Histoire pratique des Sangsues. Par Joseph Martin. Nouvelle classification des Mouches a deux ailes (Diptera, Lin.) Par. J. L. Meigen. Coléopteres du Mexique. Par A. Chevrolat. 8 Livs. . Monti. Ittiologia della Provincia e Diocesi di Como. Joseph Langsfeld. Beschreibung der Bandwurme. Histoire naturelle des Papillons. Par M. O. F. Constant. Historia fisica y politica de Chile. Par Claudio Gay. Texte 8vo. 50 livs., planches folio. 21 livs. June 4th. Memoires de la Société de Physique et d'hist. nat. de Genéve. Vol. xii. pt. 1; and 1st and 2d supplements to same. From the Society. 4to. Dr. Wilson presented the following on the usual condition :Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Vols. 1 to 13. Transactions of the Geological Society of Cornwall. Vols. 3, 4, and 5. 8vo. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Vols. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 to 18. 4to. Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vols. 1 to 10. 8vo. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London. Vols. 1 to 19, and index to Vols. 1-10. 8vo. Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science. 1st and 2d series. 3 vols. 8vo. Edinburgh Journal of Science: conducted by David Brewster, LL. D. Vols. 1 to 9. 8vo. Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. Vols. 1 to 3. 8vo. A Monograph of the Testudinata. By Thomas Bell. No 8. Folio. Fortpflanzungsgeschichte der gesammten Vögel. Von F. A. L. Thienemann. Pts. 5 and 6. The London Athenæum for April, 1849. 4to. The Analyst: a monthly magazine of Science, Literature and the Fine Arts. Vols. 1-10. 8vo. Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland. 2 vols. 4to. Transactions of the Bombay Literary Society. 3 vols. 4to. An Index to the Anatomical and other papers of the Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 4to. Addresses to the Geological Society of London for 1832, '36, '37, '38, and '42. 8vo. Records of general Science. By Robert D. Thomson, M. D. 4 vols. 8vo. The Journal of Science: conducted by- Brande. 1st, 2d, and 3d series. 32 vols. 8vo. June 11th. Report of Prof. Bache, showing the progress of the U. S. Coast Survey for the year ending October, 1849. From Mr. Moss. Boston Journal of Natural History. Vol. 6. No. 2. 8vo. From the Boston Society. Bibliotheca helminthologica: edita ab Adolpho Modeer. 8vo. Deposited by Dr. R. E. Griffith. F. C. Leffers Testaceo-theologia. 8vo. From the same. Theophrasti de historia plantarum libri 8: de causis sive generatione plantarum libri 6. Theodori Gaza interprete. Folio. From the same. H. J. Bytemeister Bibliothecæ appendix, folio 1735. Nummotheca atque rariora Becceleriana, &c., D. Rud. Capello P. P. edita. From the same. June 18th. Dr. Wilson presented the following on the usual conditions: Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Vol. 5. 2d series. No. 28. Conchologia iconica. By Lovell Reeve. No. 84. Phycologia Britannica. By W. H. Harvey, M. D. Part 47. Zeitschrift fur Malakozoologie. Nos. 10, 11, 12. 1849. Études sur les Echinides fossiles du Departement de l'Yonne. Par M. Gustave Cotteau. Livs. 1, 2, 3. De animalibus quibusdam e classe Vermium Linnæana, in circumnavigatione terræ auspicante Comite N. Romanzoff duce O. De Kotzebue an. 1815-'18 peracta, observatis A. de Chammisso. No. 1. 4to. Histoire naturelle, gen. et partic. des Mollusques. Par M. de Ferussac; continue par G. P. Deshayes. Livs. 35 et 36. Folio. Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester. Vols. 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. Natural History of the British Entomostraca. By William Baird, M. D. 8vo. Reports and Papers on Botany. Edited by Arthur Henfrey. 8vo. Recherches sur les Poissons fossiles. Par M. Louis Agassiz. Texte tomes 5, 4to.; Planches tomes 5, folio. Nouveau Manuel d'Anatomie descriptive, d'aprés les cours de MM. Beclard, Blandin, Cloquet, &c. 12mo. Nouvelle Flore des Environs de Paris. Par F. V. Merat. 3me ed. Vol. 2. 12mo. Traité d'Anatomie descriptive. Par Hippolyte Cloquet. 4me ed. 2 vols. 8vo. De l'influence des agens physiques sur la Vie. Par W. F. Edwards, D. M. 8vo. Univers Pittoresque; histoire et description de tous les Peuples. Europe tome 1; Asie tomes 4; Afrique tomes 2. 8vo. Précis d'Anatomie pathologique. Par G. Andral. 3 vols. 8vo. Traité d'Anatomie chirurgicale, ou Anatomie des regions considérée dans ses rapports avec la chirurgie. Par Alf. A. L. M. Velpeau. 2 vols. Svo. Cours de Pharmacologie, ou traité élémentaire d'Hist. nat. medicale de Pharmacie et de Therapeutique. Par. F. Foy. 2 vols. 8vo. Physiologie des Passions, ou nouvelle doctrine des sentimens moraux. Par J. L. Alibert. 2d edition. 2 vols. 8vo. Narrative of a Mission to Bokhara in 1843-46. By the Rev. Joseph Wolf, D. