervening hiatus. All which features impress the mind with feelings of a much less complacent kind, and inevitably lead to the conviction that we have before us the representation of a bold uncivilized nature — full of power, and not deficient in capacity, but quite incapable of refinement and the graces of cultivation. These Egyptian and British cranial forms are strikingly at variance, although probably owning an equal antiquity — indeed we see no good reason whatever, why these different people may not have been primeval contemporaries ; and yet the marks of diversity they present are as clear and sharp as any that can be adduced among any modern people. They point, therefore, in an irresistible manner to a primordial difference. The ancient Britons themselves, it is probable, may be regarded as an idio- geneoiis race, i. e., taken as a whole proper in their characters, physical and moral, and distinct from all others. Whether the ancient Gauls resembled them in all particulars, seems very doubtful. They admit of comparison with other people of ancient and modern times, but we are inclined to think, were we able to realize a faithful and complete picture of them, it would present irreconcila- ble discrepancies with other races. They had many marks of agreement with the Indian Tribes of North Amei'ica. They dwelt in a temperate region, where animal and vegetable life was abundant, and devoted themselves to the chase, in which they were assisted by the aborignal hounds of Britain. Claudian, in his allusion to these dogs, represents them as capable of overcoming bulls. hfe pedibus celeres : has nare sagaces. Hirsutaeque fremunt Cressffi, tenuesque Lacaenae, Magnaque taurorum fracturas colla Britannae. The Britons were equally possessed of the small indigenous horse of the coun- try. They also found in the native forests animals of chase of equal, nay great- er, magnitude than that of the Buifalo of the prairie, and, we have reason to think, were as successful as the Indians of the northern part of this continent in their pursuit of them. A Barrow opened in the parish of Cherhill near Calne in Wiltshire, in 1833, revealed a number of bones, and among them were the enormous horns of an ox, the horn-cores of which had a circumference of 15J inches at the root, and in their widest expansion, a diameter of 33 inches. Be- sides this collossal ox they had other bovine cattle, and deer, of the hunting of which with hounds the Romano-British pottery aS'ords numerous pictures, as it seems to have been a favorite subject with the artists for the Samian ware. It appears at first view an astonishing circumstance that the weapons of chase, [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 47 the arms and implements of the ancient Britons should be almost identical with those of the ancient race of Indians of this continent. The same siiear-heads, arrow-heads, axes, &c., of the earlier North American Indians are of the same forms as those of the ancient Britains, and they differ only in material. Instead of the constantly occurring flint of the Britons, the North American tribes have used flint more sparingly, and a series of other hard and beautiful stones, sueh as chalcedony, jasper, crystal, &c., for the production of these weapons. To the kinduess of Mr. Franklin Peale, a highly esteemed Member of this Academy, the writer is indebted for a very fine collection of the stone implements and weapons of the North American Indians, Avhich excited surprise to find them so closely approximating to those of the ancient Britons. The truth is the resem- blance now alluded to seems to be confined by no limits of latitude or longitude. The stone weapons and implements from Japan in SiebokVs Museum at Leyden we found to be scarcely distinguishable from the British ; and we have also seen flint spear-heads from New Zealand, not only closely api>roximating the ancient British ones, but actually fashioned with the same number of strokes, given in the self same direction. In accordance with the prevailing views on the origin and distribution of man, this extraordinary similarity in the stone weapons and other utensils of such widely distributed races has been ascribed to the distribution of the makers, and the communication of the art. An hypothesis, we believe, out of the limits of possibility by any natural means of difl'usion. Whereas, the simple circumstance that these weapons are all produced by beings of similar jiowers and capacities, having similar wants, and similar objects wherewith to satisfy those wants, is an adequate explanation of the phenomenon ; and according to all right principles of philosophy should be admitted at once. That the ancient Britons adopted the flexed or crouching posture in the in- terment of the dead, just as the Indian races of America, we have abundant evi- dence. This again is a practice generally diffused among all uncivilized races, the aborigines of Australia adopting it, as well as others. There need be no question also, that it is to be referred to some common cause operating on all alike ; very probably to a desire to imitate that posture which is both easy and agreeable to them, in the hut or around the fire, and associated in their minds with the most pleasing recollections of life ; therefore fittest in which to renew life, and to begin again the social intercourse and delights of another world be- yond the tomb. For it should never be forgotten that savages, as we call them, are not brutes, but richly endowed with all the sentiments of the human mind, and animated by its highest aspirations. How far the ancient Britons advanced in that general development which we call civilization, it is difficult to ascertain. That the more southern tribes, es- pecially, received from the Phoenician traders, implements and weapons of bronze, and learned the art of manufacturing such themselves, is now pretty satisfac- torily determined ; although it is very questionable whether these superseded the earlier stone ones wholly anywhere, but especially in the remote districts of the country. Their fate was by a succession of imperial armies to be kept in check, to be subjected to a succession of conquests, and ultimately to be in large part reduced to -slavery, whether in their native regions, or in Italy and in the other dependencies of the empire. Those who can lay claim by descent to the nearest relation to the aborigines of the British Islands are still a peculiar people, marked in every feature of their characters by traits which distinguish them from the races of other blood with whom they have been for so many ages in contact. Thus proving that the lineaments of nature cannot be effaced by all the chances and changes of time. We have now gone over the subject proposed to be discussed — perhaps in a somewhat too long and discursive manner, with a view of rendering it more easy to be understood by those to whom it is probably not very familiar — as fiir as it seems desirable at the present time. And it only remains for the writer to express his appreciation of the mark of honor conferred upon him by this learned Academy in allowing him to address them, and more especially in per- 1857.] 48 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP mitting him to do so in the character of a Corresponding Member. However inadequate to make a due return for such a distinction, it will always be his pleasure and his ambition to place his poor attainments at the service of the Academy. Notice of a collection of Reptiles from the Gaboon country, "West Africa, recently presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, by Dr. Henry A, Ford. BY EDWARD HALLO WELL, M. D. Ord. SAURII. Fam. GECKONES. Hemidactylus ANGtJLATUS, Hallowell. Proc. Acad. N. S., vol. vi. p. 63. Six specimens. Fam. LACERTIANS. (Sub-fam. Autosaures eselodontes, D. & B.) Tachydromus Fordii, nob. Char. A small plate between the fronto-nasal ; back with six complete carinae and two incomplete ; abdomen strongly carinated ; femoral pores oblong, oval, numerous; color bronze above with metallic reflections, greenish below. Description. Nostril in a single plate, thenaso-rostral; immediately behind it a small plate, the naso-frenal ; two frenals, an anterior and posterior, the latter much the larger of the two ; one freno-orbitar on the right side, two on the left ; that on the right oblong, quadrilateral ; rostral broad, pentangular, in contact with the naso-rostral ; internasal large, in contact posteriorly with the fronto- nasal and the small intermediate plate between them ; laterally with the naso- rostral and the first frenal ; the frontal plate is long, hexagonal, slightly exca- vated at its sides ; the supra-orbitar consists of two plates as in Lacerta ; there are two fronto-parietals, two large parietals, an inter-parietal somewhat urceo- late in shape, and a small occipital ; six plates margin the upper jaw, the fifth, which is beneath the eye, by far the largest ; four plates on each side of the jaw beneath the infra-labials, the three first quadrangular, the last less distinctly so, but much larger than the others; auricular openings oval; no palatine teeth; posterior maxillary teeth tricuspid, the anterior conical ; tongue slender, bifid in front, chevronee ; body slender, covered with large hexagonal plates upon the back, each with a carina running along the middle, constituting six longitudinal complete rows ; besides these there are two others, which terminate about half way down the body. Upon the abdomen six rows of plates strongly carinated ; flanks covered with small plates ; extremities strongly carinated ; fourth finger and toe the longest ; from 11 to 13 ohlong femoral pores on each side ; tail very long, verticillate, strongly carinated both above and below. A large scale in front of the anus with two small ones externally. Coloration. Head black above; sides bluish, body bronze with metallic reflec- tions ; tail and extremities bronze above ; throat, abdomen, under part of extremi- ties and tail greenish, mingled with yellow. Dimensions. Length of head 6 lines ; greatest breadth 3 ; length of neck and body to vent 1 inch 5 lines ; tail 2 inch 11 lines; (mutilated) of arm 3; of fore- arm 3 ; of head to extremity of longest finger 4 lines , of thigh 4 lines ; of leg 4 ; of sole to extremity «f longest toe 6. Habitat. Gaboon contry, W. Africa, one specimen in Mus. Acad, presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. This is the first time that the genus Tachydromus has been recognized to exist on the African continent, sexlineatus being found in China, Cochin China and Java ; and Japonicus in Japan. This genus is also found in [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 49 the Loo Choo islands. The African genus differs in no respect from the Asiatic, except in the presence of the small plate imbedded between the inter-nasal and frontal and the two fronto-nasals. Fam. CHALCIDIANS or CYCLOSAURIANS. (Sub-fam. Ptycliopleuri.) There are two specimens of Gcrrhosnurus in the collection of Dr. Ford, one much smaller than the other and jjrobably the young. The Larger one resem- bles in its coloration Gerrhosaurus Bibronii, of S. Africa, but the measurements differ both from those of that species and of typicus. Inches. Lines. Length from nose to base of tail 3 6 Of tail 7 9 From nose to meatus externus 9 From nose to base of anterior extremities 1 4 Distance between fore and hinder extremities 2 These dimensions more nearly correspond with those of flavigularis, but in that there are ten rows of ventral scutes. G. validus is a much larger species, and sepiformia and subtessellatus do not in the least resemble it, (vide Smith, Illustrations of the Zoology of S. Africa.) We therefore consider these two specimens as belonging to a new and un- described species, with the following characters: — Gerrhosaurus nigro-lineatus. Char. Eight rows of ventral scutes; six superior labials ; body slender; tail long, two yellowish vittae, one on each side of the back, commencing at the occiput and lost upon the tail; within each vitta a black band running the whole length of the back ; the interspace marked with black spots assuming more or less the form of longitudinal lines well marked upon the tail ; flanks, in the young white spotted, under parts yellowish. Description. The body is slender, covered above and upon the sides with twenty-five longitudinal rows of carinated scales; the interspace between these and the ventral scutes occupied with six rows of granulations ; tail long and tapering, cyclo-tetragonal at base ; the rostral plate presents an acute angle above, and articulates on either side with the first labial and the naso-rostral ; the nostril opens between three plates, the naso-rostral, the naso-frenal and the first labial ; the naso-rostral are well developed, in contact, with a convex an- terior margin, the internal quite short, the posterior concave, where they articu- late with the inter-nasal ; the naso-frenal are in contact inferiorly with the first supra-labial, above with the inter-nasal ; the inter-nasal is a large plate, more extended laterally than longitudinally, its inferior and lateral margin in contact with the first frenal ; the fronto-nasals are tw'o in number and in contact ; the frontal is hexagonal, longer than broad, more narrow posteriorly, its lateral margins excavated ; there are two fronto-parietals, a little larger than the fronto- nasals, and like them pentagonal ; there are two large parietals, with a small inter-parietal, broader anteriorly; the second frenal is much larger than the first ; there are two small freno-orbitars, the first longer than the second ; there are four supra-orbitars, with a longitudinal row of as many plates beneath them, and there are six supra-labials ; the posterior geneials are considerably larger than the anterior ; the mental is broader than long ; there are eight longi- tudinal rows of quadrangular ventral scutes, more or less striated, and fourteen anal pores on each side ; the preanal scales are five in number, the lateral ones the most developed ; scales upon outer surface of thighs, legs and forearms strongly carinated ; there are thirteen transverse rows of scales between the occiput and the anterior extremity; the total number between the occiput and the posterior extremity fifty-one; one hundred and eleven verlicillas upon the tail ; auricular opening triangular, with a large scale in front; eight scales upon right temple, nine on left, in three rows, the posterior of the middle row the largest. 1857.] 4 50 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Coloration. Head oli\'e colored above, spotted with black ; two yellow stripes, one on each side of the back commencing at the occiput, and lost nearly mid- way upon the tail, bordered with a band of black internally ; interspace olive, black spotted, having the appearance of lines upon the tail ; extremities olive colored above, posterior part of thighs yellow spotted ; abdomen ccerulean blue ; the remainder of the under surface yellowish. Young white spotted upou the sides upon a bluish ground, and a double row of white spots along the back between the black colored bands ; sides of tail white or yellow spotted. Dimemions. Length of head 10 lines ; greatest breadth 6 ; of head and body to vent 2 inch. 10 lines. Total length including tail 11 inch. 5 lines. Habitat. Gaboon. Two specimens, adult and young. (Sub-fain. Cyclosaures glyptodermeS; D. & B.) Phractogonus galeatds, nob. Proceed. Acad. N. S., vol. vi. p. 62. The length of this specimen is 1 ft. 2} inches ; of tail 1 inch 4 lines. A very singular looking animal. The contrast between the narrow mosaic looking quadrangular scutes upon the back, and the two longitudinal rows of broader ones is quite striking; the tail is short and rounded at its posterior extremity, which is protected by a circular mamme- lonated shield. The figure of the plate in the wood-cut of the nostrils in the volume of the Proceedings referred to, does not appear to be accurate, this plate being more extended longitudinally, reaching to the extreme end of the rostral, where it is quite narrow terminating almost in a point. The single lateral pore on each side of the preanal scutes is very distinct and is no doubt a constant character. This species appears to be allied to the Cephalopeltis Cuvierii of Miiller, which has two plates upon the top of the head, (Zeitschriftfur Physiologie, von F. Tiedemann, G. R. & L. C. Treviranus, Vierter Band. Erstes Heft. 1831, Taf. xxii, iig. 5, a, b, c. Dr. Smith in speaking of Monopeltis capensis observes, that although I have put forward this species as a type of the group, I doubt if its more extended observation will justify the proceeding. It may prove to be only a very aberrant species of Lepidosternon, and if so Cephalopeltis Cuvieri, Miiller, will be a species of the same group, only a degree less removed from the typical form. The most marked difference between the species in question and Lepi- dosternon macrocephalum, Wagl., consists in the covering of the head ; in the latter it is formed of many plates, in Cephalopeltis of two only, and in Mono- peltis of one. (Illustrations of S. African Zoology, Reptiles, pi. xvii.) Fam. SCINCOIDIANS. EoPREPES Blandingii, nob. Proc. Acad. N. S., vol. ii. p. 5S. Six specimens, (four adult,) (one immature,) (one quite young.) In a specimen from Liberia, the white stripe extends about half way along the side of the body, but it is more extended on the opposite side, and in all the specimens from the Gaboon there are two white vittae on each side, the lower one commencing in front of the eye and terminating at the posterior extremity ; the upper one beginning at the occiput and reaching as far as the root of the tail, the lower band the broader of the two ; four narrow black lines along the back, two on each side, becoming lost upon the root of the tail where they as- sume more the form of spots ; the row of white spots passing along the side of the neck and body as far as the extremity of the tail mentioned in the former description, is no doubt identical with the upper lateral vitta; under surface immaculate. I do not observe that the inter-parietal is larger than either of the fronto-parietals in any of the specimens; in the one from Liberia it is longer. In all the Gaboon specimens the fronto-nasal are separate; in the one from Liberia they are almost in contact. Edprepes frenatds, nob, Sp. Char. Fronto-nasals in contact ; frenals remarkable for their great de- [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 51 velopment, especially the second frenal ; scales upon back broader than in Blandingii ; color olive above, black spotted without any distinct dorsal or lateral vittae ; abdomen greenish with a tinge of yellow, immaculate ; the green much more marked upon the sides ; 33 rows of scales, tricarinate upon back and sides; total length 5 inch. 4 lines; from extremity of snout to anterior extremity 1 inch ; between anterior and posterior extremities 1 inch 4 lines ; of tail 3 inches ; (renewed) of anterior extremity to extremity of longest finger 10 lines ; of posterior to extremity of longest toe 1 inch 1 line. Habitat. Liberia. One specimen presented by Dr. "William Blanding, per- haps a variety of Blandingii. EUPREPES ALBILAHKIS, nob. Char. Supero-nasals not contiguous, inter-nasal much broader than long, fronto-nasals in contact, more extended laterally than longitudinally; fronto- parietal very narrow anteriorly ; scales 3-keeled ; color olive, black spotted, a black irregular band passing from behind the eye along the sides, margined in- feriorly with white; upper lip white; under parts bluish mingled with green upon the abdomen ; chin yellowish. Description. This specimen is much smaller than any of those of Blandingii, and differs from them all, even the young, in a marked manner, both in the shape of the cephalic plates and in the coloration. The rostral plate presents nothing remarkable, the supero-nasals are narrow, situated obliquely, a short distance apart; the inter-nasal is hexagonal, much broader than long, with an obtuse angle posteriorly, its lateral margins quite short; the fronto-nasal are closely in contact (separate in Blandingii), and are shorter and more ex- tended transversely than ia the latter species ; the frontal is quite narrow pos- teriorly, presenting an obtuse angle in front ; the fronto-parietal differ much in appearance from those of Blandingii, theiranteriorextremitiesbeing very narrow and their lateral margin longer ; the inter-parietal is quite slender posteriorly, with a moderately acute angle posteriorly ; there are eight supra-labials, the sixth long and quadrangular (fifth in Blandingii), and situated immediately be- neath the eye ; twelve transverse rows upon the back counting from one white lateral margin to that on the opposite side. Coloration. Bronze or olive above, with irregular black spots ; a black band from posterior margin of orbit, broad and well defined upon temples, more narrow upon sides where it appears to be lost near the middle, with an irregular margin superiorly, bordered with white inferiorly ; upper lips white ; under parts bluish mingled •with green upon the abdomen ; chin with a tinge of orange. Dimensions. Length of head 9 lines ; greatest breadth 3 ; length from head to vent 13J lines; between anterior and posterior extremities 8}; from snout to anterior extremity 6} ; arm 2 lines ; forearm 2 ; palm to tip of longest finger 3 ; of thigh 2^; of leg 2; of sole to extremity of longest finger, 4^ lines, (tail mutilated.) Habitat. Gaboon. One individual presented by Ford. A single specimen of a Scincoid described in Vol. VI. of the Proceedings of the Academy, p. 64, under the name Acontias elegans, biit much larger, and which evidently belongs to a genus distinct from Acontias. This specimen measures 8 inches and 8 lines in extent, the tail 2 inches 10 lines, circumference 1 inch 3 lines. There are twenty-two transverse rows of scales, and one hun- dred and seventy-three longitudinal, including fifty-six upon the tail ; there are no eyelids, but the eye may be distinguished situated near the middle of a scale at its anterior margin. The Typhline of Cuvier, from the Cape of Good Hope, the only species of Typhline described by Dumeril and Bibron and by Mr. Gray, is represented by the former to be without other cephalic plates than that which encloses the whole face, as in a sort of case, (etui,) Mr. Gray, however, mentions 1857]. 52 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP an internasal, a frontal, an interparietal and two parietals, but in both descrip- tions the preanal scale is represented as single. The scales upon the head, as given by Mr. Gray, are very different from those of the genus under consideration, the characters of which approach nearest perhaps to those of Feylinia, Gray, Cat. Lizards of British Museum, p. 129, in which the preanal scales are numerous. Feylinia is characterized as having a moderate rostral, no eyes, with scales in front of the vent like those of the belly, and a tapering tail, a description which does not represent our animal. The scales upon the back appear to be somewhat larger than those upon the sides ; those upon the abdomen and under part of tail are very finely striated, upon the back also, but the striations are less distinct. Should no generic name have been previously given to this Scincoid, we would propose that of SpUenorhina. Sphenorhina elegans, nob. Syn. Aconiias elegans^ Hallowell, Proceed. A. N. S. vol. vi., p. 616. Char. Head rather small, depressed ; snout enclosed in a single scale ; nostrils lateral, with a semicircular slit reaching to the posterior margin of the rostral ; three large plates upon the top of the head in a longitudinal line ; the first, which is heptagonal, situated immediately behind two small plates posterior to the rostral ; the second regularly hexagonal ; the third presenting three distinct mar- gins in front, the posterior margin rounded ; eyes concealed by a scale, but quite visible ; body cylindrical, somewhat depressed, covered with twenty-two trans- verse and one hundred and seventy-three longitudinal rows of smooth scales, including fifty-six upon the tail ; the latter of moderate length, of nearly equal thickness throughout, except at the posterior extremity, where it is conical ; four scales in front of the anus, smaller than those which cover the rest of the body. Total length 9 inches 7 lines ; tail 2| inches ; circumference 13 lines. JIabilat. Gaboon. Two specimens in Mus. Acad. N. S. presented by Dr. H. Ford. Order OPHIDII. Fam. SYKCRATERIANS. (Innocui.) Leptophis smaragdinus, Dumeril et Bibron. Syn. Dendroplm smaragdhia, Boie. MS. Schlegel, Essai sur la Physiognomie des Serpens, La Haye, 1837, p. 237, Id. Traill's Translation, p. 156, 1843. Ab. scut. 158; a double preanal; sub-caud. 135, in Dumeril and Bibron's spe- cimen 154 ; 15 rows of carinated scales ; sides of abdomen very angular. Total length 2 feet 6 lines ; of tail 9 inches 4 lines. One specimen, Gaboon ; presented by Dr. H. A Ford. Gen. Remarks. Dendrophis Chenonii, Reinhardt, appears to be a different serpent ; the anterior frontals in the figure of that species (Reinhardt, nye Slan- genarter, fig. 13,)* are quite small ; in L. smaragdinus their internal margin is much larger than that of the posterior, the reverse is the case in D. Chenonii. L. smaragdinus is now one of the best determined species first described in print, and very accurately, by Prof. Schlegel. Among the specimens sent by Dr. Ford is an arboricole serpent, having a general resemblance to Leptophis smaragdinus, but which, on a careful examina- tion, differs so much in its characters from those of Leptophis, that we do not hesitate to make it a distinct genus, and for the following reasons : The head is more robust and not so long, the anterior frontals are smaller comparatively, the vertical is shorter, as are also the occipitals ; indeed, all the plates upon the *Beskrivelse Af Nogle nye Slangenarter ved J. Th. Reinhardt. Kjobenhavn. Trykt L Bianco Lunos Bogtrykkeri. 1843. [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPniA. 53 top of the head, although having a general resemblance, differ in fact from the corresponding plates of smaragdinus ; the nostril, instead of being between two nasal plates, (the naso-rostral and naso-frenal,) is situated between the naso- rostral and the frenal, which, however, may be accidental ; the frenal plate is considerably less narrow ; the eyes, instead of being oval, as in smaragdinus, are round or subround, and much more prominent ; the temporal plates are five in number, in two longitudinal rows, three in the inferior and two above ; in smaragdinus there are four, two below and two above ; in another, younger specimen, four on one side, three on the other, but differently arranged ; the number of superior labials is the same in each, viz., nine, the fifth and sixth immediately beneath the eye; but the shape of these plates diflVrs in the two animals, no two being alike; the posterior and superior angle of tne sixth in smaragdinus is much more prolonr;ed upward and backward, and the seventh is much larger ; the middle labial and the accessory labials differ in form, but the difference most to be remarked is between the posterior geneials, which in smarag- dinus are very long and comparatively slender ; the scales in the one snake are long, narrow, and strongly carinated, in the other perfectly smooth, much less narrow and quadrangular, and there is a difference of three and a half inches in the length of the tail. It may be interesting to compare this serpent with Herpetodryas aestivus and Dryophylax viridissimus, two slender green serpents, the one from Surinam, the other from the United Slates. Herpetodryas astivus and Chlorophis heterodermus are of nearly the same length, there being a differ- ence of about 7 lines ; but the difference between the tails is greater, that of iestivus being, in the specimen examined, 1 inch 81 lines longer ; but how marked is the difference in the shape of the frontal plate ; the nostrils in Herpetodryas open in a single plate, and although in both there are but one preocular and two postoculars, they are altogether different in form ; in the one the eye rests upon the fifth and sixth supra-labials, in the other (Herpetodryas) upon the fourth and fifth. The arrangement and number of the temporal plates is difl'erent; in Dryophylax, which is a much stouter and longer serpent, the frontal plate differs from either of the others, the prefrontals pass down upon the side of the head as far as the supra-labials, the pre- and postoculars, although the same in number, still differ in shape, the position of the nostril is different, being between two plates, the eye rests on the fourth and fifth supra-labial plates, and the size of the eye differs, being smallest in Herpetodryas, largest in Chlorophis. If we compare the supra-labials in the three we shall find them each of a peculiar type ; in Dryophylax the sixth and seventh being remarkable for their large size. The scales upon the body are also different. If we examine the teeth compara- tively, we shall find that in Chlorophis the maxillaries, which are smooih, pre- sent a marked curvature anteriorly, the points inclining backward, the three posterior longer than the other, the two last more especially, which are also much more robust ; neither of the posterior teeth appear to be grooved. In Herpetodryas the teeth are smooth and resemble each other, (Aglyphodontes isodontiens, D. and B.) In Dryophylax the posterior maxillary teeth are longer and channelled, (Opistoglyphe dipsadien, D. and B.) Dryophylax is a South American genus, exclusively, so far as is known, but Herpetodryas. according to Dumeril and Bibron, exists not only in America, but in Madagascar and the Isle of France. The following are the generic characters of Chlorophis : Maxillary teeth recurved, the posterior ones less than the anterior, the three last larger than the others, the two hinder ones especially, which are not chan- nelled ; nostrils between anterior nasal, and frenal; frenal remarkable for its large size ; one antocular, two postoculars ; nine superior labials, the eye resting on the 5th and 6th, and a very small part of the founh ; three anterior supra- labials small, the three posterior large ; rostral rather high ; two internasals and two prefrontals, vertical, pentagonal, much broader anteriorly, longer thau broad, excavated laterally, presenting an acute angle behind ; occipitals pent- agonal, well developed; supra-oculars not projecting; eyes round and quite prominent; scales smooth, in 15 rows, quadrangular, about twice as long as broad anteriorly, broader posteriorlv, the inferior row the largest ; a single pre- 1857.] 54 pRocEEDmas or the academy op anal scBte ; tail slender and tapering to a point, of moderate length, not half the length of neck and body. Chlorophis heterodermus, nob. S^). Char. Color green; 15 rows of scales, many of the scales marked -with ■white, more especially upon their external border, sometimes both the internal and external. Total length 1 foot 9^ inches ; abdom. sc. 157, sub-caud. 83. Dimensions. Length of head 7 lines ; breadth 4 ; of tail 5 inches 9 lines. Habitat. Gaboon. One specimen presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. We at first supposed that this serpent might be identical with the Dendrophis Chenonii, Reinhardt, from Guinea, but the nasal in that species is between two nasal plates, and according to Dumerii and Bibron, the preanal scute is double. They also state that were it not for the difference in the teeth, they would consider it a true Dendrophis; now Dendrophis has a much larger row of scales along the middle line of the back, which Chlorophis has not. Dumerii and Bibron also mention that in Leptophis Chenonii there are 154 urostega — M. Reinhardt, 108 — 126. Fam. LYCODONTIANS. Among the serpents in the collection of Dr. Ford, are three different genera of Lycodontians, three of different ages belonging to the genus Boedon, and two of undescribed genera. We propose to give an account of them, and also a Boedon presented some time ago by Dr. Burtt, U. S. Navy, from the Isle de Los. The family of Lycodontians is characterized by Dumerii and Bibron as "ser- pents with smooth teeth, or unchannelled, always unequal, the anterior longer than those which follow, distributed in numerous series upon the jaws, and without vacant spaces between them. Body cylindrical ; head larger behind than the neck," the essential characters being the existence of smooth teeth (Aglyphodonts) " of unequal force and length in both jaws." Erpet. Gen. tom. vii. p. 357. The Lycodontians are divided into four tribes : 1, Boedonians ; 2, Lycodontians; 3, Eugnathians ; 4, Pareasians. In the Boedonians the palatine teeth are unequal, the submaxillary teeth separated; those above not separated. In the Lycodontians these teeth are distinct, isolated ; the anterior pterjgo-pala- tine teeth not longer than those which follow ; the submaxillary teeth unequal. In the Eugnathians the submaxillary teeth are not separated by a free space, the pterygo-palatine equal; and in the Pareasians, as in the Eugnathians, the mandibular teeth are much longer in front than those which succeed them, but in the former the anterior pterygo-palatine teeth are much longer. The essential characters of the sub-genus Boedon, belonging to the first tribe Boedonians, and the family Lycodontians, the ninth of the Aglyphodont Ophidians, in Dumerii and Bibron's arrangement, consist in having "the four or five superior maxillary teeth longer by half than those which follow, and which are nearly equal among themselves and regularly spaced ; then a free interval ; the four or five first palatine teeth longer ; the five first inferior maxillaries longer and more curved." Bo.lilDON QUADRIVITTATUM, nob. Char. Two white vittffi bordered with fuscous on each side of the head, the inferior commencing behind the eye and extending as far as the angle of the jaw, the superior passing over the eye and upon the temple, expanded inwardly upon the occiput, forming two large white irregular blotches, one on each side, uniting with its fellow on the opposite side, upon the internasals and prefrontals, poste- riorly extending about 1|^ inch upon the neck, where it is lost. Body and tail uniformly brown above, white beneath with dark colored maculations. 27 rows of scales; a single preanal scute. Total length 2 feet 8^ inches. Description.. The head is of moderate size, depressed, covered above with nine plates ; the internasals are considerably smaller than the prefrontals ; the latter are in contact laterally and interiorly with the fren il, posteriorly with the frontal, and by their postero-external margin, which is incurvated, with the [February, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 65 superior antocnlar ; the frontal is long, presenting a nearly straigbt margin an- teriorly, its sides scarcely incurvated, its posterior angle acute, passing a con- siderable distance beyond the supra-oculars ; the supra-oculars are five-sided ; they do not project over the eye ; the nostrils are between two plates, their superior maroin in contact with the internasal, the posterior margin of the second with the frenal, its postero-superior with the prefrontals ; the frenal is obloDg, more or less quadrilateral, or rather pentangular, about twice as long as broad ; there is one large antocnlar of singular shape, five-sided, larger above, the surface by which it is in contact with the prefrontal, convex, the postero- superior by which it is in contact with the supra-ocular and the frontal concave, as well as the anterior and posterior margins ; there are two post-oculars, the first somewhat quadrangular in shape, the inferior five-sided; the rostral is broader than high, its latero-superior margins excavated, with an acute angle above, its inferior margin also excavated, its lateral margins rounded ; there are eight supra-labials, no two of them are precisely alike in shape ; the second is higher than the first, and is quite narrow above ; the third is quite large, four- sided, about as broad as long, the fourth smaller than the third, the firth five- sided, the eye resting upon the upper margin of the fourth and fifth, which are excavated to receive it; the sixth also pentangular, but higher than the fifth; the seventh also pentangular, but in a different manner, and broader than the last ; the eighth also pentangular, but broader than either the sixth or the seventh, with a more obtuse angle above, and its summit lower than that of either of the two last mentioned plates ; the middle labial is long, having an acute angle posteriorly, broad in front ; the accessory labials are also long, and pointed behind, the anterior geneials longer and more developed than the pos- terior ; there are seven inferior labials; two parallel rows of large plates upon the temples ; superior maxillary teeth of nearly equal size and moderately curved, except the five anterior, which are longer, more robust, and more strongly incurvated ; anterior inferior maxillary teeth longer than the others; palatine and pterygoid teeth in two long rows, not straight, but slightly curved anteriorly, presenting an ovoid interspace posteriorly ; tongue enclosed in a sheath, with two slender pointed filaments in front ; ne;k not so 'thick as poste- rior part of head ; body moderately robust, becoming more slender toward the tail, which is of moderate length and tapering, but not pointed at its extremity : the flanks present no remarkable angularity ; the scales are smooth, lanceolate and narrow anteriorly, broader posteriorly ; there are 27 rows at the middle of the body, 25 near the neck, 20 near the tail, upon which there are from 6 to 15 rows. Abdom. scut. 235 ; 1 single preanal ; 58 sub-caud. urostega, which are in a double row. Coloration. Uniformly brown above upon the neck, body and tail, with two vittae on each side of the head, as above described; chin, throat and neck white; abdomen and under part of tail white, with dark colored maculse. DimeriHions. Length of head 1 inch ; greatest breadth 7 lines ; length of body 2 feet 2 inches 10 lines ; length of tail 4| inches. Total length 2 feet 8 inches 7 lines ; circumference 1 inch lOi lines. Ilahitat. Isle de Los. One specimen presented by Dr. Burtt, U. S. N. We have in the collection of Dr. Ford three specimens of a serpent formerly described in the Proceedings under the name Caelopeltis virgata, but which is a species of Boedon, and although allied to the species above described, differs from it in the following particulars : The largest of the specimens is considera- bly smaller than quadrivittatum ; the head is shorter and more obtuse ante- riorly ; the temples more protuberant ; the frontal is more narrow ante- riorly, less acute posteriorly ; the superior labials resemble those of quadri- vittatum sufficiently, but there is a difference in t^e form of the frenal and ant- ocular plate ; there is also but a single row of temporals, with a single large one situated between the parietal and the three plates constituting this row; 1857.] 56 PROCEEDINGS OE THE ACADEMY OP the shape of the scales does not differ materially, but the number is less, there being but 23 rows near the middle of the body, from four to 11 rows upon the tail. The two lateral stripes oq each side of the head are of a yellow color and more narrow, and meet at the rostral, the interspace forming an acute angle, whereas in quadrivittatum they meet upon the internasal and prefrontals, dis- playing a quadrangular interspace. BO^DON QUADRIVIRGATDM, nob. Syn. Ccelopcltis virgata, Proceed. A. N. S. Vol. vii. (1854) p. 98. Sp. Char. Head short and thick, more narrow in younger specimens ; snout obtuse; frontal plate of moderate breadth anteriorly, posterior angle somewhat obtuse; 23 rows of scales ; two narrow yellow lines on each side of the head, the superior commencing at the rostral, passing over the eye and upon the temple, extending about three lines upon the side of the neck ; the inferior commencing at the middle of the posterior margin of the orbit, passing obliquely over the inferior post-ocular, the three last superior labials, and crossing the angle of the mouth, extends in an oblique manner a distance of three lines, and terminates at the line of junction between the neck and throat, at a distance of two lines from the superior lateral stripe. Color uniformly brown above; neck and abdomen yellow; beneath, in the middle, the external portions of the gastrostega brown; the intermediate space spotted with brown ; under part of tail brown. Total length 2 feet 2 inches. Abd. scut. 205 ; sub-caud. 45. Description. The scales are somewhat broader than in the last described spe- cies ; in the younger specimens the head is more narrow, the temples less pro- jecting, upon which are observed two rows of temporal plates. In each of these specimens there are but 23 rows of scales. In one the internasal and prefrontals are fused together. Gastrostega 202 ; a single preanal ; urostega 47, in 2d 190—55. Dimensions. Length of head 9 lines ; greatest breadth 6 ; length of neck and body 1 feet 11 inches 3 lines; of tail 3 inches 4 lines. Habitat. Gaboon, west coast of Africa. Four specimens in Mus. Acad, N. S., presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Sub-Fam. Eugnathians. The first of the two serpents about to be described, belonging to the sub- family or tribe Eugnathians, presents a series of remarkable characters such a3 belong to no serpent with which we are acquainted, and which constitute a genus to which the name Hormonotus may be applied. HORMONOTUS,* nob. Ocn. Char. Head Lycodontiform ; the temples swollen ; the snout rounded ; the eyes prominent, looking upward and outward ; internasals considerably smaller than prefrontals ; vertical long, pentangular ; nostril between two plates ; a frenal ; one antocular, three postoculars ; the eye resting on the fourth and fifth supra-labial ; two of the anterior teeth of the lower jaw quite large, the pos- terior stouter at the base, and longer than the anterior ; two long anterior teeth in the upper jaw preceded b}' several small ones, followed by an interspace with- out teeth, and eight or more maxillaries of nearly equal length ; palatine and pterygoid teeth in two long rows, presenting an ovoid space posteriorly ; scales smooth, with a larger hexagonal row along the median line of the back; tail of moderate length, tapering to a point, with double urostega ; ventral scutes passing up along the sides in a nearly rectangular manner. HORMONOTDS AUDAX. Sp. Char. Uniform light brown or reddish as above, yellow beneath ; 15 rows of smooth scales. * * ogjMs;, a chain, and vona-, back. [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 57 Description. The head is depressed ; the snout rounded ; the temples swollen ; the nostrils, which are large, are situated in a depression between two plates ; the eyes prominent, latero-superior, circular, the pupil ovoid, perpendicular ; the rostral plate is pentangular, much more broad than high ; the internasala are of moderate size, the prefrontals of much greater dimensions, their external and inferior border in contact with the frenal, their posterior with the antocular, the supra-ocular and the frontal plates ; the supra-ocular are pentangular, much more narrow anteriorly ; the frontal is five-sided, its lateral margins scarcely excavated, its posterior angle moderately obtuse, two and a quarter lines in length by about one and a half in breadth ; the parietals are three lines in length by two in breadth, much more narrow posteriorly ; the frenal is rathf r long and of moderate breadth, in contact inferiorly with the second and third supra-la- bials ; the antocular is larger than either of the three postoculars, and is pent- angular in shape ; there are two rows of temporal plates, surmounted by a third, of which the posterior is the largest ; there are nine superior labials, the eye resting on the fourth and fifth ; no two are precisely alike, the first is the smallest, the seventh pentangular, a line in breadth by half a line in height ; there are seven inferior labials, each differing more or less in shape, and of which the fourth is of much greater dimensions than either of the others; the mental is triangular, the accessory labials rather long, the first geneial much larger than the second. The neck is much more narrow than the head, is rather long and slender; the body of very moderate thickness; the tail one-fifth of the total length. There are 15 to 17 rows of smooth scales near the middle of the body, 18 upon the neck, 12 near base of tail ; the scales are short and quad- rangular upon the middle, more narrow upon the neck, broad upon the tail ; the scales constituting the dorsal row are considerably larger than the adjoining rows, and each scale is hexagonal in shape ; this larger row extends upon the tail, but in the specimen examined appears to be interrupted near its root. Ab. scut. 221 ; 1 single preanal ; 81 bifid sub-caud. Dimensions. Length of head 9 lines; greatest breadth .5.V; length of body 1 foot 8 inches 7 lines ; length of tail 5 inches. Total length 2 feet 2 inches 4 lines. Habitat. Gaboon, west coast of Africa. Gen. Remarks. The outline of the head and the general arrangement of the plates, has a certain resemblance to the figure of Lycodon audax (Lycognathus scolopax, D. and B.) in the altas accompanying the Physiognomie des Serpens of Prof. Schlegel, pi. iv. fig. 18, but it is quite a different serpent from the latter, which is found in South America. It has also a certain relation, in the general disposition of the plates upon the head and teeth, with Lycognathus cucuUatas, a North African serpent, but a comparison of the two proves at once that they belong to different genera. The outline of the head, the relative proportions of the internasals and prefrontals, and the form of the frontal plate, are very dif- ferent ; the nostrils are deeply excavated in Hormonotus ; in cucullatus there is no larger dorsal row, and the scales are shorter, &c. It is also a much smaller animal. The species which remains to be described is a quite different looking serpent from the last, presenting a series of generic characters quite remarkable, more especially the form of the frontal plate. Gen. Char. Head cuneiform, eyes small, two small inter-nasals, two large pre- frontals, a frontal about as broad as long, presenting an acute angle posteriorly ; nostril in a single plate at its posterior margin, two nasals, a frenal, one antocular, two postoculars, seven superior labials, the eye resting on the third and fourth ; several small teeth on the upper jaw, followed by a much larger one, after which an interspace, succeeded by a row of small and nearly equal teeth ; maxillaries of lower jaw presenting a corresponding system of dentition ; but the interspace behind the larger teeth do not exist apparently ; body nearly the same thickness as head ; tail short; scutes bifid. 1857.] 58 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP Lycophidion laterale, nob. Sp. Char. Uniformly reddish brown above and olive below, with the exception of two lateral yellow vittEe on each side of the head, the one reaching to the angle of the jaw, the other to the posterior margin of the occiput; 17 rows of smooth scales. Description. Head cuneiform, flat above, shelving forward, the plates exhibiting the appearance of a polished surface ; snout rounded ; rostral plate much broader than high, with an obtuse angle at its summit ; the inter-nasals are quite small compared with the pre-frontals, their external margins in con- tact with the nasal and the first frenal ; the pre-frontals are quite large presenting an acute angle externally, where they are in contact with the first and second frenal and the antocular; the frontal is short and broad, its pos- terior angle acute, its anterior and external corners bevelled, the inter- mediate space undulating; it measures nearly a line and a half in length, by one and a quarter in breadth ; the supra-oculars are quite short, about one-half their usual length, broader posteriorly; the posterior half of their external margin in contact with the superior post-ocular ; the parietals are large, much longer than broad, in contact anteriorly with the supra-ocular; the first post- ocular, and by a very small facet at their anterior and external angle, with the second posterior ocular ; there is one frenal plate, longer than broad, with ♦ an acute angle posteriorly ; it is in contact above with the pre-frontal ; it pre- sents a somewhat obtuse angle, and two surfaces inferiorly, the anterior in contact with the first supra- labial, the posterior with the second ; its anterior and superior border is much broader than its posterior, which is externally narrow ; the antocular is a remarkably large plate, more narrow above, in con- tact inf, ricrly with the second and third supra-nasal, above by an oblique facet with the frontal, anteriorly by a convex margin with the pre-frontal, posteriorly with the eye, and the anterior border of the supra-ocular plate; there are two post-oculars, the inferior the larger of the two ; there are eight superior labials, no two precisely alike, the first the smallest, the sixth, which is pentagonal, the largest, the eye resting on the third and fourth ; the third is separated from the anterior margin of the orbit ; the fourth supra-labial and the antocular inter- vening ; the nasal plate is somewhat quadrangular in shape, the nostril being situated in its posterior half, its posterior border in contact with the anterior border of the naso-frenal, which presents an oblique facet without any sinuation whatever; the plates upon the top of the head are all highly polished; the eye is small, the pupil ovoid, rather than round ; there are two rows of temporal plates, three in the inferior, two in the row above, and a large quadrangular plate between these and the parietals; immediately behind the parietals, are two smaller plates than the latter, with a still smaller one between them ; the mental and accessary labials present nothing remarkable ; the anterior geneials are quite broad, larger than the posterior, which are much more narrow ; four small teeth precede the larger one in the upper jaw, then follows an interspace succeeded by nine or more small teeth of nearly equal size ; anterior to the large tooth in the lower jaw are also several smaller ones, succeeded by a row of nine or more small teeth, the anterior a little the largest on the left side, but not in the right; the palatine teeth are in two long rows, and present an ovoid space posteriorly ; the neck is of nearly the same thickness as the head behind, the body thicker, the tail short and robust, rapidly tapering to a point ; the scales are smooth and shining, those upon the neck more narrow, those upon the body broader, with rounded posterior angles ; the inferior row perhaps a litile the largest; there are 15 rows upon the neck, 17 upon the middle of the body, 8 near the root of the tail ; the scales upon the tail appe^ir to be irregular, about three lines from the vent they are homogeneous, but posterior to this space may be observed two parallel rows of hexagonal scales broader than the others, suc- ceeded by siualler ones, and then a single row of four narrow and quite broad hexagonal plates ; the gastrostega are narrow, the sides of the abdomen not angular. [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 59 Coloration. The neck, body and tail are brown above, inferior parts brown with a tinge of olive, presenting a shining and a polished appearance, especially the ventral and sub-caudal scutes; a yellow vitta on each side of the head meeting upon the muzzle, and extending as far as the extremity of the occiput ; a more narrow one extending from the posterior margin of the eye to the angle of the mouth. Dimensions. Length of head H lines ; greatest breadth 3^ ; length of neck and body 1 ft.; of tail 1 inch 11 J lines. Abdom. scuta 176, a single preanal, 44 snb-bifid-caudal. Hahidit. Gaboon country, one specimen presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. The serpent above described belongs apparently to the genus Lycophidion of Fitzinger, but does not correspond in all respects with the ad- mirable description of the Eugnathians by Dumeril and Bibron, particularly in the size of the eyes, which they represent as " tres grands", and the form of the abdomen which is described in the species observed by them as flat, in our specimen being much rounded.* In other respects there appears to be a perfect coincidence. But two species are enumerated by them both from South Africa, viz: L. Ilorstockii and L. scmicinctum ; the first is white beneath, the second is brown, but has a series of reddish bands across the back ; both want the lateral yellow vitlae of L. laterale. Sub-Order Opistoglyphs, (venenosi.) OXYBELIS KlRTLANDII. Syn. Leptophis Kirllandii, nob., Proceed. A. N. S. vol. ii. 1844, p. 62. Bryo- phis Kirllandii, Id. Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. vii. 1854, p. 100 ; Oxijbelis Le- comptei; Dumeril et Bibron, vol. vii. p. 821. These specimens measure 4 ft. 2 inches in length, tail 1 ft. 7 inch. 10 lines. I find 19 rows of scales near the middle, 17 upon the neck, 6 near the root of the tail; the nostril is large and ovoid in a single nasal plate; there are two frenal plates in both specimens on each side of the head, the posterior in the one being much larger than the cor- responding ons in the other, the anterior more narrow than the anterior one of the other in the same side ; on the right side in one they are narrow and oblong, in the other the anterior is much smaller than the posterior; one antocular, two post-oculars on the right side, three on the left in one ; in the other three posterior on the right, three on the left; eight superior labials; the eye resting on the fourth and fifth in both specimens; posterior geneials quite long; the scales are long and slender, the inferior row the largest ; the tail at its extremity almost filiform ; the p'ates upon the top of the head, though not corresponding precisely in the cut, have the same general proportions; 170 gastrostega, a double preanal, 166 urostega, 175 in another, urostega 168. Gen. Remarks. The description of this " Arboricole opistoglyph" by Dumeril and Bibron is very characteristic of its specific relations, and extremely accurate, but they are in error in stating that it had never before been described, the first account of it having been given by us in the second vol. of the Proceedings of the Academy, 1844, p. 62, a fact for which I am indebted to Prof. Aug. Dumeril himself, but who had not previously seen the animal. The collection of Dr. Ford contains a fine specimen of Dipsas Blandingii, Hall., Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. ii. p. 170, and vol. vii. p. 100. It is, however, not a Dipsas, and we propose for it the generic name Toxicodryas. This remarkable Arboricole serpent measures 5 ft. 7 inch. (Fr.) in length, tail 1 ft. 4 inch. ; 22 rows of scales may be counted at the middle of the body exclusive of the large hexagonal dorsal row, 17 rows more posteriorly. The former description char- * We had proposed for this serpent the generic name Lissophis, but have not well authenticated specimens of Lycophidion to compare with it ; future observa- tion must determine whether the former or latter name shall be retained. 1857.] 60 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF acterizes the external form of the serpent sufficiently well, but it may be added that the supra-labials are for the most part bordered with black, and that 25 large blotches may be counted on each side of the body ; upper part of neck of same color as occiput, probably green during life. There is but a single chan- nelled posterior tooth on each side in these specimens, and therefore they cannot belong to the genus Triglophodon of Dum. and Bibron, which has three ; the posterior geneials are longer than the anterior, but of about equal breadth. TOXICODRYAS, nob. Gen. Char. A single tooth channelled anteriorly in the posterior part of the upper jaw, much longer than the others, and more robust ; the other superior maxillary teeth smooth, of nearly equal length, well developed, and equally spaced but wide apart, the two anterior somewhat shorter; five or six in num- ber; pterygopalatine teeth well developed, the anterior the longest; three anterior teeth in the lower jaw longer than the others, and stouter, the three posterior the smallest, the three intermediate ones smaller than the three anterior, but larger than the three posterior ; unequally spaced ; head covered above with nine plates ; a rostral broader than long, two broad inter-nasals, smaller considerably than the pre-frontals ; a frontal of moderate length, but broader anteriorly; supra-oculars remarkable for their great breadth posteriorly; parietals of moderate size ; nostrils large, lateral, between two plates ; a quad- rangular frenal ; two anterior and two posterior oculars; two rows of plates between the parietals and supra-labials ; eye resting on the fourth, fifth and sixth of the latter; body very long and much compiessed ; scales long, narrow and quadrangular ; a dorsal row much larger, hexagonal ; abdominal scutes extending upon the flanks ; sides of abdomen angular ; tail long with bifid scutes. ToxicoDRTAS Blandingii, nob. Syn. Dipsas Blandingii, vol. ii. p. 170 — vol. vii. p. 100. Sp. Char. 17 to 22 rows of scales ; color greenish olive above; three black spots upon the head ; one at the internal and posterior angle of the supra-ocular, the other near the internal and posterior margin of the parietals ; supra-labials bordered posteriorly with black, one of these spots broader than the rest, reaching up nearly to the eye; body greenish olive above, with 25 large dark colored alternate blotches on either side; upper part of tail marked in a similar manner; chin, throat, abdomen and under part of tail yellow ; ab. scut. 274, 1 bifid preanal ; sub-caudal 137; circumference 3 inches, total length 5 ft. 7 inch. (Fr.) tail 1 ft. 4 inch. Habitat. Liberia and Gaboon. Two specimens, one presented by Dr. Wil- liam Blanding, the other by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. We formerly placed this serpent in the genus Dipsas, from its large head, compressed body and the large row of hexagonal scales along the middle line of the back; but a careful examination of the teeth, as well as of the external form, shows that it does not belong to that genus ; it is one of the most remarkable of the Arboricole Opystoglyphs, so characteristic of the her- petological fauna of the western coast of Africa; we had supposed also that this serpent might be identical with the Dipsas cynodon of Schegel, (Opetiodon cy- nodon D. and B.) but in Opetiodon there is but one pre-ocular, the flanks are rounded, pupil oval, &c. The frontal and supra-ocular plates in Toxicodryas are quite different in shape from the corresponding plates in the figure of Dipsas cynodon by Prof Schegel (Abbildungen, pi. xi. fig. 10 and 11,) the supra- oculars being more narrow iu front, the frontal more narrow posteriorly; the two last supra-labials are different in shape and much larger in Toxicodryas than in fig. 11. In 0. cynodon, the pre-oculars are almost contiguous to the frontal, in T. Blandingii they are separated by an interval of about a line, seven or eight temporals instead of five, of which three touch the post-oculars (two in T. Blandingii.) Cynodon is a native of Java and Borneo. The characters [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 61 of the serpent above described, resemble much those of Triglophodon fuscum, also from the Gaboon, (D. and B. vol. vii. p. 1102, Appendix,) but it has three channelled posterior teeth. There can be no doubt that although allied, Toxi- codryas and Trit^^lophodon are distinct genera; compared with a specimen of Tri- glophodon dendrophilum from Java, of which we have a fine specimen in our colleclion, due to the liberality of the administration of the Garden of Plants, through Prof. Dumeril, we find that the scales in T. Blandingii are more narrow, the tail lousrer and more slender, and the plates upon tlie head different ; the vertical in T. Blandingii is much more narrow posteriorly, the rostral not so high, the parietals are much smaller; there are ?m-o pre-oculars, and the in- ferior margin of the orbit is formed by the fourth, fifth and sixth supra-labials ; in Triglophodon by the third, fourth and fifth, &c. Both have a large row of scales along the middle of the back. Toxicodryas is a genus quite distinct from Tarbophis, (Ailurophis, Bonap.) Sub-Old. Proterogli/phs. Among the serpents in the collection of Dr. Ford, is one of the black variety of Naja, six feet 31 inches in length. There is also a younger and much more slender specimen. Besides these we have another and much larger one than either, presented several years ago by Dr. Ford, measuring G ft. 9,] inch. (Fr.) in length. Neither of these correspond with the description or figure of the black variety of Naja haje in Dr. Smith's work on the Reptiles of Southern Africa. The most striking difference consists in the coloration, the South African species being uniformly black below, the variety from the Gaboon hav- ing upon the anterior part of the abdomen a greater or less number of black bands of unequal breadth, the interspaces being yellow, the throat and chin also yellow, (white probably during life). Dumeril and Bibron state that the Mu- seum of Paris possesses three large specimens of the black variety described by Dr. Smith, one from Senegal, one from Morocco, the third from the White Nile, They admit but two species of Naja, the tripudians and haje ; in the first the sixth superior labial is quite small, in the latter very large ; which also wants the spectacle figure upon the neck, and the neck is less dilatable. This difference between the labial plates, however, is presumed to be not an invariable character. In the plate of Naja haje in the great work on Egypt, there are several black bands passing across the abdomen, near its middle, one of them very broad, more so than in any of the Gaboon specimens, which in that variety are also situated much more anteriorly. Dumeril and Bibron state that in the greater part of the specimens they possess from Java, Sumatra, China and difl'erent regions of the East there are several gastrostega of a beautiful black, forming a transverse band more or less broad, followed by other scutes of a white color. Comparing the large Gaboon specimen with A. tripndians, from Bengal, I find a single dark colored band nine lines in breadth, running across the anterior part of the abdomen, quite near to the throat, and as stated by Prof. Schlegel the sixth supra-labial much smaller than the cor- responding one in the African species. In the tripudians this plate is sepa- rated from the post-oculars by a large plate, in N. haje it is in contact with them. There is a difference in the proportional size of the inter-nasals and pre-frontals, but this may be merely the effect of age ; for, although the former are comparatively much smaller than the latter in the adidt W. African speci- mens, they more nearly correspond in the younger individual as they do in that from Bengal. The frontal plate is pentagonal in both, but in the Asiatic specimen it is quite narrow.* In the E. India serpent there are 23 rows of scales near the middle of the body, in the Gaboon but 19. We have not the materials for a thorough study of the two admitted species, but consider those from Gaboon as belonging to a variety of the haje, for which the name melano- * In the plate of the head of the tripudians in Prof. Traill's translation of Schlegel it is represented as quite broad, perhaps the adult. 1857.] 62 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF leuca might be given, with the following characters : Length over seven or eight feel ; color black above and beneath, in much the greater part of its length ; chin white, neck and anterior part of abdomen white, with black transverse bands varjing in breadth, with white interspaces of unequal extent ; sides of head white or yellow, the margins of the labial plates bordered with black ; 19 rows of scales. Ab. sc. 213, sub-caud. 66. Dimensions. Length of head 2 J inches ; greatest breadth 2 ; length of tail 1 ft. \\ inch. Total length 6 ft. 9^^ inch. ; circumference 4| inch. Three specimens in Mus. Acad. N. S., presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. This is one of the largest and most savage looking of the venomous serpents. Dr. Smith gives from 5 to 6 feet as the length of the South African species. According to him they feed on small quadrupeds, birds and eggs, and climb trees readily to rob nests. The genus Naja belongs to the 4th section or sub-order of Ophidians in Dumeril and Bibron's arrangement, viz : The Proteroglyph or Apistophid serpents (serpents Proteroglyphes dits Apisto- phides,) of which the essential characters given are, — " Serpents in which the anterior teeth are channelled and not perforated at their base," and to the first group into which this section is subdivided, viz : the Conocercal Proteroglyphs, (P. conocerques) having a conical or rounded tail ; the second group, the platycercals, and which live in the water having this organ flat. The family of Conocercals includes nine genera, viz : Elaps, Pseudo- elaps, Furina, Trimersurus, Alecto, Sepedon, Causus, Bungarus, Naja, two- thirds of which exist in our collection. In the largest of the three specimens there are two large and strong anterior channelled teeth, of about equal length on the left side ; on the right side one, having behind it one or two smaller teeth. In the other specimen but a single one is seen on each side; palatine and ptery- goid teeth in two longitudinal rows. 1 Sing. Preanal, sub-caud 66 1 " " 65 1 " " , G4 the tail terminating in a sharp pointed cone. Another of the formidable serpents with which W. Africa abounds is the Echidna nasicornis, Cerastes nasicornis, Wagler, of which Dr. Ford's collection contains one fine specimen. Echidna nasicornis, Merrem. Syn.' Col. nasicornis, Shaw, Misc. 94, Gen. Zool. v, iii. p. 297, pi. 204. Vipera nasicornis, Daudin, Rep., vol. iii. p. 322. Vipera nasicornis, T. Reinhardt, Bescrivelse af Nogle nye Slangenarter, 1843, T. iii. fig. 8, 9, 10. Cerastes nasicornis, Wagler, Amph. p. 150. Echidna nasicorns, Merrem, Tent. p. 178. Clotho nasicornis, Gray, Zool. Mis. 60. Cat. Br. Mus. Rept. p. 25. Vipera hexacera, Dum. et Bib,, T. vii. p. 141G, Atlas pi. 78, bis. fig. 2. We have now three specimens of this deadly but magnificently robed serpent in our collection, two adult and one very young, all from the Gaboon ; the ser- pent formerly figured in the Proceedings (1847, vol. iii. p. 320) having been lost. V/e are ourselves now somewhat in doubt in regard to the animal described and figured in the Proceed. Acad. N. S., vol. iii. p. 320, (1846 — 7.) The description of the Echidna Gabonica, D. & B., given in the Erpetologie generale, corresponds with it perfectly, and no mention is made, nor does the drawing display the narrow headed black mark bordered with yellow, so characteristic ofE, nasicor- nis, and the longitudinal bars upon the middle line of the back are not cut in tri- angle at their extremities, which is the case even in the very young nasicornis. Both specimens referred to have unfortunately been destroyed, the skull of the adult alone remaining, which, however, I am inclined to believe belongs to E. nasicornis. As no detailed account of this remarkable animal appears to have been pub- lished, we propose to give a full account of it. [Feb. Ab. Scut 213 " 221 " 219 NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 63 Sj). Char. Three horny projections on each side of the muzzle, the anterior small, the posterior which is immediately over the nostril quite long. Description. The head is more or less triangular above, covered with scales, very strongly carinated, the carinations so developed as to assume the form of triangular leaf-like projections, giving a sensation of roughness to the latero- superior upper part of the head ; there are three or four scales immediately within the circular row above surrounding the eye, which are larger than the others ; the carinie of these scales are less f )liated than the rest, and re- semble spines ; the eye is of moderate size, ovoid in shape, and somewhat projecting; the nostrils are large, on a line with the eye, three lines from it and ar^not lateral, but look upward and outward; there are three foliated scales upon each side of the muzzle, the posterior 6 lines in length ; the rostral plate is broad and narrow with a convex margin above, concave below, very differ- ent in shape from that of Vipera ammodytes ; there are sixteen supra-labial plates on each side, most of which resemble each other in shape, presenting a serrated margin inferiorly; there are sixteen superior labials which differ from each other, and the anterior are more extended transversely ; the anterior geneials are very large ; the posterior quite narrow ; the pterygo-palatine teeth do not pursue a strictly longitudinal course but diverge posteriorly ; the fangs are enormous and lie entirely concealed in their sheath; the neck is more' narrow than the posterior part of the head, the body quite thick at the middle ; the tail rather shorty terminating in a horn-like pointed projection ; the scales are short and broad, strongly carinated, the inferior row much the largest ; 44 may be counted in a row near the middle of the body ; 18 on each side of the neck, 16 rows at the base of the tail. Ah. scuta 128; sub-caud. 31 ; 1 long preanal. Coloration. A dark jet black arrowheaded blotch upon the top of the head commencing between the posterior horns, its hinder extremities reaching as far as the posterior margin of the head, the middle portion being lost upon the neck ; this blotch has a narrow border of yellow; upper and lateral part of the head brownish, or brownish mingled with yellow ; a narrow stripe of yellow commencing near the middle of the range of scales which margin the orbit below, and terminating at the inferior margin of the twefth supra-labial, less distinct in older specimens ; posterior to this a large dark-colored triangular blotch reaching from the eye to the angle of the jaw ; a small triangular yellow one upon the side of the head close to its anterior margin, its apex reaching to within a line of the eye; the intervening space between it and the narrow yellow stripe, dark colored, as well as that part of the side of the head in front of the eye reaching to the anterior extremity of the muzzle, on aline with the inferior border of the nostril ; upon the middle line of the back and tail a series of oblong yellow blotches, with triangular emarginations anteriorly and posteriorly, imbedded in a black ground ; sides dark brown, in younger individuals mingled with reddish and yellow, black spotted; the lateral extension of the dark col- ored blotches in which the yellow bars are imbedded triangular in shape; a series of yellow spots on each side at the point of juncture with the abdominal scutes; chin and throat orange mottled with black; abdomen and under part of tail yellow, thickly mottled with black. In a very young specimen measuring 10| Inches in length, the coloration of the head is nearly the same, the middle line of the back presenting a longitudinal series of black rhomboids alternating with the lighter colored bars with trian- gular emarginations ; these bars are much shorter upon the anterior part of the body and upon the neck ; the posterior prolongations of the arrowheaded blotch upon the head extend half an inch upon the neck, and present a triangular cut posteriorly ; there is a series of large dark colored spots upon the sides alternating with yellow ; chin and throat dark colored; abdomen thickly maculated with dark subquadrate spots. Dimensions. Length 2 inches 3 lines ; breadth 1 inch 11 ; length of body 2 feet 8 inches (Fr.;) of tail 6 inches 7 lines. Total length 3 feet 4 inches 10 lines; circumference 6 inches. 1857.] 64 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP Habitat. Gaboon and Liberia. Three specimens in Mus. Acad, presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Oen. Remarks. Dumeril and Bibron are evidently in error in placing this ani- mal in the genus Vipera. In Vipera the nostrils are lateral, in Echidna latero- superior. la Vipera ammodytes the rostral plate is very high ; the posterior geneials differ much ; ammodytes has a large supra-ocular ; there is but one row of plates between the supra-labials and the rows of scales which surround the eye ; the scales in ammodytes are long, short in nasicornis. The same may be said of Vipera aspis. Compared with Echidna arietans of the Cape, we find absence of the supra-ocular, two rows between the scales beneath the eye and the supra-labials, and the scales short, like those of nasicornis. The difference in the number of rows of scales between the eyes and the supra-labials consti- tutes a good specific character in serpents belonging to the same genus, but the position of the nostrils and the form of the scales are constant and of generie im- portance.* Echidna nasicornis belongs to the 5th section or suborder of Ophidi- ans in Dumeril and Bibron's arrangement, viz., the Solenoglyphs, (serpents Sole- noglyphes dits Thanatophides,) of which the following are the essential charac- ters: " Serpents having teeth in both jaws, of which the anterior supra-maxillariea are alone channelled and perforated by a canal in the length of their base." Ord. BATRACHIANS. In the synoptical table of the genera of Raniforms, in the 8th volume of Du- meril and Bibron's work, (1841,) but two genera of the 16 there determined are mentioned as having no palatine teeth, viz., Oxyglossus and Leiuperus ; the first with a rhomboidal, the second with an oval tongue, in both entire. In Arthro- leptis, Smith, (Illustrations of South African Zoology, 1849,) the toes are with- out webs. la the Batrachian now under consideration, the most remarkable structure is shown in the tongue, which presents a central pedicel, but is bound down in its anterior half along the middle by cellular tissue, as in the genus Heredia, among the Urodeles recently discovered in California. We pro- pose for this remarkable Batrachian, and which, should this conformation be found to exist in other individuals, would, from the connecting link between the Anourous Batrachia, and the Caducibranchiate Urodeles, the name of HETER0GL0S3A. Head nearly as long as the body, and about as long as broad, depressed above, narrow in front ; teeth in the upper jaw small, smaller in front, posteriorly re- curved, sharp-pointed ; nine in the lower jaw ; no palatine teeth; posterior nares Buboval, eustachian foramina small ; tongue suboval, deeply notched posteriorly, attached by a cylindrical pedicel at the centre, entirely free in its posterior half; bound down anteriorly along the middle line by cellular tissue, reaching from the tip to the pedicel, free laterally except at the apex; body short; toes free anteriorly, webbed at their base posteriorly ; tympanum distinct. Heteroglossa. Africana, nob. Sp. Char. Chocolate brown above, abdomen ash colored ; posterior nares small. Description. The head is about as broad as long, triangular in shape, rounded in front, depressed above ; the eyes are of moderate size, not prominent ; the tympanum also of moderate size, quite distinct, is situated immediately over the angle of the jaw ; posterior nares suboval, small ; the fingers are quite free, the first and second of about equal length, the fourth longer than these, the third the longest; sub-articular tubercles distinct; extremities of first and second toes nearly on a line with each other ; third toe longer than second, the fourth much * Since the above was written we have received the December number of Guerin (Revue et Magazin de Zoologie, 185G,) in which I find that Prof. A. Du- meril has himself corrected this error. [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OF rillLADELPIIIA. C5 the longest, the fifih longer than either the first or second ; the toes are webbed at their base, the web extending to about the middle of the antepenultimate phalanx; abdomen perfectly smooth ; skin smooth above; no rows of porea visible. Coloration. General color dark brown, or chocolate above, mingled to a Blight extent with ash ; upper jaw presenting several chocolate colored spots upon a lighter ground ; posterior extremities barred with dark brown approaching to black ; abdomen ash colored ; chin and throat chocolate spotted ; under surface of extremities blackish mingled with ash ; when examined with a magnifier the body appears to be blotched all over with dark brown on a much lighter ground. JJimendons. Length of head and body 1 inch ; length of head 5^ lines ; breadth 5 ; from tip of snout to anterior extremity 5 ; distance between anterior and pos- terior extremities 5 lines ; length of arm 3 lines ; of forearm 2\ ; of hand to ex- tremity of longest finger 3 lines ; of thigh bl lines ; of leg t> lines ; of foot to extremity of longest toe 5.1 lines. Habitat. Gaboon. One specimen in Mus. Acad. N. S. presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Hyla. i'0Nctata, nob. A young specimen o^ Hyla punctata, nob., Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. vii. p. 193. It measures 1 inch 4 lines in length from the extremity of the snout to the posterior extremity of the body; bead large ; body very slender posteriorly ; the color is of a darker brown than in the adult, and a number of darker blotches may be observed over diil'erent parts of the animal; a characteristic mark, and one which does not appear to have been mentioned in the previous description, consists in the presence of an orange-colored undulating line a short distance above the auus, commencing on the posterior part of the thigh about two lines from the latter ; beneath this line the ground color is more obscure. This line exists also iu the adult specimen, but is of a yellow color. PIPAD^lil. DACTYLETHRA, Cuvier. There i.s one specimen of Dactylethra, but this differs from the Dacty- lethra of the Cape, and more especially in the presence of a sharp pointed spur projecting from the cuneiform bone, which is not observed iu Dactylethra capensis. Dactylethra Mullkri, Peters. Sp. Char. Black above, dark brown or chocolate below ; a cutaneous appen- dage beneath each eye; numerous crypts upou the muzzle, chin, and under part of the muzzle ; a series of larger longitudinal glands upon chin ; a sharp pointed spur at base of first toe. Dcscj-iption. The head is small, depressed ; the snout rounded ; the eyes pro- minent; the nostrils near the extremity of the snout a line apart, and three- fourths of a line from the anterior border of the eye; the snout is quite smooth above, but covered as far as midway between the eyes, (the posterior border of which is but three lines from its anterior extremity,) with numerous small ele- vated granules or crypts, the under part also, as well as the chin ; a semicircu- lar row of longitudinal glands, nine or ten in number, Avith open mouths, four or five in each longitudinal row upon the chin ; no tongue or palatine teeth ; numerous small teeth in the upper jaw; ejistachian foramen large, broader than long ; body large, subquadrate, about a line broader posteriorly, where, as Du- meril and Hibron observe, it has the appearance of being truncate; perfectly smooth both above and below ; with a ui:ignifier, however, presenting a minutely granular appearance ; no lateral line of pores visible ; anterior extremities small, posterior very large ; fingers free ; fourth finger stoutest, second longest, third not as long as second, first and fourth of nearly equal length ; thighs aud legs 1857.] 5 66 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP greatly developed ; toes webbed as far as distal extremity of first phalans, the three first provided with a nail, sharp pointed, slightly iiicurvated ; these nails are convex above, but present a ridge along their middle below ; a sharp pointed short spur at the base of the first toe ; second toe longer than first, third longer than second, fourth and fifth of nearly equal length ; no subarticular tubercles visible ; posterior extremities smooth both above and below, no pores upon the xhighs. Coloration, as given in the specific characters. Dimensions. Length from tip of snout to anterior extremity 6 lines ; between anterior and posterior extremities 10 lines ; of arm IJ lines ; of forearm 3 ; of hand to extremity of longest finger 3i lines ; of thigh 6 lines ; of leg 7 ; of foot to extremity of longest toe (the third) 8 lines. Uabilat. Gaboon. One specimen presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. Gen. Remarks. Dactylethra belongs in Dumeril and Bibron's arrangement, to the second group of the Anourous, or Phrynaglossal Batrachians, (Phryna- glosses) and family of the Pipteformes, being entirely destitute of a tongue, wheieas the 1st gioup, or the f haneroglossal, have this organ " developed in a greater or less degree." The Phrynaglossal Batrachians, including but two genera at present known, viz., Dactylethra and Pipa, have also this very re- markable peculiarity, that instead of two eustachian foramina, there is but one, and that situated at the middle of the posterior part of the palate. In Dactylethra Mdlleti this is very large. We had proposed for this singular Pip^form the name spinosa, from the spur at the base of the first toe, but having received the 12lh number of the Revue de Zoologie for 1856, we find it mentioned and referr'^d to in the interesting and important paper of Prof. Aug. Dameril, with the well known and honored name Miilleri given to it in 1844 by Prof. Peters of Berlin, (Monats Bericht ber Kon. preuss. Acad, zu Berlin, 1844, p. 37) who has found it also in Mozamoique. Having now finished the notice of Dr. Ford's collection, which contains so many animals new to science and of great importance in the study of the geo- graphical distribution of Reptiles, I propose to correct some errors in former papers of mine upon the Reptiles of Western Africa — which either had escaped my attention, or which a better knowledge of the subject, and the aid of my vade mecum in that branch of science, Dumeril and Bibron, have enabled me to point out. Pachydactylus tristis appears to be identical with Platydactylus theconyx, a common West India animal, the label indicating the locality having been erroneous. Tropidolepis Africanus and Calotes versicolor are identical with Agama Oolonorum. Python Liberiensis is identical with Python bivittatus, (Py- thon kSebae, D. & B.) admirably described by Prof. Schlegel and long known. Bo.v LiuERiENSis. Proceed. Acad. N. S , vol. vii. (1854) p. 100. The animal indicated is not identical with Python Liberiensis, (Python biyittatus, Schlegel,) the latter specimen having at the time been mislaid, but ii the young of Epicrates cenchris from S. America. Fam. SYNCRATERIANS, (innocui.) Dendroi'his flavigularis, Proceed. A. N. S. vol. vi. p. 205. The Aboricole serpent described in the Proceedings of the Academy with the above name is not a Dendrophis, but presents characters quite sulficient to consti- tute it a new gentis. It differs from Dendrophis in the following i)articulars : 1st. Dendrophis is an Isodontian, the teeth having equal proportions, the Sj' ncraterians having the posterior longer. 2d. It wants the larger row of scales alongthe median line of the back, characteristic of Dendrophis. 3rd. The eye in Dendrophis rests on the fifth and sixth supra-labials. 4th. The rostral appears more upon the top of the head, and the internasals are proportionably larger. 5th. In Dendrophis the frontal is more acute posteriorly, and the parietals are longer than broad. Gth. In Dendrophis the frcnal is long and narrow and not quadrate ; there are two post-oculars instead of three, and the temporal plates are more numerous. 7th. The nock is more narrow in Dcndroj)liis, the abdo- uiuu is an<>'ular and the scales are smooth. In llcrpctodryas (Isodontian) the [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OP rillLADELnil A. 67 rostral opens in a ningh plate, tliere is but one post-ocular, tlic parietals are long, the eye rests on the third and fourtli sui)ra-labials, and the shajic of the scales is very dillerent, being lanceolate and not long and quadrangular; the internasals arc smaller in proportion, the rostral docs not extend so far back- ward on tlie top of the head, and the frontal differs in shape ; it approaches more nearly Leptophis (Syncrateriau), a genus also existing on the AV'cst Coast of Africa, but in Leptophis, the internasals are proportionately /ar^cr, the frontal more acute posteriorly, the rostral quite different in shape, the frenal long and narrow, but two post-oculars, the eye resting on the iifth and sixth supra-labials, the latter plate being much prolonged at its posterior and superior angle, and the posterior gencials, or intermediate sub-niaxillary plates, are longer than the anterior and more narrow. In Bucephalus the scutes beneath the tail are bifid for one-fourth of its lengtli, simple in the remainder, and the posterior teeth are channelled (Opistoglyph) ; atc propose therefore for this remarkable Arboricole (Jphidian the generic name T1IRAS0PS.» Gen. Char. Head long, flat above, somewhat ti'uncate anteriorly ; shelving in front ; rostral extending upon the top of the head ; internasals of about same length as pre-frontals ; frontal three and a half lines in length, and about as broad anteriorly, rounded posteriorly ; parietals short and broad, nostril be- tween two plates ; a quadrangular frenal ; one antocular, three post-oculars ; e^'e resting on the fourtli and fifth supra-labials; pupil circular ; j)OSterior geneials broader than the anterior; teeth of the upper maxillaries Syncratorib,n, the posterior twice as long as the anterior, not channelled, but trenchant, the preceding ones sharp pointed, a wide space in front destitute of teeth ; pterygo- palatine teeth small, in two nearly' parallel rows ; mandibular teeth presenting no larger or longer ones anteriorly, the posterior ones a little shorter ; neck nearly as broad as jjosterior part of head, body long, rather stout in the middle, covered with long and quadrangular imbricated and carinated scales of about equal breadth except those of inferior row which are broader and shorter than the others ; scales and scutes presenting a silken appearance ; abdomen angular but not distinctly so, the gastrostega ascending obliquely upon the flanks ; tail long, sub-caudal scutes bifid. Thrasops flavigclaris, nob. Sp. Char. 13 rows of scales ; jet black black above with a silken lustre, mingled with brown upon the head ; lips dove color ; chin and throat white, or light yellow ; neck white or light yellow, black spotted ; abdomen and under part of tail black or yellowish ; length 5 ft. 10|- inch. (Fr.) Habitat. Gaboon ; two specimens in Mus. Acad. N. S. one presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford, the other by Mr. DuChaillu. Gen. Remarks. The description in the 4th vol. of the Proceedings is quite ac- curate, and characterizes this serpent well, except its dentition. Its jet black and silken lustre, and large and somewhat impudent eyes, make, we should think, this reptile one of the most remarkable among the Arboricole Ophidians so numerous in Western Africa. CoroneUa trianyularis, nob. Proceed. Acad. N. S. vol. vii. p. 140. Coluber Icevis, Proceed. A. N. S. Vol. ii. p. 118. This serpent described under the above names, is not a CoroneUa, but belongs to a new genus of Syncrate- rians, for which we propose the name HETERONOTUS. Gen. Char. Dentition of CoroneUa. Head long, temples somewhat swollen, eyes of moderate size, nostrils latero-superior between two plates; a short frenal; one pre-ocular; two post-oculars ; eight superior labials, the eye resting on the fourth only; a broad rostral; two internasals rather long ; two broad pre-fron- *@f>a.'al constitution of things, to search out the laws which determine his well being, and give rise in him to the most profound sentiments of humility and worship of the great (Ji'cator, whose iutclligonte and power at every step excite his wonder and admiration. [Feb. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 73 The death of Dr. E. K. Kane, U. S. N., late a member of the Academy, was then announced; whereupon the following resolutions, offered by Mr. Cassin, were unanimously adopted : — Resolved, That the Academy has heard of the decease of its distin- guished member Elisha Kent Kane, M. D., of the United States Navy, with deep sorrow, and regards it as a loss to the cause of science, and to the country. Resolved, That the great abilities and enterprise of Dr. Kane entitle him to the highest rank among scientific voyagers and explorers, and that his many and valuable contributions to the collections of the Academy, and his constant interest in it, entitle him to special regard. Resolved, That this Academy will attend the funeral of Dr. Kane, and that a special meeting be called for that purpose. Resolved, That a copy of these Kesolutions be transmitted to the family of Dr. Kane, and that the same be published. March Sd. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. Dr. Uhler stated : That on the night of the 10th inst., about 11.} o'clock, he was startled in his residence at Manayunk, by a heavy rumbling noise, and shaking of the house and furniture, and rattling of the windows ; the sound resembled that of a heavy wagon drawn over hard frozen ground. In the course of four or five seconds, the noise and trembling were repeated. Dr. U. raised the window im- mediately, but found everything perfectly quiet ; there was no wind, and he attributed the noise to an earthquake. The sound appeared to come from the north east, and then returned; the whole duration was probably twenty seconds. He had no means of determi- ning the amount or direction of the oscillation. March 10th. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. Communications were presented for publication in the Proceedings, entitled : Contributions to the Neuropterology of the United States, No. 1, by Philip R. Uhler. Descriptions of twelve new species of Naiades, by Isaac Lea. And the following for publication in the Journal : On the Caducibranchiate Urodcle Batrachians, by Edward Hallo- well, M. D. On Trigonophrys rugiceps, by Edward Hallowell, M. D. Which were respectively referred to Committees. Dr. LeConte announced the decease of Prof. J. W. Bailey, of West Point, a correspondent of the Academy. On motion, a Committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Vaui, LeConte, and Foulke, to make arrangements relative to attendance at the funeral of Dr. E. K. Kane, on the 12th lost. 1857.] 6 74 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP March VJth. Mr, AsHMEAD in the Chair. Mr. Ashraead made the following verbal communication regarding specimens of Algae, presented by him this evening and upon a former occasion : In the catalogue of Marine Algae from Key West, which I presented to the Academy last April, there were five undetermined species of the genus Cau- lerpa, and two of Laurencia. These, together with some others, supposed to be new, I referred to Prof. Harvey of Trinity College, Dublin. I received a letter a few days since from that eminent Algologist, giving the true names, which I have attached to the specimens on the table, as follows : Caulerpa mexicana. C. PLUMiGERA Harvey. 0. PASPALOiDES Bory. C. SEDOIDES Ag. C. PLUMAKIS Ag. Laurencia implicata Harvey. L. GEMMiPERA Harvcy. There were also three species in that catalogue which I erroneously named, viz : SciNAiA furcellAta Bivona, I referred to Halymenia ligulata Ag. Ceramium nitens J. Ag., I had supposed to be C. rubrum Ag. — and Cryp- tonemia crenulata J. Ag., I named, (at the suggestion of Prof. Bailey,) Phyl- LOPHORA BROADIiEI. There is a great similarity iji the external habit of these plants, yet they are well distinguished by the internal structure of the frond, to which I had not applied the microscope. In addition to my former catalogue, which is now corrected, I present this evening TuRBjNARiA VULGARIS, var. |3. DECURRENS Boryg. This plant is interesting as an addition to our Marine Flora. It was known to occur in the West Indies, but had not been detected on our shores, until I found it at Key West. Dasya Harvkyi Ashmead. This is a new Dasya ; I obtained it at Key West with both kinds of fruit. Prof. Harvey says, " This species is quite new to me, and I feel much gratified by the compliment you pay me, by naming it D. Harveyi." Choudria attropurpurea Harvey. C. sedifolia Harvey. Laurencia papillosa Greves. L. cervicornis Harvey. Geranium tenuissimum Lyngb. Gracilaria armata J. Ag. ■ Tonaria lobata Ag. Caulerpa Ashmeadii Harvey. In regard to this species. Prof. Harvey makes the following remarks : "As far as I at present know, it is nondescript — but it is not new to me, for I found it myself at Key West, but did not find it growing. It is a very remarkable species, diifering from those of similar habit, in its greater size, and in the ex- treme obtuseness of the pinnje." Of this rare species I found but one plant. It was growing in company with Caulerpa plumaris, under the bridge leading to Fort Taylor, in a shady position, and where it was sheltered from the action of the waves. Its fibrous roots penetrated the coral sand for a* considerable extent, from which a number of fronds sprung up at intervals. I collected every fragment I could find. [March, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 75 March 2ith, Vice President Bridges in the Chair. The following communications were presented for publication in the Proceedings. 1. Synopsis of the species of Clivina and allied genera inhabiting the United States, by John L. LeConte, M. D. 2. Investigation of the Rock Guano of the Islands of the Caribbean Sea, by W. J. Taylor. 3. Description of six new species of Unio from Alabama, by Isaac Lea. 4. Description of eight new species of Naiades, from various parts of the United States, by Isaac Lea. 6. Description of three new exotic species of Naiades, by Isaac Lea. 6. List of Extinct Vertebrata, the remains of which have been dis- covered in the region of the Missouri, with remarks upon their geologi- cal age, by Joseph Leidy, M. D. And were respectively referred to Committees. Mr. Cassin announced the death of Mr. John A. GuEX, late a mem- ber of the Academy, and alluded to the enthusiasm of Mr. Guex as an entomologist, and to his distinguished liberality in adding to the mu- seum of the Academy his magnificent collection of Coleoptera. March Slst. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. The following papers on report of the Committees to which they were referred, were ordered for publication in the Journal. On the Caducibranchiate Urodele Batrachians, by Edward Hallowell, M. D. On Trignophrys rugiceps, by Edward Hallowell, M. D. And the following for publication in the Proceedings. Synopsis of tlie species CLIVINA and allied genera inhabiting the United States BY JOHN L. LECONTE, M. D.* DYSCHIRIUS Bon. A. Elytra stria vel interstitio 3io tripunctato. A. Epistoma bisinuatum ; elytra stria basali integra. a. clypeo tridentato ; •18, Antennis nigris, thorace globoso, elytrorum striis integris 1. tridentatus Lee. b. clypeo dente intermedio obsolete, lateralibus acutis ; •14, Antennis pedibusque nigerrimis 2. patruelis Lee. •13, Antennis basi, pedibusque posterioribus rufis 3. basalis Lee. (•13, Pedibus antennisque brunneis, his basi testaceis, thorace antice angustato, 4. Dejeanii Puiz. * The species which I have not seen are enclosed in a bracket ; in some in- stances I have not been able to discover their characters from the description. 1857.] 76 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP B. Epistoma late emarginatum, bidentatum ; elytra stria basali nulla. c. Frons transversim leviter vel vix impressa ; (elytra striis postice exaratis ;) ■12, Thorace siibtransverso ; pedibus subaigris 5. integer i«c. •12, Thorace minore globoso ; pedibus nigris 6. nigripes Lee. •13, Thorace minore globoso ; elytris striis profundis fortiter punctatis : pedibus nigris 7. consobrinus Lee. •15, Thorace globoso; elytris striis tenuibus parcius punctatis, pone basin impressis 8. gibbipennis Lee. d. Frons transversim sulco impressa ; g. striis elytrorum ad basin extensis, postice obliteratis ; ■15, Thorace globoso ; elytris striis tenuibus, antennis pedibusque nigris 9. aeneolus Lee. •11, Thorace globoso; elytris striis fortioribus, an- tennarum basi pedibusque rufis 10. longulus Lee. •09 — -12, Thorace tranverso, ovato ; antennis pedi- busque rufis 11. globulosus Pm/z. §^. striis elytrorum antice abbreviatis ; antennis pedibus ely- trorumque apice rufis. *. striis postice obliteratis ; •13, Thorace transverse ovato ; elytris striis fortiter punctatis 12. haemorrhoidalis Pttis. •13, Thorace quadrato-globoso ; elytris striis leviter punctatis 13. terminatus Lee. /8. striis integria ; •12, Thorace quadrato-globoso ; elytris striis fortiter punctatis 14. analis Lee. B. Elytra interstitio 3io bipunctato, vel impunctato, ad basin baud mar- ginato. A. Tibiis anticis extrorsum baud vel vix dentatis ; a. JEnei, capite laevi, nitido ; pedibus rufis. § Striis elytrorum integris profundis. •22, Clypeo bisinuato tridentato 15. sphoericoUis Putz. (•28, Clypeo emarginato, bidentato, thorace elongate, antice valde angustato 16. edentulus Putz. §§ Striis elytrorum nonullis antice abbreviatis. •22, Clypeo truncate ; thorace ovate, transverso 17. truncatus Lee. ■20, Clypeo truncate ; thorace ovali, baud transverso 18. erythrecerus Lee. b. Testacei vel rufi, capite rugose, opaco, elytris pallidis macala communi obscura. •18, Clypeo bidentato; thorace rotundato, subtrans- verso 19. sellatus Lee. •14, Clypeo vix bidentato; thorace trapezoideo, ob- longo 20. pallipennis Putz. B. Tibiis anticis extrorsum dentatis ; stria 8va postice exarata. ^ Striis elytrorum profundis integris. (12, Ferrugineus ; tibiis anticis calcari terminali valde curvata 21. curvispinus Puts. §§ Striis elytrorum antice abbreviatis; (nigro-aenei, pedibus rufis.) •14, Valde elongatus ; elytrorum striis postice baud obliteratis ; clypeo acute bidentato 22. filiformia Lee. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 77 (•12, Thorace oblongo, elytrorum striis postice sub- obliteratis 23. sublaevis Putz. •14, Thorace ovato, elytroruoi striis postice suboblite- ratis ; clypeo paruin deutato 24. dcntiger Lee. •12, Thorace ovato, elytrorum striis postice oblitera- tis ; clypeo acute bideutato 25. aratus Lee. •11, Thorace ovali, elytrorum striis postice oblitera- tis; clypeo truncato 2G. rufiventris Lee. C. Elytra interstitiis 3io, 5to, ct tmo punctis setiferis uniscriatis. •12, Thorace breviter ovato, elytris striis vix impres- sis postice obliteratis 27. setosus Lcc. •14, Thorace globoso, elytris striis impressis, internis subintegris 28. pilosus Lee. Two species from Russian America, D. transraarinus Mann, and D. frigid us Mann. Bull. Mosc. 1853, Nos. 11 and 12, appear quite distinct from suiy above described, but the characters given are not such as enable me to place them in the tabic I. D. convezus Lee. Ann. Lye. 5, ID.*}, is a variety of D. tridentatus with more flattened elytral intervals. 6. Z>. apicalis ||Lec. Agass. Lake Sup. 204, is changed to D. n i g rip e s Lee. Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. 10, 396. 10. D. p u m i 1 u s Putz. is perhaps D. 1 o n g u 1 u s Lee, but the description is hardly sufiBcient. II. D. parvus Lee. Agass. Lac. Sup. 204, is merely a small variety of D. glob ulosus. 3. D. basalis, nigro-aeneus, nitidus, clypeo trilobato, lobo medio breviore obtuso, vertice subtilissime cristato, thorace globoso, elytris thorace sublatior- ibus, striis antice punctatis, postice integris, ad apicem exaralis, marginali per basin continuata, interstitio 3io tripunctato, antenuis fuscis, basi pedibusque rufis, tibiis anticis dente inferiore acuto, superiore minuto. Long. -13. Fort Yuma, Colorado River, California. This species has the form, size and sculpture of D. integer ice, from the same locality, but difl'ers by the more globose thorax, and trilobed clypeus ; the anterior thighs of D. integer are also nearly black, while in the present they are dark red. The marginal stria in D. integer ceases at the humerus : in the present it is disti\ictly continued along the base: the dors.al striae do not completely attain the anterior declivity, thej are punctured behind the middle, then smooth to the tip ; although not deep they are entire, and the first, second, seventh and eighth, are deeper at the apex : the eighth is obliterated for the rest of its course as usual. The upper tooth of the anterior tibiae is very small, the second one is prominent, the terminal is as long as the terminal spur, and both are slightly curved. 8. D. g i b b i p e n n i s, elongatus nigro-aeneus pernitidus, clypeo late emar- ginato, angulis prominulis, fronte transversira paulo impressa, et dein plica parva brevissima notata, thorace latitudine baud breviore, globoso, elytris tri- punctatis, pone basin impressis, striis punctatis baud impressis, externis postice exaratis, antennarum basi pedibusque obscure rufis, tibiis anticis bidenticulatis. Long '15. One specimen found at San Diego, California. More robust than D. terminatu?, but more slender than D. globulosus, having about the proportions of D. n i g r i - pes Lcc. Black, more bronzed than usual, and very shining ; head with deep frontal impressions, and a slight transverse line in front of the eyes, which con- nects with an almost imperceptible medial fold: clypeus broadly enmrginate, truncate at the middle, with the angles distinct, not very acute: lateral margin lobed, as usual. Palpi and antennae piceous, the latter obscure rufous at the base. Thorax almost exactlv globose, slightly truncate in front, anterior trans- 1857.] 78 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP verse impression deep, dorsal line very fine. Elytra slightly wider than the thorax, not quite twice as long as their width, convex ; near the suture, toward the base, the surface is more convex, and this convexity is followed by a deep impression near the suture, about the anterior fourth : the strias are punctured but not impressed, they become obsolete at the latter fourth, and impressed at their terminations, but the seventh and eighth are sinuate and impressed behind to the very apex ; the tip of the third is not impressed : the marginal ceases at the humerus : the first, fourth and fifth commence at the declivity of the base , the others are a little shorter ; the intervals are entirely flat and the third is tri- punctate. The legs are very dark rufous ; the anterior tibiae are armed exter- nally with a small denticle, and an acute tooth ; the apical tooth is long and curved, the inferior spur is one-third shorter, and slightly curved. lY. D. truncatus, nigro-aeneus, nitidus, clypeo truncato, vix emarginato, fronte transversim hand profunde impressa, thorace latitudine subbreviore, ovato antrorsum angustato, elytris striis impressis antice punctatis, 3ia hand distincte bipunctata, 8va obsoleta, ad apicem exarata, interstitiis planis, palpis pedibusque ferrugineis, antennis piceis ad basin ferrugineis, tibiis anticis vix denticulatis. Long. •22. One specimen, Illinois, Mr. Wilcox. Of the same size as D. sphaericollis, but more robust, and known at once by the ovate thorax and almost squarely trun- cate clypeus. Blackish bronzed, shining : head with deep frontal impressions, transverse line not profound : clypeus almost truncate with the angles rounded not prominent; sides lobed as usual: antennae rufo-piceous, with the base red. Palpi and mouth reddish. Thorax a little broader than long, ovate, narrowed in front ; dorsal line and transverse anterior impression deep. Elytra not wider than the thorax, less than twice as long as their width, convex : striae impressed and entire, the first, fourth and fifth commence on the declivity of the base, the others area little shorter, the eighth is obsolete and represented by only a few punctures, but is deep at the tip : the punctures are moderately large and extend a little beyond the middle ; the marginal stria ends at the humerus : the interstices are flat, and in contact with the third stria may be seen two hardly distinct dorsal punctures.- The body beneath is black ; the legs are dark red ; the anterior tibiie have hardly a trace of external denticles, the terminal tooth is long and gradually curved, the terminal spur is shorter and slightly curved. 18. D. erythrocerus, elongatus, aeneo-niger, nitidus, clypeo fere trun- cato, vix emarginato, angulis parum prominulis, fronte transversim impressa, thorace latitudine longiere, subovato, elytris striis impressis, ad basin abbre- viatis antice fortiter punctatis, 8va obsoleta ad apicem exarata, interstitiis fere planis, antennis palpis pedibusque rufis, tibiis anticis vix denticulatis. Long. -20. Ohio. Dr. Schaum : Pennsylvania, Haldeman. DiflFers from the preceding by the more slender form, deeper transverse frontal impression, and pale antennse. 19. D. sellatus, piceo-rufus, nitidus, clypeo late emarginato, acute. biden- dato, fronte transversim impresso, capite granulato rugoso, thorace convexo, latitudine paulo breviore, ovato, elytris cylindricis convexis, pallidis, umbra scutellari alteraque communi pone medium obscuratis, antennis pedibusque testaceis. Long. -IS. Found at Atlantic City, on the coast of New Jersey ; allied to D. p a 1 1 i p e n- ni s Putz. (^Clivina pallijjennis Say) but is much larger, and more robust, with a more globose and slightly transverse thorax, and more strongly bidentate clypeus. 22. D. filiformis, feneo-niger, nitidus valde elongatus, clypeo late emarg- inato bidentato, fronte transversim impressa, thorace latitudine baud breviore, quadratim ovato, convexo, antrorsum subangustato, elytris cylindricis, striis antice fortiter punctatis, postice fere integris, ad apicem breviter exaratis, ab- domine postice, antennis pedibusque testaceis, tibiis anticis dente infcriore elongato, superiore minuto. Long. -14. Coney Island, near New York, in salt marsh. Quite as slender as D. t e r - [March, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 79 m i n a t u 3 Zee. shining brassy black. Head with clypeus broadly emarginate, and acutely bidentate, front with a deep transverse line : antennae testaceous, mouth reddish. Thorax not wider than long, subquadrate ovate, sides not con- verging much in front, convex, anterior transverse impression feeble, dorsal line entire, fine. Elytra not Avider than the thorax, twice as long as their width, cylindrical: striae commencing behind the anterior declivity of the base, strong- ly but distantly punctured nearly to the middle, the inner ones are then deep and impunctured nearly to the tip, where they are less deep, but at the extreme tip are again deeply impressed as in many other species : the interstices are convex, the third not punctured : the outer strife are less deep, and the eighth is almost eflfaced : the marginal ceases at the humerus. The abdomen is rufo- testaceous, paler towards the tip : the legs are testaceous, the anterior tibiae are armed externally with two teeth, the upper very small, the lower acute and prominent: th*e terminal tooth is long and slightly curved, the inferior spur is not longer than the tooth, but is more curved. 24. D. d e n t i g e r, elongatus, nigro-ceneus nitidus, clypeo late emarginato angulis prominulis, fronte transversim paulo impresso, thorace latitudine vix breviore, antrorsum angustato, subgloboso, elytris striis punctatis, postice parum obliteratis, inte"uis antice abbreviatis ; stria basali transversa nulla, apicali unica brevi exarata ; antennis pedibusque rufo-testaceis, tibiis anticis dente externo longo armatis. Long. •14. New York and Pennsylvania. More stout than D. terminatus andfili- f or mis, but more elongate than usual. Blackish brassy, shining: head smooth with deep frontal impressions connected between the antennae by a deep trans- verse line : clypeus broadly emarginate, with the angles prominent, but not very acute. Antennae reddish testaceous. Thorax slightly broader than long, nar- rowed in front, subtrapezoidal, very much rounded behind, and convex, dorsal line and anterior transverse impression well marked. Elytra hardly wider than the thorax, about twice as long as the width, cylindrical, convex: striae seven upon each, which are tolerably deep towards the base, but very fine and almost obliterated at the apex : the punctures are large and extend to about the middle : the marginal stria ceases at the shoulder, and the four interior strise do not reach the declivity of the base. The under surface is black, and the legs are ferruginous : the anterior tibiis are armed externally with a strong tooth near the apex, the upper denticle is obsolete, the apical tooth is long and curved : the interior apical spur is still longer and more curved. 26. D. r ufi ven tris, nigro-aeneus, aitidus, clypeo truncato, fronte trans- versim baud impressa, thorace latitudine baud breviore, ovali, antrorsum paulo angustatoj elytris striis antice fortiter punctatis postice exaratis, ore abdom- ineque rufis antennis fuscis ad basin pedibusque testaceis, tibiis anticis dente inferiore acuto armatis. Long. -ll. One specimen from Louisiana given me by Dr. Schaum. In the proportions of the body, and sculpture of the elytra this species resembles D. haemor- r h o i d a 1 i s, but the other characters are very different. The upper denticle of the anterior tibias is very small, the lower one is acute and prominent, the terminal tooth is long and curved, but the inferior spur is yet longer and more curved. The strife of the elytra do not extend upon the anterior declivity ; they are very strongly punctured to the middle, and then become gradually obliter- ated to the tip, when the first, second and seventh are slightly impressed : the eighth stria is obliterated and the marginal ceases at the humerus : the inter- stices are convex, and the third are without punctures. 27. D. setosu s, feneo-niger, nitidus, clypeo emarginato, bidentato, fronte transversim impressa, thorace latitudine breviore, ovato, trapezoideo, elytris convexis, grosse seriatim punctatis, postice laevigatis, interstitiis alternis punctis minutis setiferis uniseriatis notatis, antennis pedibusque testaceis, tibiis anticis dente inferiore acuto, superiore vix distincto. Long. -12. Massachusetts and New York, in salt marsh. A very curious species, more robust than usual and having nearly the proportions of D. globulosus. 1857.] 80' PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP The rows of large punctures on the elyti;a, which represent the striae cease be- hind the middle, and at the tip only the extremity of the seventh stria is exa- rate : the rows of small interstitial punctures are four and extend nearly to the tip: each of them supports a long erect black hair, as in Bembidium 1 ae y ig a t u m, and other long hairs are seen at the margin of the thorax. The anterior tibiae have a scarcely distinct superior denticle, and an acute in- ferior tooth : the apical tooth is long and slightly curved, the spur is nearly as long and curved. 28. D. p i 1 o s u s, aeneo-niger, nitidus, clypeo emarginato, bidentato, fronte transversim impresso, thorace latitudine baud breviore, quadrato-globoso, elytris convexis, striis integris antice profundis et fortiter punctatis, interstitiis Imo, 3io, 5to, tmoque parce uniseriatim punctatis et setosis, ano, ore, antennis pedibusque testaceis, tibiis anticis dente inferiore acuto, superiore vix dis- tincto. Long. -14. New Orleans, Dr. Schaum. Allied to the preceding, but larger and less robust; the thorax is different in form and not at all transverse: the striae of the elytra are impressed, and the inner ones may be traced to the very tip : the outer ones are obliterated, the eighth is entirely wanting : the marginal ceases at the humerus : the seventh is exarate at the tip as in the preceding. The anterior tibiae are as in the preceding. A few long hairs are seen at the margin of the head and thorax, as in D. s e t o s u s. ACEPHORUS Lee. •25, Testaeeus, subnitidus, elytris subtiliter striatis, ma- cula parva communa fusca notatis. 1. msLTians Lee. ARDISTOMIS Putz. A. Elytra striata, glabra. •32, Nigra, antennis, pedibus, elytrorum macula utrinque postica rubris 1. obliquata Futz. •22, Nigra, antennis pedibusque piceis, elytris interstitio 3io 5-punctato 2. Schaumii Lee. B. Elytra seriatim punctata, punctis setiferis. •23, Nigro-viridis, antennis pedibusque rnfis, thorace mar- gine punctato 3. viridis Lee. •23, Nigro-viridis, antennis pedibusque rufis, thorace disco parce punctato 4. puncticollis Putz. 2. A. Schaumii, niger nitidus, capite angusto, thorace ovato, latitudine vix breviore, antrorsum valde angustato, elytris subvirescentibus, striatis, inter- stitiis parum convexis, 3io quinquepunctato, palpis testaceis, antennis pedi- busque obscure rufo-piceis. Long. -22. Louisiana, very rare: given me by my excellent friend Dr. Schaum, to whom it is dedicated. This species has the form and sculpture of A. o b 1 i q u a t a, but is smaller, with less convex elytral intervals, and only five dorsal punctures. 3. Clivina viridis Say ; Clivina rostraia Dej. ; Ardislomis rostrata Putzeys ; Ardistomis vicina Putzeys. ASPIDOGLOSSA Putz. Of this genus is known to me but one species within our territory, A. s u b- aagulata ice, which however varies slightly in the form of the thoraz, so as to account for the list of synonyms, which are as follows: Dyschirius subangulatus Chaud. ; Clivina crenaia\De}. ; Clivina bipvstulataX Say. ; Dyschirius humeralis Chaud. ; Aspidoglossa vicina Putzeys ; Aspidoglossa fraterna Putzeys. [March NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 81 CLIVINA Latr. A. Tibiae intermediae extrorsum versus apicom calcaratae ; clypeus ad latera lobatus; (elytra punctis dorsalibus pluribus.) a. Femora aniica versus apicem dentata ; paronychio valde elon- gato. g. Tibiae anticae longitudinaliter sulcatae ; Thorace plaaiusculo, latitudine fere breviore ; •33, Capite puncto verticali distincto 1. corvina Putz. ;3, Capite puncto verticali obsoleto 2. confusa Lee. •32, Thorace latitudine longiore, cylindrico ; capite puncto verticali nuUo 3. georgiana Zee. (§§. Tibiae anticae baud impresss ; (•30, 4. dentipes Def. (•35j 5. fissipes Putz. b. Femora antica mutica, incrassata ; paronychio elongate. §. Vertex sulcatum ; •26, Capite laevi ; tota rufa 7. impressifrons Lee. •24, Capite punctulato ; thorace laevi; tota rufa, de- pressiuscula 8. planicollis Lee. •21, Capite thoraceque punctulatis ; tota rufa 9. punctulata Lee. •21, Capite thoraceque punctulatis ; picea 10. punctigera Lee. §g. Vertex baud sulcatum ; caput thoraxque laevia ; •21, Vertice foveato ; thorace angulis basalibus den- tigeris ; tota rufa, depressiuscula 11. rubicunda Lee. •20, Vertice hand foveato; thorace angulis basalibus simplicibus ; tota fusco-rufa 12. rufescens Dej. B. Tibiae intermidiae extrorsum baud calcaratae. a. Clypeus ad latera lobatus ; elytra punctis dorsalibus pluribus ; femora antica subtus versus apicem profunde sinuata ; paro- nj'chio elongato ; (frons foveata ;) g. Elytris striis integris subtilius punctulatis; •20, Tota rufa 13. rufa Lee. •21, Rufa, sutura late nigricante 14. Randalli Lee. (•19, Nigra antennis pedibusque testaceis, elytrorum raargine externo suturaque extrema ferru- gineis 15. analis Puiz. •24, Nigra, pedibus rufo-piceis, antennis rufis 16. americana Be;'. §§. Elytris striis postice obliteratis; nigrae, antennis rufis ; ' '18, Thorace quadrato, elytrorum striis postice paulo obliteratis IT. morula Lee. •25 — -SI, Thorace ovato, elytrorum striis postice paulo obliteratis 18. cordata Putz. (•32, Thorace globoso-ovato, elytrorum striis postice valde obliteratis 19. morio Bej. •20, Thorace subquadrato, antice angustato, vage punctulato (paronychio breviusculo) 20. striatopunctata Def. b. Clypeus ad latera rotnndatus ; elytra punctis dorsalibus binis vel nullis ; femora antica incrassata, subtus baud sinuata ; paronychio brevi, vel nullo. g. Vertex longitudinaliter sulcatum ; •21, Rufa, thorace elongato 21. ferrca Lee. 1857.] 82 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP §§. Vertex baud vel vix obsolete sulcatum ; a. Tibiae anticae dente laterali uaico, terminali rectangulariter flexo; •20, Nigra, elytris maculatis ; thorace vage punctu- lato ; paronychio subtilissimo 22. convexa Lee. ji. Tibiae anticae dentibus lateralibus duabus, dente terminali sen- sim curvata ; •23 — '30, Nigra elytris maculatis ; thorace fere laevi ; paronychio nullo 23. bipustulata Dej. (•27, Nigra, elytrorum margine suturaque postica fer- rugineis ; thorace laevi 24. marginipennis Putz. •21, Nigra elytris maculatis; thorace punctato ; pa- ronychio brevi 25. postica Lee. •21, Nigra; sulco frontali transverso profundo ; tho- race vage punctato ; paronychio brevi 26. picea Putz. (•20, Nigra elytris maculatis ; thorace laevi 27. stigmula Putz. The species 1 — 3 are so closely related that they might perhaps be regajr^d, with some Mexican and South American forms, as races of one species ; 4 ^h. 5 perhaps may belong with them, but as Putzeys mentions particularly that the anterior ^tibiae are not longitudinally impressed, I have retained them in the table. 8. C. planicolis. South Carolina, sent me by Dr, Zimmermann. 10. C. punctigera. Found with the preceding. 11. C. rubicunda. Louisiana, Dr. Schaum. 12. C. ruf e s cens Dej. is perhaps C. p alii d a Say, but the color is darker than described by Say ; none of the other species mentioned in the synopsis can be referred to Say's description ; C. rubicunda has the proper color and form, but besides the lateral angle, the basal angles are tooth -like. 13. C. rufa. Illinois, Mr. Willcox. 14. C. Randal li. Clivina elongata^^^&n&aXl. The specimen is very imper- fect, but seems most allied in sculpture to 0. americana. The head is wanting. 16. C. am er i c a n a Dej. ; Clivina acuducta Hald., according to comparison with the type. This and the two species which follow it are very closely allied ; the only differences observed are those mentioned in the table. 21. C. ferrea. Illinois, Mr. Willcox; Catskill, Mr. H. Ulke. 22. C. convexa is probably C. bisignata Putzeys, though the peculiar form of the terminal digitation of the anterior tibiae is not mentioned. 23. C. bipustulata. Scarites quadrimaculatus Beauv. C. picipes Bon.; Putzeys, 105, is probably not found in the United States. It is very different from any above mentioned. Scarites attenuatus Herbst. Kafer, 10, 264, tab. 176, f. 7, is completely irrecog- nizable. SCHIZOGENIUS Putz. A. Mentum edentatum, lobis recte truncatis ; elytra crenato-striata, inter- stitio 5to hand punctato ; •17, Nigro-rufus, cylindricus ; elytris interstitio 3io tripunctato 1. crenulatus Lee. B. Mentum medio dentatum, lobis oblique emarginatis; elytra interstitio 5to punctigero. a. Elytra striis punctatis ; •19, Nigro-rufus, elytris subdepressis, striis dense punctatis 2. lineolatus Lee. •16, Rufus, elytris cylindricis, striis minus profunde punctatis 3. ferrugineus Pntz. [March, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 83 •15, Rufus, elytris valde depressis ; thorace angulis ante basin prominulis 4. amphibius Lee. '16, Obscure rufus, elytris valde depressis; thoracis angulis baud prominulis 5. depressus Lee. b. Elytra striis impunctatis ; •17, Rufo-niger, elytris subdepressis, intcrstitiis al- ternis multipunctatis setigeris 6. pluripanctatus Lee. 2. Clivina lineolata Say ; Schizogenius sulcifrons Putzeys. 3. S. ferruginous Putzeys ; Clivina sulcata Lee. 4. Clivina amphibia Hald. ; Clivina frontalis Lee. 6. S. pluripunctatus Lee. ; S. simplex Lee. Description of Six New Species of TJNIONES from Alabama. BY ISAA,C LEA. Unio PROPiNguns. Testa, subnodulosa, obliqua, subtriangulari, valde inaequi- laterali, ad latere sulcata ; valvulis crassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus erectis, tumidis ; epidermide vel lutea vel viridi, radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus sub- grandibus, in utroque valvule duplicibus ; lateralibus percrassis, crenulatis, curtis subcurvisque ; margarita alba et iridescente. Eab. Florence, Alabama, Rev. G. White and Tuscumbia, Alab., L.B. Thorn- ton, Esq. Unio Flokentinus. Testa Isevi, elliptica, subaequilaterali, ad latere paulisper l)lanulata ; valvulis crassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus tumidis, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide luteo-olivacea, valde radiata; dentibus cardinalibus sub- magnis, conicis, crenulatis, in utroque valvulo duplicibus ; lateralibus curtis, subcurvisque ; margarita alba. Hab. Florence, Alabama. Rev. G. White. Cumberland River, Tenn., Drs. Troostand Edgar, and T. C. Downie, Esq., St. Simon's Island. Unio biemarginatus. Testa Isevi, triangulari, insequilaterali, postice biangu- lata, ad latere sulcata, ad basim et postice emarginata ; valvulis sub-crassis. antice crassioribus ; natibus prominentibus, compressis ; epidermide rufo-fusca. valde radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, valde crenulatis, sub-conicis, in utroque valvulo duplicibus ; lateralibus curtis, crassis rectisque ; margarita alba et iridescente. Hab. Florence, Alab. Rev. G. White. Unio mund.us. Testa laevi, obliqua, tumidii, postice subangulata, valde in- aequilaterali ; valvulis crassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus valde elevatis, tumidis, retrorsis ; epidermide vel lutea vel luteo-fusca, maculata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, crenulatis, crompresso-conicis ; lateralibus ; sublongis, crassis subcurvisque ; margarita alba et iridescente. Hab. Tuscumbia, Alab. L. B. Thornton, Esq. Unio Thorntonii. Testa laevi, subrotunda tumida, ad latere paulisper planu- lata, ad basim compressa, valde inaequilaterali, antice ot postice rotundata; valvulis crassis ; natibus valde elevatis, tumidis, retrorsis ; epidermide rufo-fusca, maculata ; dentibus cardinalibus crassis crenulatisque ; lateralibus percrassis subcurvisque ; margarita alba et iridiscente. Hhb. Tuscumbia, Alab. L. B. Thornton, Esq. Unio Moore.sianus. Testa laevi, subtriangalari, tumida, ad latere planulata,ad basim compressa, postice subangulata, valde inaequilaterali ; valvulis crassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus valde elevatis, tumidis, retrorsis ; epidermide rufo- fusca, maculata ; dentibus cardinalibus crassis, obtuso-conicis, crenulatis, in utroque valvulo duplicibus; lateralibus crassis subrectisque ; margarita albiet iridescente. Hab. Tuscumbia, Alabama. H. Moores. 1857.] 84 PBOCEEDINaS OP THE ACADEMY OF Description of Eight New Species of NAI&DES from various parts of the United States. BY ISAAC LEA. Unio pinguis. Testa laevi, elliptica, inflata, valde inaequilaterali ; valvulig subcrassis ; natibus prominentibus, retrorsis ; epidermide luted, obscure radiata etpolita; dentibus cardinalibus submagais, duplicis, acuminatis crenulatisque; lateralibus magnis, lamellatislongis curvisque; margarita alba et indescente. Hab. St. Peter's River, Upper Mississippi. B. W. Budd, M.D. Unio Hiqginsii. Testa Isevi, obliqua, ventricosa, valde inaequilaterali, antice rotundata ; valvulis percrassis; natibus valde prominentibus, tumidis iocur- visque; epidermide virido-oliva, polita, valde radiata; dentibus cardinalibus magnis, crassis, erectis, crenulatis, in utroque valvule duplicibus ; lateralibus sublongis, percrassis subrectisque ; margarita vel alba vel salmonis colore tincta. Hab. Muscatine, Iowa. Frank Higgins. Unio Abbevillensis. Testa laevi, oblongS,, subinflata, ad'lateris planulatis, valde inaequilaterali, postice biangulata ; valvulis crassis ; natibus prominulis ; epider- mide brunnea, striata ; dentibus cardinalibus magnis, crassis, in utroque valvule duplicibus ; lateralibus praelongis, lamellatis subcurvisque ; margarita vel alba vel salmonis colore tincta. Hab. Abbeville District, South Carolina. Dr. Barratt. Unio Jamesianos. Testa laevi, elliptica, compressa, valde inaequilaterali, postice valde compressa ad basim emarginata ; valvulis subcrassis ; natibus prominu- lis, ad apicem concentraliter undulata; epidermide lutea, polita; dentibus cardinalibus compressis, crenulatis; lateralibus longis, lamellatis valde cur- visque ; margarita alba et iridescente. Hab. Jackson, Mississippi. U. P. James. Unio Texasiensis. Testa laevi, elliptica, subcompressa, valde inaequilaterali, postice subangulata ; valvulis subtenuibus, antice crassioribus ; natibus pro- minulis, ad apices pereleganter et concentrice undulatis ; epidermide tenebroso- oliva, polita, obsolete radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, compressis, erectis crenulatisque; lateralibus longis, lamellatis subcurvisque ; margarita ccerulea et valde iridescente. Hab. Dewitt County, Texas. W, Newcomb, M. D. Anodonta Lewisii. Testa laevi, elliptica, subventricosa, inaequilaterali, postice obtuse angulata, antice rotundata ; valvulis subtenuibus ; natibus prominulis, ad apices rugoso-undulatis ; epidermide tenebroso-olivacea, eradiata; marga- rita cceruleo-alba et iridescente. Hab. Erie Canal and Mohawk River, Herkimer Co., N. Y. James Lewis, M. D. : and Genesee River, below Rochester. Prof. C. Dewey. Anodonta laodstris. Testa laevi, transversa, subinflata, valde insequilaterali postice subangulata ; valvulis tenuibus ; natibus prominulis, ad apices crebri undulatis; epidermide luteo-olivacea, eradiata, transverse vittata ; margarita vel alba vel crocea et iridescente. Hab. Crooked Lake and Little Lakes, New York. James Lewis, M. D. Anodonta modesta. Testa Itevi, elliptica, subinflata, valde inaequilaterali, aubemarginata, antice obtuse angulata ; valvulis subcrassis, postice crassior- ibus ; natibus subprominentibus, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide olivacea, transverse vittata et obsolete radiata; margarita argentea et valde iridescente. Hab. Pond near Kalamazoo, Mich. J. Lewis M. D. [March NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 85 Description of Three New Exotic species of NAIADES. BY ISAAC LEA. Unio Poetanus. Testa, laevi, transversa, subcylindracea, ad basim subemar- ginata, valde inaequilaterali, ad latere planulala, postice tnincata et subbian- gnlata ; valvulis subcrassis ; natibus prorninul is, ad apices siniplicibus ; epider- mide luteola; dentibus cardinalibus subcompressis, accuminatis crcnulatisque ; lateralibus pra;longis, lamellatis rectisque ; margarita luteola et iridescente. Hab. Rio de las Balsas, near Coyucan, Mexico. Prof. Poey of llavanna. Unio Canadensis. Testa laevi, triangular!, subcompressa, inajquilaterali, pos- tice obtuse angulata ; valvulis subcrassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus sub- prominentibus ; epidermide lutea, postice radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, erectis crcnulatisque ; lateralibus longis, curvis lamellatisque ; margarita alba et iridescente. Hab. St. Lawrence River, near Montreal. M. Carey Lea. Anodonta IIoltonis. Testa bcvi, oblonga, inflata, valde inaequilaterali, e nat- ibus lincatis ; valvulis subcrassis; natibus subprominentibus ; epidermide tenebroso-olivacea, stria'a; margarita coerulea et iridescente. Hab. Near Cauca River, Province of Popayan, S. A. Rev. J. F. Holton. Description of Twelve New Species of NAIADES from North Carolina. BY ISAAC LEA. Unio Wheatleyi. Testa lasvi, quadrata, subinflata, ad latere planulata, sub- emarginata, valde ina>quilaterali ; valvulis subcrassis; natibus prominulis : epidermide tenebroso-fusca ; dentibus cardinalibus curtis, subcrassis, in utroque valvulo duplicibus ; lateralibus subcrassis, praelongis subrectisque ; marginata vel alba vel purpurea et iridescente. Hab. Catawba River, Gaston Co., N. C. C. M. Wheatley. Unio percoarctatds. Testa Isevi, quadrata, valde coarctata ad latere planulata valvulis tenuibus, postice subbiangulata; natibus vix prominetitibus, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide tenebroso-fusca, minute et valde striata ; dentibus car- dinalibus parvis, striatis, in utroque valvulo duplicibus ; lateralibus praelongis, lamellatis rectisque; margarita purpurea, et valde iridescente. Hab. Catawba River, Gaston Co., N. C. C. M. Wheatley and F. A. Gcnth. M. D. Unio gracilentus. Testa laevi, valde transversa, valde compressu, ad latere plan- ulata, valde inajquilaterali, postice obtuse angulata ; valvulis tenuibus ; natibus vix prominentibus, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide tenebroso-fusca, postice ob- solete radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, crenulatis, in utroque valvulo du- plicibus ; lateralibus praelongis, lamellatis rectisque ; margarita coeruleo-albfc et valde iridescente. Hab. Catawba River, Gaston Co., N. C. C. M. Wheatley. Unio micans. Testa laevi, elliptica, subcompressS., valde inEequilaterali, postice angulata ; valvulis subtenuibus, postice crassioribus ; natibus prominulis ; epi- dermide luteo-fusca, valde radiata et valde micante; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, compressis, erectis crcnulatisque ; lateralibus longis, lamellatis rec- tisque; margarita vel alb4 vel salmonis colore tincta et valde iridescente. Hab. Catawba River, Gaston Co., N. C. C. M. Wheatley and F. A. Genth, VL D. Deep River Gulf, N. C. Prof. Emmons. Unio Genthii. Testa laevi, obliqufi,, inflata, injequilaterali, postice obtuse an- gulata ; valvulis subcrassis, antice crassioribus; natibus prominentibus ; epider- mide tenebroso-fusca, obsolete radiat& ; dentibus cardinalibus subgrandibns, 1857.] 86 PROCEEDINGS- OP THE ACADEMY OP obtuse conicis crenulatisque ; lateralibus crassis, curtis rectisque ; margaritd alba et iridescente. Hab. Catawba River, Gaston Co., N. C. C. M. Wheatley and F. A. Genth, M. D. Deep River Gulf, N. C. Prof. Emmons. Unio Emmonsii. Tests, Isevi, transversa subcompressa, valde ina3quilaterali, postice subbiangulata, ad latere planulata ; valvulis subcrassis ; natibus vix prominulis, ad apices undulatis, epidermide tenebroso-fusca, radiata, nitida ; dentibus cardinalibus subgrandibus, compressis, crenulatis, in utroque valvule duplicibus ; lateralibus prselongis, lamellatis rectisque ; margarita albS, et iri- descente. Hab. Roanoke River, at Weldon, N. C. Prof. E. Emmons. Unio spadiceus. Testa Isevi, elliptic^,, subcompressa, inaequilaterali, postice subbiangulata subemarginat4 ; Valvulis subtenuibus, antice crassioribus ; nati- bus vix prominulis ; epidermide spadicea, eradiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis crenulatisque ; lateralibus sublongis subrectisque ; margarita salmonis colore tinct^ et iridescente. Hab. Deep River, Gulf, N. C. Prof. Emmons : and mountain streams, N. C. Joseph Clark. Unio insulsus. Testa laevi, quadrata, inflata, insequilaterali, postice obtuse angulata, at latere subplanulata ; valvulis subcrassis ; natibus prominulis, ad apices rugoso-undulatis ; epidermide virido-fusca, insulse, striata, obsolete ra- diata; dentibus cardinalibus parviusculis, subcompressis, in utroque vavulo duplicibus ; lateralibus sublongis subcurvisque ; margarita vel alba vel pur- purea et iridescente. Hab. Roanoke River, Weldon, N. C. Prof. Emmons. Unio striatulus. Testa laevi, triangulari, subinflata, subaequilaterali, postice angulata ; valvulis subcrassis, antice crassioribus ; natibus elevatis, accuminatis, ad apices rugoso-undulatis ; epidermide fuscA, minute striata, obsolete radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvulis, subcompressis in utroque valvule duplicibus crenulatisque; lateralibus brevibus, subcrassis rectisque; margarita vel albfi, vel crocea et iridescente. Hab. Roanoke River, at Weldon N. C. Prof. Emmons. Unio macer. TestS, alatfi., laevi, obovatS,, compressissim^, valde inaequilaterali, postice biangulata ; vulvulis tenuibus ; natibus parvis, acuminatis, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide fuscfi., nitidd, valde radiate ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, tuberculatis ; lateralibus praelongis, attenuatis, lamellatis subrectisque ; mar- garita purpurea, et iridescente. Hab. Roanoke River, Weldon, N. C. Prof. Emmons. Unio contractus. Testa laevi, elliptica, valde compresssi, valde inaequilaterali; postice rubrotundata ; valvulis tenuibus ; natibus depressis, ad apices undulatis 5 epidermide tenebroso-fusca, obsolete radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus parvis, tuberculatis ; lateralibus longis, lamellatis rectisque ; margarita vel alba vel purpurea et iridescente. Hab. Roanoke River, Weldon, N. C. Prof. Emmons. Anodonta virgulata. Testa laevi, elliptica, ventricosa, inaequilaterali, postice obtuse angulata; valvulis subtenuibus ; natibus prominulis, ad apices undulatis ; epidermide vittata, virido-radiata ; margarita cceruleo-alba et iridescente. Hab. Roanoke River, Weldon, N. C. Prof. Emmons : and Washington Co., Georgia. Rev. G. White. [Mareli, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 87 Contributions to the Neuropterology of the United States. No. 1. BY P. R. UHLER. NANNOPHYA Rambur. N. be 11 a. Black, pleura and sides marked with yellow; ■wings with a saturate pale-ferruginous spot at base enclosing a number of round dots of a darker color. Length I inch. Baltimore. June. 9 • Trophi blackish, front white with a large black spot upon the middle, vertex blue, eyes brown, antenucO black : thorax black with a j-^ellow vittaupon the pleura becoming posteriorly confluent with patches of the same color, inter- alary surface maculate with yellow : wings hyaline, a broad, saturate yellowish- ferruginous spot at base occupying about one-third of their surface and enclosing a number of small round dots of a deeper color; pterostigma small, black : legs black, spiny : abdomen black ^nnulated with yellow, caudal tip and appendages also yellow. This beautiful little species, the second only of the genus yet known, differs a little from the type and must be placed in a division which may be charac- terized by having two ranges of discoidal areolets. It is very rare and the male is yet unknown to me. LIBELLULA Lin. 1. L. b i s t i g m a. Lead-blue ; wings with a ferruginous tint upon the costal margin, stigma brown and white. Length 2 inches. Baltimore. June and July. % . Body entirely lead blue ; eyes brown, trophi dusky ; frontal and vertical vesicles dark blue, antennae black, stemmata brownish: thorax medially with a deep longitudinal depression, a sharp carina occupying the middle : wings lacteo-hyaline, costal margins slightly tinged with ferruginous, sometimes extending narrowly upon the tips, stigma bicolored, half brown and half white, membranes narrow, whitish : legs black, anterior ones dusky at base : abdomen trigonal, carinate, tapering towards the tip, cerci subfusiform, sub-acute. The female of this species I have not yet been able to discover, notwithstand- ing it is here very common ; I was tempted to suppose it to be a geographical variety of the species following: however as I have not yet heard that doctrine fully elucidated it seems hardly prudent for me to venture any further sugges- tions upon the subject. 2. L. p 1 u m b e a. Lead color ; pleura with two white spots ; wings with a tinge of ferruginous upon the costal margin. Length 2 inches. Baltimore. July. % . Body plumbeous : labium, base of mandibles, and sides of nasus and front white ; mandibles at tip, labrum, nasus, front and antennae black ; frontal and vertical vesicles dark blue, eyes brown, occiput with two yellow spots be- hind each eye : pleura each with two common white patches, which are divided by black sutures, dorsolum and metapnystega also white, dorsal middle longitu- dinally depressed, but slightly carinated : wings hyaline with a ferruginous tinge upon the costal margin, stigma long, brown : abdomen gradually tapering posteriorly, carinate, iirst and second segments white beneath, caudal segment and appendages black, cerci fusiform, sub-acute. $ . Body pale brown ; head, dorsal line, line between the wings, pleural spots, pectus, sides of tergum and femora, testaceous-yellow; eyes brown, an- tennae black : costal margins and tips of the wings ferruginous : abdomen sub- depressed, tergum with a gradually dilating brown line upon the middle, antepenultimate segment broadly dilated. 3. L. confusa. Fuscous; thorax with two oblique yellow lines upon the pleura, connected with each of which is a pale trigonal spot; wings with a brown basal line, and medial and apical spot. Length 1| iuQhes. Baltimore and Boston. 1857.] 88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 5 . Fuscous : head, with the frontal vesicles above, labium and spots upon the occiput yellow, antennae and connecting line black, eyes brown : pleura with two oblique yellow lines bounding inferiorly a trigonal pale spot, a pale transverse line between the pairs of wings : wings hyaline, at the base a longitudinal line, a spot upon the anterior middle, and another upon the apex, brown, nervules of the spots and intervening surface yellow, pterostigma black : legs pale at base, black upon the tip of the femora and tibiae : abdomen brown- ish, a little depressed, antepenultimate segment a little dilated, a dark line upon the middle, and one each side bright yellow, venter lined with yellow each side, cerci short, subfusiform, acute, inferior appendage same length as cerci. 5 . Differs but little from the 9 in size and coloring ; it may be distinguish- ed from L. pulchella, Drury, — to which it is very closely allied — in the lateral yellow vitta and much larger size of the § : the male always wants the plum- beous abdomen, which is common to L. pulchella. 4. L. s a t u r a t a. Reddish yellow ; head ; thorax dark yellowish-red, pale beneath and upon the sides ; wings humeral portion saturate reddish-yellow, cubital portion hyaline, nervules red, pterostigma red, margined anteriorly and posteriorly by a black nervule ; legs rufous, pale at base, tibial spines black ; abdomen slightly dilated, carinate, trigonate, lateral edge and denticles black ; cerci subfusiform, acuminate, armed with a row of minute tubercles upon the inferior surface, inferior caudal appendage oval, tapering at tip and emarginate. Length 2 inches. San Diego trip. Dr. T. H. Webb. This species is indicated by a mutilated individual only; the head and a great part of the wings and legs are gone, and those parts remaining are in so bad a condition as to render it almost uncharacterizable. It apparently belongs to a group having five rows of discoidal areolets ; the triangle is crossed by four nervules. 5. L. J u 11 a. Fuscous, pubescent; eyes brown, darker below, tips of mandi- bles, line between the antenntB, antennae and pubescence upon the front black, front and occipital spots yellowish ; thorax with the superior, middle-surface and pleura pale fuscous, humerus with a dark-brown longitudinal line; wings hyaline, posterior pair with a trigonal dark-brown spot at base of each, necks of anterior pair tinged with brown, nervules and pterostigma dark-brown, the latter narrow and a little elongated, membranes narrow whitish ; legs with the coxae, tro- chanters and bases of femorae pale reddish-yellow, tibiae and tarsi blackish ; abdomen sub-depressed, slightly carinate above, line upon the middle of the posterior segments and lateral margin black, caudal appendages yellow, cerci short, subfusiform, minutely, serially, granulate beneath. Length 1^ inches. Fort Steilacoom, W. Territory. Dr. Suckley. A species very closely allied to L. trimaculata De Geer. It possesses three ranges of discoidal areolets, and the triangle is crossed by only one nervule. 6. L. as s i m i 1 a ta. Pale-yellow ; head yellowish-testaceous, a black line cov- ering the antennal suture, tips of mandibles and antennae black, front and vertex closely covered with blackish hair ; thorax densely pubescent, pectus pale-tes- taceous ; wings hyaline, tinted with yellow upon the base and humeral margin, costal nervule dotted with minute, black points, pterostigma yellow, margined anteriorly and posteriorly, by a black nervule ; legs black, coxa;, trochanters and inferior surface of the anterior legs, yellowish ; abdomen, almost transpa- rent, yellowish, cerci . Length 1^ inches. Fort Union, Nebraska. Dr. Suckley The three individuals, the only ones that I have had the opportunity of ex- amining, are in such a mutilated condition as to render it very difficult to characterize them properly ; enough, however, remains to indicate their distinct- ness from all the other species that have yet been noticed. They liave three ranges of discoidal areolets to the primary wings, and the triangle is crossed by a single nervule. The three foregoing insects were kindly placed in my hands by Dr. Chas. GLrard, to whom I would embrace this opportunity of returning my thanks. [March NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. OV List of Extinct VERTEBRATA, the remains of which have been discovered m the region of the Missouri river : with remarks on their Geological Age. BY JOSEPH LEIDY, M. D. I. MAMMALIA. RUMINANTIA. 1. Oreodon CuLBKRTSONii, Leidy : Ancient Fauna of Nebrtiska 45. Synonymes Merycoidodon Culbertsonii, Oreodon priscus, Cotylops speciosa. 2. Oreodon gracilis, L. : Ibid. 53. Syn. Merycoidodon gracilis. 3. Oreodon major, L. : Ibid. 55 ; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. viii. 164. Syn. Men/- coidodon major. 4. Agriochoerus antiquus, L. : Anc. Fauna Nebr. 24. Syn, 9 Eticrotaphus Jacksoni. 5. AGRI0CH0ERU3 MAJOR, L. : Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. viii. 164. Syn. fHucrotaphus auritus. 6. PoEBROTHERiUM WixsoNi, L. Anc. F. Nebr. 19. 7. Leptomeryx EviNSi, L. : Pr. A. N. S. vi. 394. 8. Leptauchenia decora, L. : Ibid. viii. 88. 9. Leptauchenia major, L. : Ibid, 163. 10. Protomeryx Halli, L. : Ibid. 164. 11. Merycodds necatcs, L. : Ibid, vii. 90. 12. Camelops kansanus, L. ; Jour. A. N. S. iii. 166. MULTUNGULA. 13. Choeropotamus (Hyopotamus) americanus, L : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 59. 14. Entelodon Mortoni, L. : Anc. F. Nebr. 57. Syn. Archceoikerium Morioni A. robustum, Arctodon. 15. Entelodon ingens, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 164. 16. Titanotherium Prodtii, L. : Anc. F. Nebr. 72; Pr. A. N. S. viii. 92. Syn. Falceotherium Cuv. Prout; P? Proutii, Owen, Norwood, and Evans ; Rhino- ceros ? americanus ; Eotherium americanum, and Palceotheriv.m giganteum. Leidy. 17. Palaeochoerus probus, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 164. 18. Leptochoerus spectabilis, L. : Ibid. 88. 19. Rhinoceros occidentalis, L. : Anc. F. Neb. 81. Syn. Aceratherium. . 20. Rhinoceros (Hyracodon) nebrascensis, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 92. Syn. Aceratherium nebrascense. 21. Mastodon ohioticum. Small fragments of molar teeth. SOLIDUNGULA. 22. HipPARiON ocoidentale, L. : Pr. A. N. S. vii. 59. 23. HipPARiON speciosum, L. : Ibid. viii. 311. Syn. 9IIippodon speciosus, VoiA. vi. 90. 24. Anchitherium Bairdii, L. : Anc. F. Nebr. 67. Syn. Paloeofherium Bairdii. 25. Mebychippus insignis, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 311. RODENTIA. 26. Steneofiber nebrascensis, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 89. 27. IscHYROMYS TYPCS, L. : Ibid. 28. Palaeolagus Haydeni, L. : Ibid. 29. EuMYS elegans, L. : Ibid ; 90. 7 90 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF PINNIPEDIA. yO. ISCHTROTHERIUM ANTIQUUM, L. : Pr. A. N. S. Tlii. 89. • CARNIVORA. 31. Hyaenodon horridus, L. : Pr. A. N. S. vi. 393. 32. Hyaenodon cruentus, L. : Ibid. 33. Hyaenodon crucians, L. : Ibid. 34. Amphicyon vetus, L. : Ibid. vii. 151. Syn. Daphcenus veins. 35. Amphicyon gracilis, L. : Ibid. viii. 90. 36. Machairodus primaevus, L. and Owea : Anc. F. Neb. 95. 37. Deinictis pelina, L. : Pr. A. N. S. vii. 121 ; viii. 91. 38. Leptarctus primus, L. : Ibid. viii. 311. II. REPTILIA. CHELONIA. 39. Testudo nebrascensis, L. : Anc. F. Neb. 103. Syn. Stylemys nebrascensis, ?Emys seu Testudo kemispherica, Oweni, Culbertsonii, et lata. 40. Trionyx foveatus, L. : Pr. A. N. Sc viii. 13, 312. 41. CoMPSEMYS viCTUs, L. : Ibid, 312. 42. Emys obscurus, L. : Ibid. SAURIA. 43. MososAURUS MissouRiENSis, Leidy. Syn. Ichthyosaurus missouriensis, Harlan ; Mososaurtcs Maximiliani, Goldfuss ; etc. 44. Megalosaurus ? (Deinodon) horridus, L. : Pr. A. N. S. viii. 12. 45. Palaeoscincus costatus, L. : Ibid. 46. Trachodon mirabilis, L. : Ibid. 47. Troodon formosus, L. : Ibid. 48. ?Crocodilus humilis, L. : Ibid. 73. 49. Thespesius occidentalis, L. : Ibid. 311. III. PISCES. 50. Clupea hcmilis, L.: Pr. A. N. S. viii. 256. 51. Cladocyclus occidentalis, L. : Ibid. 52. Enchodus Shumardi, L. : Ibid. 53. Saurocephalus lanciformis, Harlan : Jour. Ac. Nat. Sc. iii. 337 ; Med. k Phys. Res. 362. 54. Lepidotus occidentalis, L.: Pr. A. N. S. viii. 73. 55. Lepidotus Haydeni, L. : Ibid. 56. Mylognathus PRiscus, L. : Ibid. 312. Of tlie above list of vertebrate remains tliose of Mososaurus, Cladocyclus, En- chodus, and Saurocephalus were obtained from deposits of tlie cretaceous period. The remains of Deinodon, Palccoscincus, Trachodon, Troodon, ?Crocodilus, and Lepidotus, were discovered by Dr. F. V. Ilayden, in a deposit, on the Judith River, which I have suspected to be of equivalent age with the Wealden formation of Europe. The remains of Compsemys, Emys, and Mylognathus, were found at Long Lake, Nebraska, together with those of Trionyx, the same species of which appears also to be common to the deposit just mentioned of the Judith River. Oreodon, Ayriochccrus, PcubrotUeriumj Lcptomeryx, Leptauchenia, Froiomeryx, [March, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 91 Merycodus, Tilanotherium, Leptochcerus, Hyracodon, Merychippus, Ischyromys, Pa- loeolayus, Eumys, Deiniclis, and Leptarctus are peculiar, extinct, mammalian genera, from the tertiary formations of Nebraska, -wliicb have heretofore been generally viewed as belonging to the eocene period, but which from their affinities, from the associated genera, and the absence of others so common in the eocene deposits of Europe, I suspect rather to belong to the miocene period. The first seven genera, above mentioned, are true ruminants, with the teeth con- structed upon the same type as those of living ruminants ; — a type which is not found in the tertiary deposits of Europe and Asia earlier than the miocene period. EtUdodon, Paloeochcerus, Rhinoceros, Eipparion, Sieneofiber, AmpMcyon, and Machairodus, are common to the Nebraska tertiary deposits and to the miocene and later tertiary deposits of Europe ; and they have not been found in the eocene formations of the latter continent. Of the genera Anchitherium, Hyopolamus, and Ilycenodon, species are found common to the Nebraska tertiary deposits and the European eocene and miocene deposits. Remains of Palceotherium, Anoplotherium, and Lophiodon, so common in the eocene formations of Europe, are entirely absent from the Nebraska tertiary formations. Titanoiherium of Nebraska most nearly approaches the miocene Chalicotherium of Europe and Asia. The Nebraska rodents Ischyromys, PalcBolagus, and Eumys most closely ap- proach the Arctomys, Lepus, and J/ms of European miocene and later deposits. Very numerous remains of Testudo are found in association with the Nebraska tertiary mammals ; and extinct species of the same genus belong generally to the miocene and later deposits of Europe. The remains of Mastodon and Camelops mentioned in the the list, I suspect to belong to the post pliocene age of the upper Missouri country. Ischyr other ium appears to be an animal allied to the llanatus. Its remains are stated by Dr. Hayden to have been obtained from a lignite bed (miocene*) near Moreau and Grand rivers ; but I must leave it to this indefatigable explorer to determine whether it belongs to the same age as the numerous extinct terres- trial mammals of Nebraska. Thespcsius I suspect to be a huge dinosaurian. Its remains are stated to be- long to the lowest member of the lignite formations (miocene) of Grand River. The species of Clupea was discovered by Dr. John Evans, in a tertiary deposit on Green River, Missouri ; but the exact age of this formation I have no means of determining. Investigation on the Rock Guano from the Islands of the Caribbean Sea. BY WM. J. TAYLOR. Though much has been written and published on the Columbian Guano of the Caribbean Sea, which is also termed Phosphatic Guano, native Super- Phosphate of Lime, &c., I have considered the subject not entirely exhausted, and have for some time past been paying especial attention to its composition, and have also endeavored to gather all possible information regarding its occur- rence. To Dr. D. Luther, President of the Philadelphia Guano Company, I am particularly indebted, for his kindness in furnishing me with material for the investigation from the various groups of islands, and for information regarding * Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. viii. 268. 1857.] 92 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP its occurrence. To Dr. F. A. Genth I am also indebted for allowing me to make the investigation in his laboratory. The Guano rock is found on Islands N. E. and N. of the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, and belonging to that Republic ; the islands form groups or keys composed of one hundred or more small islands, inhabited principally and indeed almost solely, by water fowl, who resort there in immense numbers for laying their eggs. Mr. Cassin informs me that the birds are those commonly known as Gulls, Pelicans, and Cormo- rants ; these have been the instruments by which the immense deposits of Guano have been formed. But what the process has been is a problem not yet fully solved. The Columbian Guano is a hard rock, consisting of two distinct portions : the outer exterior crust, consisting of a white, frequently reniform coat- ing, which in places where it is not decomposed has a polished surface not unlike enamel ; it is composed of concentric layers, each of which is about two or more lines in thickness. The entire outer crust forms but a very small proportion of the whole rock ; a carefully selected portion of this has been analyzed, which had not undergone any apparent decomposition, and upon which the enamelled surface was well preserved. In some portions the reniform surface is distinctly marked, and it resembles to a certain extent in its appearance the menilite from Menil Montant near Paris ; the concentric layers composing it are well marked, and when they are fractured or cut across, an appearance is presented not unlike some varieties of agate. The following is the result of analysis : — (I)- 2.0266 grammes ignited lost 0.1640 grammes gave 13.03 per cent. Ag 0.0274 (I Chlorine 0.44 U 11 CaO, SO3 0.0419 i( Sulphuric acid 1.93 11 11 CaO, SO3 1.9965 (( Lime 40.64 11 u 2MgO, PO5 0.1654 (( Magnesia 2.93 11 1( 2MgO, PO5 1.1T53 K Phosphoric acid 37.15 (1 1( (1 u Residi ne 0.0111 (1 Residue 0.55 11 11 11 11 NaCl 0.1231 1( Soda 3.23 u a Loss by ignition, 13.03 per cent. Oxygen ratio, Chlorine, 0.44 " 11 (1 Sulphuric Acid, 1.93 " It et 1.15 Phosphoric Acid, 37.15 " ii i( 20.82 Lime. 40.64 " It i( 11.55 Magnesia, 2.93 " (1 (VIII.) 2.0904 grams, on ignition lost 0.2361 gram Al2 03 BaO, SO3 '< CaO, CO2 " 2MgO, PO5 " Fe203&Al203 2.2904 .8470 0.0248 grams. " 0.066 " " OA101 " " 0.0406 " " 0.0143 " 0.0506 " 1.0153 " " 0.0926 " " 0.0346 " " 1.2520 1.2142 " contained 0.0089 grams. CO2 1.8570 Alumina, Sulphuric Acid, Lime, Magnesia, Iron and Alumina, Silica, Lime, Magnesia, Alumina and Iron, Phosphoric Acid, Carbonic Acid, Oxygen ratio. 11.29 perct. 1.08 " 2.67 " 31.18 " 1.74 " 1.69 " insoluble, " Silica, 5.97 " " CaO, CO2 " Lime, 30.68 " " 2MgO,P05 " Magnesia, 1.79 « " FeaOs AI2O3 " Alumina and Iron, 1.86 " " 2MgO,P05 " Phosphoric Acid, 41.89 " 0.73 '- Alumina and Iron, 1.86 per cent. Oxygen ratio, 0.86 Sulphuric Acid, 2.67 " " " " 1.59 Carbonic Acid, 0.73 " « " " 0.54 Lime, 31.18 " " " " 8.86 Magnesia, 1.74 " " " " 0.69 Phosphoric Acid, 41.89 " " " " 23.25 1.59 Oxygen of Sulphuric Acid require 0.53 of Oxygen of the lime ; 0.53 of Oxygen of the Carbonic Acid require 0.27 Oxygen of the lime, but if there is added to this remainder the Oxygen of the Magnesia there remains 8. 75 Oxygen of lime, which is to the Oxygen of Phosphoric Acid 23.25, about in the ratio of 1 : 2, particularly as the Oxygen of the Alumina requires Oxygen of the Phosphoric Acid, to form a salt with a formula most probably corresponding to that of Wa- vellite as before mentioned. Mr. Richards brought with him also a specimen of the recent alluvial guano, or bird excrement, as it may be justly termed ; he obtained it from a little nook in the rocks, where it was protected from the intense dry heat of the sun and from the action of water. Mixed through it were several birds feathers. As may readily be imagined it had some odor, though not excessively strong. 7.4921 grams, were ignited in a platinum crucible, andgave a very strong and disagreeable odor like burning hair ; it was moistened with carbonate of am- monia and again gently heated, and gave a loss of 4. 0032 grams. ,=53. 83 per ct. 2.1975 (( 2.236 4.0704 1.9997 (IX.) grams, of the ash showed a trace of Alumina. «' 0-2746 grams. BaO, SO3 gave Sulphuric Acid grams. 1.5150 " CaO, CO2 " Lime " 0.0913 " Sand " grams, ignited gave a loss 1.9171 gram. " Ash 1.3858 grams. CaO, CO2 gave Lime 0.2206 0.2100 1.3178 0.0225 0.0164 BaO, SO3 2MgO, POs 2MgO, PO5 Sand Ag Shlphuric Acid Magnesia Phosphoric Acid Chlorine 3.9652 .9857 .9794 grams, loss by ignition 1.9282 gram. " 0.6892 grams. CaO, C02 gave Lime " 0.0085 '• CO2 " Carbonic Acid " 0.1250 " BaO, SO3 " Sulphuric Acid Lime 38.89 per cent. Phosphoric Acid, 42.21 " Sulphuric Acid, 4.29 « Magnesia, 3.77 «' Oxygen ratio. 4.29 38.02 4.83 47.10 38.89 3.79 3.77 42.21 3.25 0.26 48.62 39.12 0.86 4.28 11.05 23.65 2.57 1.50 March. NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 97 2.57 Oxygen in Sulphuric Acid require 0.85 oxygen in Lime, there remains 10.19 oxygen of lime, which, if added to the oxygen of the magnesia makes 11.69, which stands with the oxygen of the phosphoric acid 23.65 near the ratio 2CaO, PO5. A guano rock has recently been brought from a group of Islands called El Roque, in the Caribbean Sea. In composition it resembles very closely that brought from Monk's Island, the specimens that I have analysed, contain how- ever, a much larger quantity of sulphuric acid than has been found in the latter rock. The appearance of the body of the two rocks is also much alike, bat in the specimens which I have seen from EI Roque the exterior ( rust is very different ; it is rarely more than a slight coating ; in some places it has a slight , appearance of the enamel, when examined with a pocket lens; the surface is very irregular, often containing cavities which are lined with the same white coating. It was impossible to obtain sufEcient of this for analysis : the analy- sis of the black portion of the rock was as follows : (X.) 1.8636 grms.loss by ignition 0.1904 grms. water and organic matter 10.22 perct. 1.4609 " 0.3274 grams. BaO, SO3 gave Sulphuric Acid, 7.70 " «' " 1.0066 " CaO, CO2 " Lime, 38 67 " " " 0.1118 " 2MgO, PO5 " Magnesia, 2.75 " " " 0.0116 " Insoluble 0.78 " " " 0.0058 " Fe203 & AI2O3 Iron & Alumina 0.40 " 1.1680 grams 0.7936 gram. CaO, CO2 gave Lime, 38.12 " " " 0.0879 " 2MgO, PO5 " Magnesia, 2.70 " " " 0.7383 " 2MgO, PO5 " Phosphoric Acid, 40.49 " Organic matter and water, 10.22 per cent. Sulphuric Acid, 7.70 Oxygen Ratio, 4.61 Lime, 38.67 " 10.09 Magnesia, 2.75 " 1.09 Phosphoric Acid, 40.49 " 25.93 Alumina and sesquiox- " ide of Iron, 0.40 " Insoluble, 0.78 4.61 oxygen in Sulphuric Acid require 1.54 oxygen in lime; therefore remains 3.55 oxygen in lime which stands with the oxygen of Phosphoric Add 25.93 in the ratio 1 : 3, showing that the phosphate in this specimen consists principally of 3CaO PO5. A specimen containing no organic matter was examined from Testigoe Island, but the rock was very much disintegrated ; it was very porous, and evidently had been acted upon by some causes which were gradually removing all its com- ponents except the silica. In appearance it was largely a sandstone, as the analy- sis showed. The most compact portion of the specimen was selected, which was readily pulverized ; the results of the analysis differ from all the other speci- mens. The following are the results : (XI.) 1.2910 grams, insoluble silica 0.6722 grams. " 0.0085 CaO, CO2 gave " 0.0206 2MgO " 0.8806 grams. 0.1073 loss by ignition 0.8806 grams, insoluble 0.4600 grams. 1857.] " 0.1158 AI2O3 " gave " 2Fe203, 3PO5 0.0318 " " 2MgO, PO5 0.2394 " " 52.07 per cent. Lime, 0.37 K Magnesia, 0.57 (1 Water, 12.17 ti Silica, 52.27 (( Sulphuric Acid trace. Alumina, 13.03 it Phosp. of Iron 3.61 II Phosp. Acid, 17.41 « 98 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Silica, 52.07 per cent. Lime, 0.37 " Magnesia, 0.57 " Water, _ 12.17 " oxygen ratio, 10.81 Sulphuric acid trace Alumina, 13.03 " 6.12 Phosphate of Iron, 3.61 " Phosphoric Acid, 17.41 " 9.81 The Alumina and Phosphoric Acid seem in this to be in the form of wavellite. The guano rock from the various groups of islands has very varying compo- eition, as has been seen from the foregoing investigations ; it is found in layers, and the surface sometimes covered with an alluvial deposit ; these layers are in places highly inclined, showing that since their deposition dynamic causes have' altered their original position. This same phenomenon is described as occurring at the Chincha islands in the Peruvian guano, where it is found in layers two or three yards in thickness. Various theories have been formed and published as to the origin of the rock guano ; these are doubtless premature, as the accounts as to its occurrence are founded on reports of those not accustomed to noting geological phenomenon. Prof. C. IJ. Shepard has, with his characteristic energy, extended his mine- ralogical species to various portions of this rock, which he severally describes* and designates generally as Pyroguanite minerals, and entirely destitute of am- monia ; but examinations made of an average sample of a cargo from Monk's Island showed one-half per cent, of nitrogen. Every specimen which I have examined, has on ignition given very marked evidence of burning organic matter. How this can be retained in a rock subjected to the agency of heated trap is as difiB- cult to reconcile, as that the composition of minerals existing with and forming a part of its mass, as Prof. Shepard describes,* containing water in their composition. Moreover, how can a rock subjected to the agency of heated trap have as its principal basis a salt with the formula 2CaO, HO, PO5 which is the formula ascribed to it by Drs. Piggot and Beckell, of Baltimore, and which seems to be the proper composition of some portions, as shown by analysis of Monk's Island rock (V), though in the analysis of the specimen from El Roque (X) there is obtained the formula, 3CaO PO5. As I have already mentioned, this Guano rock from Los Monges has been called a native Super-Phosphate of Lime, but no satisfactory proofs are given as to its meriting such a name ; phosphoric acid being found in solution after the guano is treated with water is no proof that it exists in a free state. Phosphate of Lime, when recently precipitated, is soluble to a slight extent in pure water (R. Phillips, Ann. Phil. 22,188). Berzelius long since discovered Phosphates of Lime and Alumina in the water and deposits of hot springs at Carlsbad. f That Phosphates are insoluble and must be rendered free before becoming effi- cacious as fertilizers is an erroneous though a very prevalent opinion. Accord- ing to BrischofJ Phosphate of Lime must be regarded as present in all water running into the sea ; it has already been detected in the waters of the Dee and and of the Don, and it will most likely be found in the waters of all rivers. Phos- phate of Lime and Magnesia have also been found in the waters of an artesian well at Wildegg, in the Canton Argan (Switzerland). Phosphote of Lime has been shown to be present in sea water by Clemm^ and by Forchammer.|| According to Berzelius it is the Z>i-phosphate which is found in the mineral waters,^ which is readily soluble in water saturated with carbonic acid. The Basic-Phosphate of Lime is also readily soluble in water containing carbonic acid ; Bischof gives * Am. J. Sci. 12, xxii. 96. f Gilbert's Annalen, Ixxiv. 136. j Chem and Phys. Geology, vol. 2, p. 27 (Engl. edit). I Journ. fiirprakt. Chemie xxxiv. 185. II Berzelius, Jahresbericht xxvi. 393. f Gmelin, vol. iii. p. 195. [March, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 99 a very interesting table of the degrees of solubility of the various basic-Phos- phates of Lime iu water saturated with carbonic acid gas.'-" It is not only in carbonic acid waters that Phosphate of Lime is soluble ; basic-Phosphate of Lime dissolves in 3.150 parts of water, containing one-twelfth by weight of Chloride of Sodium. The presence of Chloride of Ammonium in- creases the solubility still more.* It is probable, therefore, that the solubility of the Phosphate of Lime Guano rock from Los Monges is owing to the presence of the Chloride of Sodium exist- ing in it. By reference to the analyses (II and III), it will be seen thai the Phosphate of Lime dissolved is in proportion to the Chloride of Sodium in the specimens. This will, however, require more detailed examination. Though the rock from Centinella containing so large a percentage of Phos- phoric Acid combined with Iron and Alumina may seem at first worthless as a fertilizer, no positive opinion should be formed or expressed without a very careful investigation of the subject, which I believe has never yet been made. It is true that Phosphate of Alumina is one of the most sparingly soluble sub- stances known, though it is soluble in water saturated with Carbonic Acid, ac- cording to Bischof in about 6.828.000 parts, though in the water of the Carlsbad springs about double this quantity is held in solution, viz : ' t 3-125000. Though the Phosphate of lime is applied to soils, and, as such, taken up by plants, there is no proof that it remains in that form until the plants have need of it; it enters into new combinations, some of which may be quite as insoluble as this Centinella rock. The Phosphate of Lime dissolved by the carbonated waters always found more or less in soils, J is decomposed by alkaline carbonates : the lime would therefore be converted into a carbonate, and a phosphate of the alkali will be formed.^ Bousingault and Levy, Journ. des Debuts, Dec. 5, 1852, found that the air in the insterstices of arable soils contained as much as 22 to 23 times as much carbonic acid as the atmosphere, and when the soil has been recently moistened 245 times as much. Phosphate of lime lying in such a soil would be dissolved in a comparatively short space of time. Carbonate of Iron is present more or less in every soil, and consequently if in a soil the carbonate of iron and phosphate of lime exist, both held in solution by a carbonate of the alkalies, a mutual decomposition may take place||, consequently we may have vivianite formed in the soil : instances are frequent of vivianite in fossils of the green sand of New Jersey,^ but geological ages are not required to produce these changes. M. Jerome Nickles has recognised its presence in human bones, (Amer. Jour, of Sci. vol. xsi. p. 402.) he found in a cemetery at * Chem. and Phys. Geology, vol. ii% p. 28. f (Chem and Phys. Geol. vol. ii. p. 34. JResearches that have been made by Lassaigne, Journ. Chim. Med. 3 ser. iv. 354 ; and Ann. de Chim. et. de Phys. 3 ser. xxv. 346, show that phosphate of lime is conveyed into the plants organism by water saturated with carbonic acid. Dumas (Comptes Rendus, xxiii 1018,) holds the same opinion. I Bischof, Chem. and Phys. Geology, vol. i. p. 13. No. 19. Phosphate of lime dissolved in carbonated water forms Carbonate of Lime, which is precipitated, and alkaline phosphate which remain in solution. II Phosphate of lime dissolved in carbonated waters and proto-carbonate of iron form a proto-phosphate of iron, which is precipitated, and bi-carbonate of lime which remains in solution. (Bischof vol. i. p. 13, no. 20. ^In the green sand of New Jersey, the decomposition is not owing probably to the carbonate of iron, but to the sulphate resulting from oxydation of the iron pyrities. (Bischof, vol. i. p. 14, no. 21.) Phosphate of iron and proto-sulph- ate of iron form sulphate of lime and proto-phosphate of iron,) Similar changes probably result in this guano rock, as in many specimens we find crystals of gypsum recognizable with a pocket-lense. 1857.J 100 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP Eumont a village ia the department of LaMeurthe, the earth of which was very ferruginous, two arm bones of a female, a cubitus and a radius, having a deep bluish green color. On breaking, the alteration was found to be complete, and a qualitative chemical examination proved it to be phosphate of iron. It is to be regretted that a quantitative analysis was not made, to have determined whether all the bone phosphate had been decomposed and the transformation into phos- phate of iron complete. M. Nickles, on examining the medullary cavity with a lens, found among the sinuosities left by the hardened marrow brilliant points which were distinctly crystals of vivianite. The bones were in a perfect state of preservation, and afforded, when treated with hydrochloric acid, a skeleton of gelatine, proving that gelatine does not resist the absorption of the ferrugin- ous compound. Various theories have been formed and published as to the origin of the rock guano ; these are most likely premature, as the accounts as to its occurrence are founded on reports of those not accustomed to noting geological phenomena. The continued and gradual upheaval of islands in the ocean and their depression is a well established geological fact. The islands of the Caribbean sea are very varied, some are quite low and covered with sand composed of fragments of shells, madrepore and corals, which can readily be distinguished with a pocket lens. These sands are resorted to by myriads of waterfowls for laying their eggs. One of the captains who visited there mentions, that it is necessary to make one's way through them with a stick. Other islands attain heights of 800 feet ; it seems improbable that such heights could be created by accretions of guano and sand, when the islands were subject to a continued action of the waves of the ocean. The in- clination and irregularity of the guano layers renders it not improbable that the dynamic causes which produced this distortion, elevated at the same time the islands. It is most probable that the guano rock from some of the islands has been changed in its composition by reactions of the salts contained in sea water, but before such reactions can be fully explained, accurate analyses must be made of this sea water. It is a remarkable fact, that the composition of the ash from the recent guano from the heights of the Centinellarock composed of phosphates of alumina and iron, should have a composition so very near to that of the guano rock from the Los Monges and El Roque islands. The frequent occurrence of alumina and iron is to be remarked in the guano rocks. The upheaval and subsidence of land is caused not only by earthquakes, (Lyell's Principles of Geology, 8th edit. chap, xxxi.,) but by other changes such as are in progress in Sweden and Norway, and in Greenland. The upheaval of islands in the Caribbean Sea may most likely be ascribed lo volcanic action, some of these are within 150 miles from Gaudaloupe. (Lyell's Principles, 33G,) von Buch inclined to the belief, that the volcanic chain of the Andes was connected with that of the West India or Caribbean Islands. The truth of this conjecture has been almost set at rest by the eruption of the volcano at Zamba, in New Grenada, at the mouth of the river Madalena.* The vicinity of the volcanoes may give additional salts to the sea water. Note. — I have just been informed by Dr. Luther, that from analyses lately made in Baltimore of a cargo of rock guano, that has lately arrived from the island of Testigoes, there has been found from forty to forty-five per cent, of phosphoric acid. *Comptes Rendus, 1849, vol. xxix. p. 531. [March; NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 101 April 1th. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. A communication was presented for publication in the Proceedings, entitled : Description of six new species of fresh water and land shells, by Isaac Lea. Referred to a Committee. On leave granted, Dr. LeConte moved that a special vote of thanks be tendered to Dr. Benjamin Vreeland, U, S. N., for his valuable do- nation of Esquimaux Skulls received this evening. Which motion was unanimously adopted. Ajiril I'ith. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. Mr. Lea called the attention of the Academy to the specimen of Unio Spinosus presented by him this evening The inner face of the valve has an arch leading toward the spine, which is probably hollow ; thus confirming the view of the mode of formation of the spine pre- viously stated by him. April 21st. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. A Communication was received from W. J. Taylor, entitled " Ex- amination of a Nickel Meteorite from Oktibbeha county, Miss.," which was referred to a Committee. April 2Sth. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. The Committees on Mr. Lea's paper, entitled " Description of six new species of fresh water and land Shells," and on Mr. Taylor's " Ex- amination of a Nickel Meteorite, &c.," reported in favor of publication. Description of Six new species of Fresh Water and Land Shells of Texas and Tamanlipas, from the Collection of the Smithsonian Institntion. BY ISAAC LEA. Unio Berlandierii. Testa laevi, subelliptica, inflata, postice subrotundata infequilatcrali ; valvulis crassis, antice crassioribus: natibus grandibus, elevatis, tumidis, ad apices minute undulata; epidermide micans, tenebroso-fuscEl, obso- lete radiata ; dentibus cardinalibus magnis, erectis, subcompressis, valde crenu- latis et in utroque valvule duplicibus ; lateralibus longis, crassis, subcurvis lamellatisque ; margarita vel purpurascente vel salmonis colore tincta et irides- cente. Hab. Matamoras, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Luis Berlandier, M. D.* * The collection made by Dr. Berlandier was purchased by Lieut. D, N. Couch, U. S. A., and liberally presented to the Smithsonian Institution. 1857.] 8 102 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP Unio Popeii. Testa laevi, transversa, compresso-cylindracea, ad basim sub- emarginata, valde inaequilaterali, ad latere planulata, postice truncata ; valvulis subtenuibus, antice crassioribus ; natibus parvis, promiuulis, ad apices granu- latis ; epidermide vel tenebroso-oliva vel fusca, olasolete radiata ; deutibus car- dinalibus compressis, erectis, acuminatis crenulatisque ; lateralibus praelongis, lamellatis subrectisque ; margarita vel alba vel salmonis tincta et iridescente. Hab. Devil's River and Rio Salado, Texas. Capt. Pope, U. S. A. Unio Bairdianus. Testa laevi, elliptica, paulisper inflata, postice compressa, valde inaequilaterali ; valvulis subtenuibus, postice crassioribus ; natibus promi- nulis, ad apices concentrice undulatis ; epidermide tenebroso-fusca, obsolete radiata ; deutibus cardinalibus parvis, erectis, acuminatis crenulatisque ; late- ralibus longis, lamellatis subcurvisque; margarita alba, et valde iridescente. Hab. Devil's River, Texas. Capt. Pope, U. S. A. Anodonta Henryiana. Testa lajvi, oblonga, inflata, ad basim et antice com- pressa, subaequilaterali, postice truncata ; valvulis pertenuibus ; natibus depres- sis, planulatis, ad apices minute et irregulariter undulata ; epidermide nitida, vel lutea vel luteo-viridi, obsolete radiata, et vittata ; margarita coeruleo-alba et valde iridescente. Hab. Matamoras, Tamaulipas, Mexico. L. Berlandier, M. D. Helix (Polygyra) Couchiana. Testa superne paulisper elevata, subplanu- lata, inferne subinflata ; nitida, albida, longitudinaliter et subtiliter striata, minute perforata ; anfractibus quinis ; apertura rotundata, quinquedentata ; labro subacute. Hab. Texas. L. Berlandier, M. D. Helix (Polygyra) Tamaulipasensis. Testa superne paulisper elevata, sub- planulata, inferne subinflata, nitida, albida, longitudinaliter et subtiliter striata, minute perforata ; anfractibus quinis ; apertura lunata, tridentata ; labro spis- sato, reflexo. Eab. Texas. L. Berlandier, M. D. Examination of a Nickel Meteorite, from Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. BY WM. J. TAYLOR. This highly interesting and unique meteorite was found in an Indian mound in which excavations were being made in a search for Indian antiquities, in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. It then weighed five and a quarter ounces ; in shape it resembled a hea's egg. When found, there was a fissure which divided it almost equally into two parts. The person who discovered it seeing this, placed it upon an anvil, and with one blow of a sledge-hammer, divided the meteorite. One half was forged, with the intention of manufacturing it into a cutting instrument of some description ; the other remained in its original state; excepting that its exterior was filed smooth and bright. To Dr. William Spillman, of Columbus, Mississippi, I am indebted for the material for this investigation ; he obtained the meteorite from the man who first found it. The unforged half he brought with him on a recent visit to this city, and a portion of which he has presented to the Academy, on the con- dition that it should be carefully cut, so that the surface which formed one side of the existing fissure above mentioned should be preserved and sent to him. It was proposed to have it cut by a lapidary, but he attempted it without success, usin"" diamond dust on the wheel. On making the first incision, about one- eighth to one-sixteenth of an inch in depth, he found it impossible to proceed, and refused to make farther attempts to cut the meteorite. Mr. John Phillips, a fellow member of the Academy, and an amateur machinist, on hearing of our difficulties, kindly offered to saw the specimen, and succeeded admirably, though it was with very great difticulty. He spoke of its peculiar toughness, (the hard- [April, NATURAL SCIENCES OF rHILADELPHIA. 103 ness not bcinr^ excessive ;) it resisted the saw very miuli, wliich rendered the rutting exceedingly tedious, heating the saw to such a degree as to oblige a discontinuance of the operation every four or five minutes, but it was remarka- ble that it did not dull the blade in the least. The toughness of the iron was clearly shown when, for the purpose of analy- sis, it was attempted to cut off portions of it with a chisel ; the excessive tough- ness of the iron rendered this very difficult, without the aid of the saw. The resistance of this meteorite to the action of acids was most remarkable. Strong nitric acid did not act upon it in the cold. Moderately dilute sulphuric acid did not act upon it. Strong and boiling hydrochloric acid acted upon it very gradu- ally. The above named acids failing to show the slightest trace of the Widmann- stattian figures, a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric was used, boiling ; but even after this operation no trace of them could be distinguished. The action of the aqua regia was gradual and peculiar, producing on the polished surface of the meteorite very small holes, varying in size from a pin's point to those as large as a pin's head. From the appearance of the surface of the meteorite, which formed a side of the fissure before described, I hud hoped to obtain by etching beautiful Wi^'mannstilttian figures, as there is on this portion indistinct traces of that which would at first glance be called a crystalline structure. The color of the metal is a silvery grey with a pinkish tinge. Its hardness is not excessive, yielding readily to the file. The tensibility, as before mentioned, was very great. The passivity was proved by testing it with a neutral solution of the sulphate of copper. The specific gravity at 25° Cels., was found by Dr. F. A. Genth to be 6.854, which is too low, but owing to the numerous fissures through the meteorite filled with liraonite, it was impossible to obtain the exact specific gravity of the metal. I used particular care to obtain a portion free from the flaws, but with- out effect. I take this opportunity to express my thanks to Dr. Genth for allow- ing me the use of his laboratory in making the examination. The following is the re? ult of my analysis : 1.9421 grammes were dissolved in aqua regia. 1.4731 J grams. NiO gave of Nickel 59.69 per cent. 1.0452 FezOs It Iron 37.69 0.0221 CuO (( Copper 0.90 0.0072 AI2O3 (( Aluminium 0.20 0.0105 CogOv (( Cobalt 0.40 0.0048 SiOs a Silicium 0.12 0.0069 2MgO, PO5 li Phosphorus 0.10 0.0059 CaO, CO2 C( Calcium 0.09 99.19 The slight loss of eight- tenths of one per cent. I think is owing to some small portions of limonite existing in the minute fissures already mentioned. The 0.10 per cent, of phosphorus correspond to 0.64 per cent, of schribersite, (P. Ni2 Fe4 .) It was first attempted to dissolve in hydrochloric acid, but the action of the acid, even when boiling, was so very gradual that nitric acid was added. I endeavored to separate the nickel and cobalt by Liebig's new method, viz., by precipitating the nickel as a sesqui-oxide, by passing chlorine through an alkaline solution of the two metals in hydrocyanic acid and potash, but it was found not to answer ; the separation was made by his former method by oxide of mercury. The composition of this remarkable meteorite is in itself sufficiently interest- ing for mineralogists, without any attempts to account for its origin, either ter- restrial or celestial. We must remain in doubt as to the exact locality where it was originally found, as it may have been carried by the Indians from a dis- tance to be entombed in this mound, and it may have been considered by them 1857.] 104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF to have a special value, and possibly to possess peculiar virtues, from its being discovered in such a place. May hill. Vice President Bridges in the Chair. Communications were received from Col. J. J. Abert, dated Wash- ington, April 28, 1857, referring to a species of mocking-bird, supposed by him to be new ; and from F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden, M. D., entitled '' Explorations under the War Department : Descriptions of new Cretaceous and Tertiary Fossils, collected by Dr. F. V. Haydea in Nebraska, under the direction of Lieut. Gr. K. Warren, U. S. Top. Engineers, with some remarks on the geology of the Upper Missouri country;" which were referred to Committees, as usual. Mr. Lea stated that he proposed to change the name of Unio um- brosus and Unio W^heatleyi, to U. umbrans and U. Catawbensis, having inadvertently repeated these names in his papers of Feb. 17th and March 10th, 1857. Mr. W. Parker Foulke requested permission to submit to the atten- tion of the Academy some observations of the late Mr. Hugh Miller, printed in his recently published work, entitled " The Testimony of the Rocks." It may be remembered, said Mr. F., that about three years ago T noticed at one of the stated meetings of the Academy, what appeared to me an interesting example of the fallacious use of a generalization — the inference from a term used in one sense, of what could follow from it only when used in another sense. From the fact that the carboniferous rocks lie within the series which geologists, for special reasons, group into one system which they call the " palaeozoic," Mr. Miller had thought himself authorized so far to treat this system as a unity, as to consider it properly characterized as a whole, for the object of his argument, by the carboniferous member ; and thence to infer that the palaeozoic periods together constituted the Mosaic day during which the creation of vegetables took place. No influence had been allowed to the fact that distinctive types of animal organization had been the chief motives for the discrimination between the "palaeozoic "' and "secondary" rocks as two sj^stems ; but the distinction being thus adopted by others, the author had assigned one of the systems entire to the vegetable creation, and the other to that of reptiles. You will remember, Mr. President that, before the time to which I refer, it was a subject of private remark amongst the members of the Academy, that a large portion of the zeal and talent employed in drawing conclusions from the generalizations of discoveries in natural science, was applied to prema- ture inferences, or in disproportionate subordination to incomplete metaphysical inquiries. This evil was not confined to men of one pursuit, or of one school : but it affected eveiy department of " natural science," and of the abstract sciences most nearly connected with it. In geology, as well as in ethnology, philojogy, and general natural history, we had frequent occasion to notice the conflict of unnecessary speculations, and of irrelevant or unseasonable inferences ; and the temporary withdrawal of much mental activity from the legitimate paths of scientific inquiry. The interval is short since the investigations of our day were fairly opened ; and already the necessary subdivisions of labor are so numerous as to demand the most sedulous devotion to each. Yet we saw laborer after laborer diverging from his road to engage upon one or another side of meta- physical controversies, which could not be finally determined except by methods [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 105 proper to the natural sciences ; nor even by these, unless after greater accumu- lation and more accurate generalization of facts than had been accomplished. In the eagerness excited by these controversies, xve also noticed, especially in respect to such as were of a kind to attract popular attention, that there was caused a bias unfavorable to the ascertainment of fact ; and that tlie legitimate uses of actual discovery were thwarted by irregular processes, wliich for the most part were unconsciously adopted, but which were not for tliis reason the less pernicious to the progress of natural knowledge. In these circumstances, the rationale of the methods employed by writers upon natural history or the physical sciences in general, became a peculiarly important subject for the scrutiny of the Academy ; and in formally presenting that subject, I felt assured that my propositions would serve only as the means of concentrating thoughts alreadj" entertained by the members. To give a suitable illustration of the irre- gularity iu question, there were several reasons for selecting the discourse of Mr. Miller, entitled " The Two Records, the Mosaic and the Geological." It had jast been republished in this country; its author was widely known in both hemispheres by his interesting discoveries in the old red sandstone ; and, because of his having written so as to be easily understood by persons not previously skilled in geology, his publications bad been read by probably a larger number of persons than had before undertaken the perusal of treatises on the sarac sub- ject. Moreover, he had written with special reference to several leading con- troversies which engaged the popular attention ; and his works were frequently appealed to with more or less pertinency in relation to the Noachic deluge, the origin of the varieties in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and the geo- graphical distribution of species. He thus served as a medium of communica- tion between the studies of scientific men, and the speculations of the general reader. Lastly, his character and motives were unimpeached ; and thus the force of personal considerations was added to those of learning and judgment. I was careful, Mr. President, to announce at the outset, that what was intended in my criticism had reference to the " logic of the natural sciences ;" but under the comity proper between this Academy and the cultivators of those sciences throughout the world, it certainly did not appear to me necessary to disclaim all design to charge upon any person a wilful misuse of reasoning. Neverthe- less, as a manifestation of the feeding with which the essay of Jlr. Miller was reviewed, I used these words, which were printed in our Proceedings : "The high esteem in which the character of Mr. Miller is deservedly held by readers in the United States, where his writings are widely circulated, and the respectful manner in which his interesting researches have occasioned his name to be mentioned by authors eminent in the department of geology, give to such of his writings as bear upon the biblical question, peculiar importance with reference to the community at large." There was, therefore, no question proposed upon matter of fact, nor any imputation upon the motives of Mr. Miller. My remarks obtained the general concurrence of the members who heard them ; at whose instance, and not at my own, the minute of them made by the Secretary was published with the other proceedings of the evening. Sharing with you, Mr. President, and our fellow members, the profound senti- ment produced in this country by the melancholy scenes which closed the use- ful life of Mr. Miller, I am sure of your participation with me in the surprise and regret with which I have read the following paragraphs, at pages 171, 172 and 173* of "The Testimony of the Rocks." (Mr. Foulke here read the pas- sages referred to.) That a member of this Academy could be permitted to make, against such a man as the lamented deceased, a gratuitous charge of intentional misreprcsenta- /«ow ; and that the charge could be deliberately sanctioned, and printed under your authority and that of the other distinguished gentlemen who were present at the meeting of May 9, 1854 — some of whom are now here — seems so far beyond any license known to a respectable association, that I confess myself at a loss * Boston Edition, 1857. 1857.] 106 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP to find aa acceptable explanation of the credence which has been given to the supposition. I need not say, in this Hall, that the thing is impossible. Mr. Miller is no longer among the living ; the hand of death has removed restraints ■which might have prevented the voluntary proffer of any denial of such an imputa- tion as is implied upon me, upon you, and upon our associates, by the paragraphs which I have read to you. I shall have your and their approval, when I give to the memory of the deceased, as a tribute of respect, the most emphatic dis- claimer of any thought which could impeach the integrity of his motives in the construction of his argument; or which could attribute to him conscious neglect of the rights of others, in that most unfortunate interpretation which he has put upon the Proceedings of this body. Having said thus much towards the dead, let me add a few words in the way of caution to ourselves. Each of us is engaged in some pursuit which touches adversely the opinions, the prejudices, the self-love, perhaps the religious senti- ment of a portion of mankind. Even in what might appear to an uuimpassioned observer the most tranquil of occupations, there arise competitions; and the very love of truth often makes us impatient disputants. We have seen that under a sudden sensibility to a logical criticism, not so phrased as expressly to forbid the meaning erroneously attributed to it, a stranger, with no cause of quarr *, has been supposed by an author of respectable fame to make an accusa- tion of mendacity against him ; and a learned body of established reputation has been believed to have promoted the publication of the charge. To a judg- ment thus unconsciously clouded, see how naturally all that followed became distorted. I had said that the proceeding of the author was " a fallacious use of a generalization made for a purpose, and upon a principle not properly availa- ble for the writer's argument ;" and the author forgetting the distinction be- tween &f(tUacii and a falsehood, and overlooking too the grammatical relation of the parts of the sentence, italicized the words " 7nade for apur2}ose" so that his readers could not avoid the suggestion that it was the '■'■fallacious use" and not the " generalization," which had been mac?e /o?* a j9! brought from Nebraska, stating our doubts and suspicions respecting the age of these deposits, and requesting him to examine very carefully the large water- worn bones from Moreau and Grand Rivers, occurring in what we knew to be the lowest bed of the Lignite basin, and to inform us if he was quite satisfied they are identical with Titanotherium Prouti ; also making enquiries respecting the Eocene or Aliocene affinities of the various new genera of Mammalia described from the Bad Lands of White River by him. Since that time we were much gratified to learn from Prof. Leidy that as much as three or four weeks previous to the reception of our letter, he had arrived at the conclusion, from purely palasontological evidence, that the White River deposits must belong 1« the Miocene epoch. Prof. Leidy has presented his views in regard to the Miocene affinities of the vertebrata from the White River formations, in some interesting remarks ac- companying a complete catalogue of all the organic remains described by him from Nebraska, recently read before the Academy ; a copy of which he has kindly placed in our hands in advance of the regular issue of the Proceedings. From these remarks we extract the following in reference to the fossils from the Wliite River basin : " Oreodon, Agriochoerus Pcebroiherium, Leptomeryx, Leptauchenia, Protom&ryx^ Merycodus Titanotherium, Leptochaerus, Hyracodon, Merychippus, Ischyromys, Pa- Imolagits, Eumys, Dinictis and Leptarctus, are peculiar, extinct mammalian genera, from the Tertiary formations of Nebraska, which have heretofore been generally viewed as belonging to the Eocene period, but from their affinities, the asso- ciated genera, and the absence of others so common in the Eocene deposits of Europe, I suspect rather belong to the Miocene period. The first seven genera above mentioned are true ruminants, with teeth constructed upon the same type [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 121 a3 those of living ruminants ; a type which is not found in the Tertiary deposit.^ of Europe and Asia, earlier than the Miocene period. Entelodon Palceochcerus, Rhinoceros, llipparion, Sleneojiber, Amphicyon, and Ma- ckairodus, are common to the Nebraska Tertiary deposits and to the Miocene and later Tertiary deposits of Europe ; and they have not been found in the Eocene formations of the latter continent. Of tlie genera Anchitherium, ITyopotamus and Hymnodon species are found common to the Nebraska Tertiary deposits and the European Eocene and Mio- cene deposits. Remains of P.rloiolherium, Anoplothrrium and Lophiodon, so common in the Eocene formations of Europe, are entirely absent from the Nebraska Tertiary formations. Titanotherium of Nebraska most nearly approaches the Miocene Chaliocotherium of Europe and Asia. The rodents hchyromys, -Palmolagus and Eumys, most closely approach the Arctomyx, Lrpus and Muh of European Miocene and later deposits. Very numerous remains of Tcstudo are found in association with the Nebraska Tertiary mammals ; and extinct species of the same genus belong generally to the Miocene and later deposits of Europe." From all the foregoing facts, the Miocene age of these White River formations may, we think, be regarded as established, both by paloeontological and strati- graphical evidence. There are, however, many points of interest in regard to the exact parallelism of these deposits with those of the Great Lignite basin, yet unsettled. If it be true that the large bones previously referred to in both basins, do really belong to the same species of animal, it would seem, from the fact that they occur in the lowest bed of each, that the two basins are not merely both Miocene, but exactly on a parallel. If so, it is very difficult to account for the fact that, out of the numerous organic remains hitherto found in the two deposits, not a single species, excepting Titanotherium Prouti* should be common to both ; especially when we bear in mind the fact that the two basins approach to within forty or fifty miles of each other. It is true, several of the Mollusca occurring in the bone bed, or lowest stratum of the Lignite basin, belong to genera only found in salt or brackish waters, and that none but terrestrial and fresh-water types have yet been found in any part of the White River deposits ; thus indicating that one is a lacustrine for- mation, and the other an estuary deposits ; conditions, it is true, not very favor- able to the existence of the same species of mollusca, but hardly sufficient, we think, to account for the fact that all the shells hitherto collected from the lig- nite formations are not merely different species from those described by Drs. Evans and Shumard, from the White River beds, but belong to slightly different types. The entire absence, so far as we yet know, of the fossil plants occurring in such great abundance in the Lignite formations, in those of the White River basin, is also worthy of note ; while the lithological differences between the two deposits are well marked. The latter point of difference will be more obvious on comparing the following section of the Lignite formations taken by one of U3,f at a locality thirteen miles above Fort Clark, on the right bank of the Mis- souri, with the section of the Bad Lands of White River, as given by Dr. Evans in Dr. Owen's Report, page 200. * Since the«e remarks were communicated to the Academy, we have been informed by Prof. Leidy that he now rather suspects the large bones here alluded to belong to a huge Dinosanrian described by him from these beds, under the name of Thespesius. He further states that he had merely referred them provisionally lo Titanotherium Prouti. from their great size, as none of them he has yet seen show even the articulating ex- tremities. t Dr. Hayden. 1857.] 122 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP Section of Tertiary beds thirteen miles above Fort Clark. 30 feet. Ferruginous sandy marl passing downwards into variegated argillaceous grits. B 2 inches. ( Heara of impure reddish lignite. C 10 to 12 feet. Yellowish-gray friable grit, with numerous argillaceous con cretions in horizontal layers, containing beautiful impressions of leaves, like those of PIqtanus, Acer, Ulmus, &c. ;D i 3 inches | Seam of lignite, very much mixed with clay and sand. E 10 feet. Yellowish-gray grit, very friable, and containing argillaceous concretions charged with leaves of same species of plants as above F I 3 inches, j tSeam of earthy lignite 15 feet. Yellow and drab clay and friable sandstone, containing argil- laceous concretions with remains of plants like those above. H I 4 inches. | Dark reddish earthy lignite. 20 feet. Yellow arenaceous grit — very friable — no fossils seen. 15 feet. Alternations of lignite and clay. This bed is variable in thick- ness, as well as in the proportions of the materials, at different localities. Heavy-bedded gray and ferruginous friable sandstone, con- 40 feet. taining Melania Nebrascensis, Paludina muUilineaia, Bulimus Urn- aeiformis, Corbula mactriformis, &c. &c. L 2 feet. Seam of impure lignite. M 4 feet. Gray argillaceous friable grit. ^ 2 feet. Lignite — purest in the section. 6 feet. Bluish-gray clay, slightly arenaceous. P 2 feet. Rather pure lignite. Q Gray Gomi)act, or somewhat friable concretionary sandstone. The bed Q of this section is here only seen at low stages of the river, and then but a few feet of it is exposed above the water line. Near Long Lake, however [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 123 and on the Moreau, the entire bed is exposed, and attains a thickness of about thirty feet. At these latter localities it is seen to repose directly upon No. 5, or the most recent member of the Cretaceous system of the north-west, the upper part of which it so nearly resembles in iis lithological characters that ihe line of demarkation betweeu the two can often be only ascertained by the organic remains characterizing: each. This fact, together with the general resemblance of many of the fossils found in the upper part of No. 5 of our general section to Tertiary types, would have caused us to doubt the propriety of referring this part of that bed to the Cretaceous epoch, were it not for the presence of Scaj)h- ites Conradi, and other well marked Cretaceous forms. From the estuary character of the fossils found in the bed Q of the last sec- tion, {Ci/rena, Oslrca, Melania, &c.,) and the absence of Cretaceous forms, we think there can be little room to question the propriety of referring it to the Tertiary system. The question, however, in regard to its exact position in that system may yet be regarded as a little doubtful, but the weight of evidence is on the side of the conclusion tliat it is Miocene. This conclusion is also borne , out or strengthened by the general relations at other localities between this bed and those above, in which Miocene fossils occur. The preceding section, although not representing all the beds of the great Lignite basin, (there being some higher beds seen at other localities,) gives a correct idea of the composition and general structure of these deposits,* and shows how remarkably they differ in their lithological characters from those of the White River basin, in which fine white argillaceous material so largely predominates, and no lignite or remains of plants have been found. Of the age of the fresh-water and Estuary deposits seen near the mouth of Judiih River, we have refrained from the expression of any very decided opinion, in consequence of the fact that they appear to be mingled by upheavals with a series of sandstones, clays, lignite, &c., which we think belong to the same epoch as No. 1 of our general section. Amongst some of the collections inves- tigated by us from these Judith River estuary and fresh-water beds, and pub- lished in one of our former papers, we found species of Faludina, Corbula, &c., so closely related to shells we had from the Great Lignite basin near Fort Clark, that we were for a time in some doubt about the propriety of considering them distinct. In this upper member of the Judith River formations, great numbers of a small oyster occur along with the fresh-water shells of which we have just spoken. This oyster so nearly resembles a species in our possession from the low- est bed of the last section, obtained at a locality near Grand River, that we have not yet seen any characters by which they can be distinguished. We are also inclined to reg.ird these shells as identical with a sjjecies described by Drs. Evans and Shumard from Grand River, under the name of 0. subtriyonalis. There is also, in the fresh-water beds at the Judith localities, a Unio, which we think the same as a shell found in the Miocene lignite formations on the Yellow Stone. In addition to these facts, a species of Trionyx described by Dr. Leidy, from about the middle bed of the Judith fresh-water deposits, is regarded by that gentleman as identical with specimens from the bed Q, near Long Lake below Fort Clark. Now as this bed Q, of the previous section at the Moreau, Grand River, and Long Lake localities, beyond all doubt, rests directly upon formation No. 5 of the general section, and forms a part of the Great Lignite series, we would not for a moment hesitate in regarding the deposits of which we have spoken, near the Judith, as Tertiary, were it not for the fact that the saurian and fish remains occurring in these beds, as may be seen by reference to Prof. Leidy's remai-ks respecting them, are allied to Wealden and older types. In the midst of evidence of such a conflicting nature, it is of course unsafe to express any very positive opinion respecting the age of these formations. At *It should be borne in mind, however, that the beds of lignite represented in this section vary much in extent, as well . s in purity, at different localilies; some of those seen on the Yellow Stone being as much as seven feet in thickness. At Fort Berihold. on the Missouri, a two foot bed is pure enough to be used as fuel. 1857.] ,24 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF the same time, as we are strongly inclined to the conclusion that they will prove not merely Tertiary, but about of the age of the lowest beds of the Great Lignite basin, or perhaps a little older, we have therefore placed them provisionally along with the Tertiary beds in the accompanying general section of the Ne- braska rocks. In order to give some idea of the nature and order of superposition of the beds of which we have just been speaking, as well as for the sake of comparison with those of the Great Lignite basin, we give below a section taken at the mouth of Judith River, where these beds are least disturbed, and their strata- graphical arrangement can be best seen. Section of Fresh-water and Estuary Deposits near the Mouth of Judith River. A 80 feet. Yellow arenaceous marl passing downwards into gray grit, with small seams of lignite ; contains great numbers of Ostrea siibtric/onalis?, Cyrena occidentalism Melania conveza, &c. &c. B 10 feet. Impure lignite, containing much sand. Ostrea subtrigonalis? and silicified wood. C 80 feet. Alternations of sand and clay, with particles of lignite ; also reddish argillaceous concretions with a few saurian teeth, and fresh-water shells. D 20 feet. Alternate strata of sand and clay, with impure lignite and silicified wood in a good state of preservation. E 100 feet. Variable bed, consisting of alternations of sand and clay with large concretions containing great numbers of Melania, Paludina, Helix, Planorbis, Cyclas, &c. &c., associated with Saurian remains resembling the Iguanodon and Megalosaurus, Trionyx, &c. &c. F 25 feet. Alternations of impure lignite and yellowish-brown clay, the latter containing great numbers of Unio^ Faludina, Melania, Cyclas, and the fresh remains referred by Dr. Leidy to the genus Lepi- dotus. G 100 feet. Ferruginous sand and clay, having in upper part a seam 3 or 4 inches in thickness, nearly made up of shells of Unio. Lower part ferruginous, and coarse gray grit, with a scam near the base entirely composed of remains of Unio Danai, U. Dewyi and U. subspatulata. This section embraces all the deposits, as we believe, seen in the Bad Lands of the Judith, in which land and fresh-water shells are known to occur. They appear, as near as could be ascertained, to occupy a local basin in a series of [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 125 marine deposits, consisting of beds of sandstone and impure lignite, wliich we have regarded provisionally as of the age of No 1 of our general section. Lower down the Missouri, near the mouth of Little Rocky Mountain Creek, this last mentioned series of rocks upon which the fresh-water deposits repose at the mouth of the Judith, is clearly seen to pass beneath No. 4 of the general section ; proving that Nos. 2 and 3 are not represented in that part of the coun- try. As no indications were seen in this region of these latter formations, it is probably they are entirely wanting towards the sources of the Missouri. The deposits above alluded to, (at the mouth of Judith River,) as probably on a parallel with beds seen near the mouth of Big Sioux River on the Missouri, — (forming No. 1, of the Nebraska section,) — are characterized, as stated in one of our former papers, by a group of fossils remarkably distinct from those oc- curring in any of the higher north western formations ; and there remains some doubt as to whether or not they are older than Cretaceous. The presence of the genus Baculites would seem to establish the fact that they belong to the Cretaceous epoch ; while the occurrence in the same hand specimens with these remains of Baculites, of a species of Hettangii, — a genus of bivalves, not known to occur in the old world in newer formations than the Lias, — would, on the other hand, indicate that these beds are older than Cretaceous. For the pre- seijt, however, we express no decided opinion on this point, but content our- selves with the remark, that we are inclined to think they hold a position near the base of the Cretaceous system, and are probably on a parallel with the Neocomien of the old world, though they may be older. The following section, taken near the mouth of Judith River,* will exhibit ap- proximately the lithological characters, and orderof succession of these deposits at that locality. It is not pretended, however, that this section represents all the beds of this series, as others were observed near them, but owing to the dis- tortion and disturbance of the strata, and the unfavorable circumstances under which the observations were made, it was impossible to devote time enough to their examination to collect the means of constructing a connected general section of the whole series. We should also state here that the specimens fur- nishing the data upon which this section, and that of the fresh-water and esta- ary deposits near the same locality, were constructed, although collected some time back, only came to hand since the communication of our last paper. Section op the Older Deposits at the Mouth of Judith River, in the Descbnd- iNG Order. Bed A. — Yellowish and reddish, rather coarse grained sandstone, becoming deep red on exposure, — containing Inoceramus veniricosus, Mactra alta, Car- dium speciosum, S(c., ^c 20 to 25 ft. " B. — Mixed pure and impure lignite — whole bed containing many crystals of selenite, and a yellowish substance like sulphur. The masses of lignite, when broken, reveal in considerable quantities small reddish crystalline fragments of a substance having the taste and appearance of rosin... 6 to 8 ft. " C. — Variable strata of drab clay, and gray sand and sandstone : — upper part containing large numbers of Oslrea glabra. Near the middle, there are gray or ash-colored clavs with very hard bluish gray granular, siliceous con- cretions, containing Hcttangia Americana, Panopcea occidenlalis, Mactra for- mosa, * ■-> IB i" o « ^ ■< H « W H Light colored indurated days, with oceasional beds of sandstone, conglomerate and whitish lime- stone. Great numbers of mammalian and chelonian remains, with a few fresh-water and land shells. — (Bad Lands of White Kiver.) Beds of clay, sand, sandstone, and lignite, containing groat numbers of fresh-water and land mnUusca, with a few marine or estuary shells; remains of plants, Saurians, Tri- onyx. &c. &c.— (Great Lignite Basin.) Sand, sand- stone, clays, and very impure lignite, with lemains of fresh-water, land, and a few estuary shell, Sauri- ans, fishes, Trionyz, &e. — (Had Lands of Judith.) Mauvaises Terres of White River. Great extent of coun- try on both sides of the Mis- souri between Heart and Milk Rivers ; on the Yellow Stone. Bad Land at the mouth of Judith River, &c. &c. Gray and yellowish arenaceous clays, and sand- stones, sometimes weathering to a pink color; con- taining Belemnitella hulbnsa, Nautilus Dekayi, Am- monites placenta, A. Inbatus, Scaphites Conradi, Bieulites nvatus, and great numbers of ol her ma- rine moUusca. Moreau trading post, and under the Tertiary at Sage and Bear Creeks. Vox Hills. Bluish and dark gray plastic clays, containing Nautilus Dekayi, Ammonites placenta, Baculites ovatus, and B. compressus. with numerous other marine mollusca, — remains of Mosasaurus. Great area about Fort Pierre and along the Mis- souri below there. Under No 5, at Sage and Bear Creeks. Great Bend of the Missouri. Near Milk and Muscle shell Rivers. Dark, very fiuf unctuous clay, containing much carbonaceous matter, with veins and seams sele- nite, sulphuret of iron, fish and scales, (local.) Lead gray calcareous marl, weathering above to a yellowish tint. Scales and other remains of fishes — Ostrea congesta — passing downwards into L.ight gray or yellowish limestone, containing great numbers of Inoceramus problematicus, fish scales, and Ostrea coni/esta. Bluffs along the Missouri, below the Great Bend. Ex- tends to Big Sioux River, and occurs along the latter stream. Dark gray laminated clay scales and other re- mains of fishes, small Ammonites, Inoceramus pro- blematieusf, Serpula, small oyster-like O. congesta. Along the Missouri Bluffs, from ten miles above James River to Big Sioux River. Yellowish and reddish friable sandstone, with alternations of dark and whitish clays. Seams and beds of impure lignite, fossil wood, impressions of dicotyledonous leaves; Solen, Pectunculus, Cypri- na. &c. This bed is not positively known to belong to the Cretaceous system. Near the mouth of Big Sioux River, and between there and Council Bluffs. Near Judith River? as Yellow limestone, containing Fusulina eylindrica, Terebratula subtilita, Spirifer Afeusebachanus, Al- lorismn, regxilaris, and other fossils of the coal measures. I'orms shoals in the Mis- souri Kiver at De Soto; 15 to 20 feet exposed at Council Bluffs, at low stages of the river. [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 129 The position and vertical range of such fossils as are known to be common to the North West and New Jersey, in the foregoing general section of the Nebraska rocks, clearly establishes, as stated in our paper communicated to the Academy in November last, that formations No. 4 and 5 of the North West, are on a parallel with the beds b. c. d. and e. of the New Jersey serief. After a careful reviewiof the subject, we are now satisfied that the parallel- ism of these beds may \ be more closely drawn, or in other words, that the second green sand bed of the New Jersey section rejjresents No. 5 of Nebraska, and that No. 4 of the latter region is on a parallel with the beds c. d. and e. of New Jersey. At the same time the identity of No. 1 of the North West, with the beds com- posing f. of the New Jersey section, is scarcely less apparent. It is true tbig latter opinion rests mainly upon stratigraphical and lithological evidence, yet these points of analogy are so strong as to possess great weight. In order that this may be better understood and appreciated, we quote below from notes taken by one of us''*' in 1855, a description of an exposure of No. 1 seen on Big Sioux River, which will show, by comparison with the New Jersey section, the striking resemblance between the beds holding a position at the base of the Cretaceous formations at these distantly separated localities. " Six miles above the month of Big Sioux River we have an exposure of impure lignite about 12 inches in thickness, underlaid by alternate layers of sandstone, loose clay, yellow and ash colored arenaceous clays, and fine whitish clay. The strata containing clay have quite distinct impressions of leave?. which appear to have belonged to dicotyledonous trees. We have also, near the base of the exposure, some fine impressions of leaves in dark tough gray, siliceous, concretionary rock. Much pyrites and fragments of fossil wood occur in these beds." The points of analogy between these lower deposits (No. 1) of the norih-weet, and formation f at the base of theNew Jersey section, as well as with an extensive series of deposits holding the same position in Alabama, (formation E of the Alabama section,) and throughout a great area of country in Arkansas, Tesae, and New Mexico, will be more fully illustrated by the following section taken in north-eastern Kansas, where this series appears to be more extensively de- veloped than at any localities known to us in Nebraska. For this section, as well as much other interesting and important information respecting the geology of the country surveyed by him, we are indeb'ed to the kindness of Major F. Hawn, formerly of the geological survey of Missouri, but now connected with the lineal survey of portions of Kansas Territory. We give it exactly as communicated to us by him, excepting that we have thrown it into a tabular form, and added columns showing the parallelism of the beds with those of New Jersey and Nebraska. To those acquainted with Major Hawn, it is unnecessary for us to say he is a careful conscientious observer, whose state- ments are worthy of the fullest confidence. The beds represented in this section were not all seen at any one locality, but their thickness, composition and order of succession were determined from ex- aminations made at numerous exposures in the country east of the sixth prin- cipal meridian, between the northern boundary of Kansas and the Republican fork of Kansas River. * Dr. Hayden. 1857.] 130 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Sections of the rocks in North Eastern Kansas, (above the coal measures'). By Major F. Hawn, U. S. Dep. Surveyor. a. b. c. d. e. r h. i. J- k. 1. m a 45 feet 27 feet. 25 feet. 90 feet. 10 feet. SUBDIVISIONS. 6 a Z £ h < 53" Light gray limestone with Inoceramus proLlematicus and other Cretaceous fossils. s a c s o o .s No. 3. (lower part.) a >, a 1 Slope strewed with light gray calcareous concretions. No. 2y Uard concretionary dark ferruginous sandstone, containing fo^sil wood, and impressions of leaves resembling those of the common willow. a _o >^ >-s & o a o a 1 a o Slope with numerous large rounded blocks thinly laminated sandstone. White very fine grained soft calcareous sandstone. 8 ft. 12 feet. 28 feet. 50 feet. ,- oft thinly laminated dark blue clay. White clay, stained in spots with oxyd of iron. Slope with large irregular blocks of hard dark ferruginous sand- stone, contiining large quantities of fossil wood and leaves, like those of Qmrcus alba. Soft coarse buff sandstone, rapidly disintegrating where exposed. 30 feet. Light blue clay. 14 feet. 60 feet. 48 feet. Slope strewed with rectangular blocks soft, dark brown, fine grained sandstone. Slope, upper part covered by loose flags of dark ferruginous con- glomerate, composed of coarse sand and small silicious pebbles. Light gray and buff irregularly stratified silicious limestone, pro- bably of Carboniferous age. The similarity between the beds from c. to 1. inclusive, of the above section, and formation f. of the New Jersey series, when taken in connection with their position in relation to the higher formations, is too obvious to leave much room to doubt that they belong to the same horizon. Mr. Henry Pratten, of the Geological Survey of Illinois, to whose liberality we are indebted for a full abstract of notes taken by him on the geology of the country along the California trail between Fort Leavenworth and San Francisco, informs us that he met with the lower members of the Nebraska section at seve- ral points along Platte River, above Fort Laramie. No. 1, he says, as in portions of north-eastern Kansas, and on the Missouri below the Big Sioux, reposes directly [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 131 upon upper Carboniferous strata, and presents its usual characters, excepting that the beds of sandstone are more frequently white. lie did not see No. 2 well exposed, its place in the series being usually occupied by a slope. Above this, however, he saw the lower beds of No. 3, presenting their usual lithological characters, and containing the fossil everywhere marking this horizon, (Inoce- ramus problematicus. )* Mr. Hawn writes us, he has been informed by an intelligent Deputy Surveyor, that the formations represented in his section, especially the beds below the upper limestone, were seen by him at intervals along the sixth principal me- ridian, as far south as his survey extended, or to the fifth standard parallel, near the Arkansas River. Exactly similar deposits were observed by Dr. George B. Shumard in the vicinity of Fort Washita, and the Cross Timbers in northern Texas. He de- scribes these formations as consisting of " grayish yellow sandstone, with in- tercalations of blue, yellow and ash colored clays, and beds of white and bluish- white limestone. The limestone reposing on the clays and sandstones." (See Capt. Marcy's report of Explorations on Red River, page 181.) In one of the upper beds of this series Dr. Shumard found, along with several new species of Cretaceous fossils, some of the same shells collected by Dr. Roemer from similar depv.sits at New Braunfels, and other localities further south in Texas. He likewise collected from the same beds, species identical with some of those found in the same position by Mr. Marcou at Pyramid Mountain, in New Mexico, thus establishing the parallelism of the formations at all these localities.! A section of these deposits taken by Mr. Marcou at Pyramid Mountain, near the Llano Estacado, (Bulletin Geol. Soc. France, Tome 12, p. 878,) corresponds remarkably in its general features with Mr. Hawn's section already given, of these formations in north-eastern Kansas. The identity of composition and order of succession of the various beds represented in these sections, can scarcely be due to accident, but points rather to the conclusion that they were deposited at the same time in the same ocean. For the sake of comparison we give below, in a tabular form, Mr. Marcou's section of Pyramid Mountain, with columns showing the parallelism of the various beds with the formations in Nebraska, Kansas, New Jersey and Alabama, as well as his views respecting the parallelism of the same with formations of the Old World. * Since these remarks were written, I have received with deep regret the sad news of Mr. Pra'ten s death. In making this announcement, it affords me a mel incholy pleasure to bear witness t p his merits as a man and a devoted cultivator of natural science. Along with all the artless simplicity of a child, he possessed an intellect of no ordinary powers ; while his studious habits and untiring perseverance, aided by a wonderful memory, had enabled him, under circumstances far from propitious, to acquire an amount of knowledge in various departments of science, of which the most favored might be proud. Perhaps no person now Uving possesses a better knowledge of the western carboniferous fossils than he did; and yet this was only one of several branches of science to which he had devoted many years of his life. His quiet habits and unpretending manners, however, had to a great extent prevented his real merits fr.im being duly appreciated outside of a comparaiively limited circle of personal acquaintances. With all, and better than all, his other qualities of head and heart, Mr. Pratten was a high minded, honorable man. F. B. M. 1 1 am under obligations to Dr. B. F. Shumard for a few specimens of fossils collected by his brother from these formations in Texas. F. B. M. 1857.] 132 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP Section of the Formations at Pyramid Mountain^ New Mexico. Subdivisions. 5or6ft.| White, very compact silicious limestone. 5 or 6 ft.| Hard, deep yellow gritty limestone. 30 feet. 25 feet. Bluish-gray clay of subschistose structure, containing near the base a species of Gry- pfuea and Ostrea, (referred by Mr. Marcou to G. dilatata and 0. Marshii.*') Fine grained, white sandstone, disinte- grating rapidly where exposed. 80 feet. Hard, fine grained sandstone of a light yellow color, forming perpendicular escarp- ments. 8 feet. I White, fine grained sandstone. 200 ft. Alternations of red, green and white marly clays. CO No. 3, lower No. 2. Mr. Marcou does not mention the occurrence of Inoceramus problematicus in the limestone (a) of his section at this locility, but it has been found in this position at various localities in the south-west by others, as stated in our last communication. From the facts given by him, there is also scarcely room for a doubt, but the specimen of Ostrea congesta, we mentioned seeing in his col- leetionf (Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sci. November last) from Galisteo, was either found in this bed or the clays immediately below it, {b of his section,) in both of which deposits it occurs in Nebraska. As Pyramid Mountain is but an isolated portion, left by the denudation of the surrounding strata, of a great elevated plateau known as the Llano Estacado, which occupies a vast area of country in western Texas and New Mexico, it is highly probable the beds composing Mr. Marcou's section are widely distributed • We think these identical with species found by Dr. George B. Shumard at Fort Washita, Texas, where they appear to hold the same geological position, and are asso- ciated with Ammonites vesperlimis (Morton.) Dr. B. F. Shumard has correctly, as we believe, referred the first to (iryphcBa Pitcheri (Morton), and described the laiter as « new specie*, under the name of Ostrea suhovate. (See Capt. Marcy's Report Explorations Red River, page 205 — Appendix.) We are almost willing to hazard the opinion, that these species will yet be found in Southern Nebraska, or north-eastern Kansas, in forma- tion No. 2 of the Nebraska Section. t In alluding to this fact in our last paper, we inadvertently omitted to mention that the specimen seen by us is in the possession of Prof Hall, by whose permission we referred to its occurrence at that locaUty. [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 138 over the far south-west. This conclusion is also borne out by the statements of Capt. Marcy and other explorers of that region. The facts given by this gentleman and Dr. G. G. Shumard, likewise point to the conclusion that the great gypsum deposits of the south-west hold a position equivalent to No. 2, or the upper part of No. 1 of the Nebraska section. From all the facts, we are led to believe, as stated on a former occasion, that the divisions No. 4 and 5 of Nebraska, and their equivalents in New Jersej' and Alabama, are entirely wanting, or but meagrely represented, throughout the south-west; and that No. 2 and No. 3 are the main fossil-bearing strata of that region ; while No. 1, which there as in the north-west and in Alabama, rei)0ses on Carboniferous strata, attains a much greater development than in either of those countries. Conclusions. Ist. We have no evidence that any of the Tertiary deposits now known in Nebi-aska are older than Miocene. 2d. The estuary and fresh-water deposits at the mouth of Judith River are probably on a parallel with the lowest bed of the Great Lignite basin, though some portions of them ~iay be so.mewhat older. 'dd. The Great Lignite basin and the Mauvaiies Terres of White River, though probably both Miocene, are not exactly on a parallel. Ath. We have in Nebraska a more complete series of Cretaceous formations, and consequently a better standard of comparison for rocks of that age, than is yet known to exist in any other portion of this country. bth. The formations in New Jersey and Alabama generally referred to the Cretaceous system, are on a parallel with the iqjper and lower members of the Nebraska section, (No. 1, 4 and 5 ;) while nearly, if not quite all the main fossil- bearing deposits older than Tertiary, and newer than Carboniferous, in Kansas, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico, are on a parallel with the middle and lower portions of the same. Qlh. Although the beds No. 2 and 3 of the north-west, are extensively de- veloped, and probably the principal fossiliferous Cretaceous deposits of the far south-west, we have up to this time, no evidence of their existence east of the Mississippi. Consequently the marked typical differences observable between most of the Cretaceous fossils hitherto found in the south-west, and those characterizing the upper Cretaceous formations of Nebraska, Alabama and New Jersey, are not wholly due to the fact that they belonged to different zo- ological districts ; nor yet, as might be supposed in regard to the Nebraska and New Jersey species, to the modifying effects of physical conditions dependent on latitude ; but mainly to the fact that they belong to another geological hori- zon, and consequently lived during a different epoch. 7th. There is at the base of the Cretaceous System, at distantly separated localities in Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Alabama and New Jersey, if not indeed everywhere in North America where that Sys- tem is well developed (at any rate east of the Rocky Mountains), a series of various colored clays and sandstones, and beds of sand, often of great thickness, in which organic remains, excepting leaves of apparently dicotyledonous plants, fossil wood, and obscure casts of shells, are very rarely found, but which every- where preserves a uniformity of lithological and other characters, pointing unmistakeably to a similarity of physical conditions daring their deposition, over immense areas. 8th. Although the weight of evidence thus far favors the conclusion that this lower series is of the age of the lower Green Sand, or Neocomien, of the old world, we yet want positive evidence that portions of it may not be older than any part of the Cretaceous System. 1857.] 10 134 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW FOSSILS.* Ptychoceras Mortoni. Shell small and thin, elongate cylindrical ; larger half, or body, very slightly tapering, apparently rounded on the dorsum, and concave along the inner side for the reception of the slender smaller half. Surface ornamented by rather strong annular costae, which are less prominent, and somewhat irregularly divided on the body, and bifurcate occasionally on the smaller part ; dorsum of the slender half ornamented by two rows of very small nodes, arranged upon the costae ; fine indistinct lines of growth mark the shell parallel to the ribs. Aperture, septa, and siphuncle unknown. Length (of specimen imperfect at the aperture, and apex of smaller portion) about 1 inch; breadth -26 inch ; diameter of slen- der part -12 inch ; do. of body -17 inch. This shell is about the size, and has much the general appearance of a species described by Dr. Morton from the deep cut of the Chesapeake and Dela- ware canal, under the name of Hamites annuUfer (Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 8, pi. xi. fig. 4,; but differs from his figure in having bifurcating instead of simple costae. It is possible, however, that they may not be distinct, though it is hardly probable so important a character as the bifurcation of the costae would have escaped the attention of so close an observer as Dr. Morton. Judging from the nodes seen along the dorsum of the smaller portion of our shell, it appears probable similar or stronger nodes may have existed along the outside of the body, or larger half; if so, it must have differed materially in this respect from Dr. Morton's species. When entire our specimen must have been not less than 1 J to 2 inches in length. Dedicated to the lamented Dr. George Morton of Philadelphia. Locality and position. Great bend of the Missouri, formation No. 4. of the series. Serpula? tenuicarinatds. Shell growing in groups, or rarely single, slightly compressed-cylindrical, increasing very gradually in size, irregularly curved or flexuous, not spirally coiled; attached by one side nearly the whole length; having a distinctly elevated, linear carina along the upper side ; surface sometimes very obscurely undulating transversely, otherwise smooth. Length unknown; transverse diameter about .14 inch. As we have no perfect specimens of this fossil, it is with some doubt we refer it to the genus Serpula. It appears to have no internal septa as in Ver- ■meius ; and we have seen no indications of an operculum as in Vermicularia ; consequently we place it provisionally in the genus Serpula. Locality and position. — Mouth of Vermillion River, on the Missouri, formation No. 2 of the series. VlTRINA OBLIQUA. Shell obliquely oval ; spire much depressed ; volutions four to four and a half, first two or three increasing rather slowly in size, last one ventricose and rapidly enlarging, prominent below ; suture distinct ; aperture circular ; surface unknown. Greatest transverse diameter .64 inch ; height .50 ; diameter of aperture .ST inch. Having seen only internal casts of this shell, we are in some doubt about its generic relations ; as its associates, however, belong to land and freshwater genera, and its form agrees very nearly with that of Vitrina, we place it pro- visionally in that genus. It resembles a species described by Reuss and Von Meyer, under the name of V. intermedia from the Tertiary Lacustrine deposits in the north of Bohemia, (see Tert. Siiss. pi. 1 fig.) but has more volutions. Locality and position. Mouth Judith River, bed E of the section of freshwater and estuary deposits at that place. * lllustrationg to be published hereafter in Lieut. Warren's Report. [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 13 5 Helix occidkntalis. Shell thin, rather small, depressed nearly orbicular; volutions four, convex above, proniiuent, or almost subangular a little above the middle of the outside, gibbous below, most convex near the umbilicus ; surface ornamented by regular rather strong oblique lines of growth; suture well defined; umbilicus deep, less than one third the transverse diameter of the shell, exhibiting most of the inner volutions ; aperture round oval, modified slightly by the succeeding whorl ; lip sharp, not reflexed. Greatest transverse diameter .33 inch; height .21 inch ; greatest diameter of aperture .16 inch. This neat little Helix is more nearly related to the recent H. strialella of An- thony than to any other shell we have seen figured, but is larger, has a smaller umbilicus, and appears to be more strongly striated. iMr. Anthony says the umbilicus of IT. striateUa is not equal to the body whorl. In the species before us, it is scarcely half equal to the body volution near the aperture. Locality and position. Same as last. Helix vitrinoides. Shell subglobose; spire elevated; volutions about four, convex, increasing rather rapidly, last one somewhat ventricose, contracted a little near the lip ; suture distinct; umbilicus very small or closed; aperture oval or ovate; (lip reflexed?) ; surface unknown. Height .37 inch ; breadth .44 inch ; greater diameter of aperture .27 inch ; smaller do. .20 inch. Of this species wc have only seen internal casts, and consequently know nothing of its surface markings. Judging from the slight contraction of the body whorl of the cast near the aperture, it is probable the lip was thickened and reflexed. Locality atid position. Same as last. Planorbis tenuivolvis. Shell planiorbicular ; spire flat or nearly so ; volutions six to six and a half, extremely narrow and closely embracing ; increasing very gradually, scarcely one-third as broad as high, rounded above, prominent, or almost subangular round the outer margin, from which they round obliquely down- wards and inwards towards the umbilicus, near which they are more prominent or subangular; suture well defined; umbilicus deep, acutely conical ; equal- ling about one-third the greater diameter of the shell, and exhibiting the vo- lutions quite to the apex of the spire ; surface and aperture unknown ; section of volutions extremely narrow and strongly arcuate. Greater diameter .15 inch ; height .OG inch. This remarkably delicate little shell resembles the following species (P. am- plexus) more than any with which we are acquainted ; it differs, however, in having much narrower and more closely wound volutions ; about the same number being present in specimens measuring not much more than one-third the transverse diameter of that shell. Locality aiid position. Same as last. Planorbis amplexus. Shell planorbicular ; spire flat, or nearly so ; volutions six, closely em- bracing, narrow, very gradually increasing, nearly twice as high as wide, rounded on the outside, subangular round the umbilicus ; surface marked by lines of growth, which pass round very obliquely backwards from above to a point below the middle of the outer part of the whorls, where they are again directed slightly forwards, so as to indicate the presence of a broad, undefined sinus, below the middle of the outer lip ; aperture unknown, umbilicus conical, deep, less than half the greater diameter of the shell, exhibiting the inner whorls. Greatest diameter .39 inch ; height .25 inch. This species bears some resemblance to our P. convolutus (Proceedings Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 8, p. 1 20,) but has from one to one and a half more volutions, which 1857.] 136 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF ai-e much narrower and more embracing. The spire also differs ia being flat instead of convex, as in P. convolutus, and the umbilicus is much deeper, narrower and more defined in the species before us. Locality and position. Bed C of the section of freshwater and estuarj deposits at mouth of Judith River. Planorbis fragilis. Shell rather large, very thin, nearly planiorbicular ; (spire much depressed or flattened ?) ; umbilicus large, deep and exhibiting all the whorls to the apex of the spire; volutions five or six, (much depressed or flat above?) prominent below, rounded on the lower outer side, subangular round the margins of the umbilicus ; (periphery angular ?) ; surface marked by rather faint lines of growth. Greatest diameter 1.23 inches ; height about .40 inch. As we have seen oilly imperfect specimens of this shell, we thiijk the above description may have to be modified somewhat when better specimens are obtained. In those we have seen, the volutions appear to have been nearly flat or much depressed above, in consequence of which the outer side of the whorls is distinctly angular. This character, however, and the remarkable flatness of the spire, may be, at least to some extent, caused by pressure. Locality and position. — Fort Berthold on the Missouri River, ia Lignite Tertiary basin. Melania scbtortuosa. Shell conical screw-shaped ; spire not much elevated ; volutions about five, very convex, distinctly angular round the middle, increasing rather rapidly from the apex ; suture strongly defined, in consequence of the prominence of the angular whorls; surface and aperture unknown. Length 29 "inch ; breadth •21 inch ; apical angle regular, divergence 47°. The angular form of the whorls is so conspicuous a character in this species, that it will be at once known from all its associates, and indeed from all the Nebraska species we have seen, by this character alone. It bears considerable re- Bemblance to M. tortuosa of Anthony, (An. Lye. Nat. Hist., N. Y. vol. 6,) a recent species, but has a shorter spire, and not so many volutions. It is, perhaps, nearer in form to M. acuio-carinata of Lea, but may be distinguished by its more distinctly angular body whorl ; the angle on Mr. Lea's species being only well denned on the spire. Locality and position. Mouth Judith River, bed C. of the section of fresh- water and estuary deposits at that place. Melania omitta. Shell small, very slender ; spire elongate conical, acute at the apex ; volutions about seven, flattened, or very slightly convex, increasing very gradually from the apex; suture linear, not deeply impressed ; surface and aperture unknown. Length -42 inch; breadth -12 ; apical angle regular, divergence 23°. Although we have seen neither the aperture nor surface markings of this little shell, we have ventured to characterize it, believing its slender form alone will serve to distinguish it from any of the other species with which it is as- sociated. Locality a?id position. Mouth Judith River, in layer of pebbly sandstone of bed G? of the fresh-water and estuary deposits at that place. Melania sdbl.'evus. Shell elongate conical; spire elevated (acute at the apex?); volutions (about seven?) very depressed convex; suture rather distinctly defined ; surface appa- rently smooth, but when examined with a lens is seen to be marked by fine obscure lines of growth, crossed by extremely fine, nearly obsolete revolving striae; aperture ovate, angular above; columella and outer lip nearly equally [May, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 137 arcuate; pillar faintly sinuous below. Length about 1-04 inch; breadth -38 inch ; apical angle slightly concave, divergence 24". This species will be known from all the others we have seen in the Nebraska formations, by its slender spire, and slightly concave sides. It is also propor- tionally longer than any Nebraska species known to us, excepting our M. con- vexa, (Proceedings of the Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 8, p. 125,) from which it may be at once distinguished by its depressed convex, instead of flat, volutions, more defined suture, finer revolving lines, and more slender spire. Unfortunately none of our specimens are quite perfect enough to show the number of volutions ; one specimen consists of five turns of the spire, and, judging from the appear- ance of the broken apex, there were probably about two more. Locality and position. Bad lands of Judith River, bed G. of Fresh-water and Estuary formations at that place. Melania invendsta. Shell conical ovate; spire moderately elevated ; volutions about seven, very slightly convex, increasing rather slowly from the apex; suture linear, not much impressed ; surface marked by obscure lines of growth crossed by fine irregular rather indistinct revolving lines, a few of which, just below the suture, are larger than the others; aperture ovate; outer lip faintly sinuate above, rather prominent below the middle inner lip reflexed upon the imperforate columella, at the base of which it is broadly sinuou3. Length -90 inch ; breadth -37 inch ; apical angle regular or a little convex, divergence 32°. This shell is nearer our M. Ncbrasccnsis, (Proceedings of Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 8, p. 124,) than any of the Nebraska species known to us, but has about one more volution, and is uniformly more slender, the body volution being propor- tionally much smaller. From M. sublcevus of this paper and any of the varieties of our 31. convexa with which it is associated, it may be known by its much less elongate form, and more obscure surface markings. It appears to be about intermediate between our M. convexa and M. N'ebrascensis, but quite distinct from both. Localitij and position. Bad Lands of Judith River, bed A. of the section of frtsh-water estuary strata at that place. Melania Warrenana. Shell small, somewhat acutely conical ; spire rather elevated, pointed at the apex; volutions about seven and a half, depressed convex, closely wound and increasing gradually from the apex, last one sub-angular round the middle ; suture distinct; surface apparently smooth, or only marked by very faint lines of growth ; aperture broad ovate, obtusely angular above ; outer lip very faintly and broadly sinuate above; columella arcuate, rather faintly sinuate below. Le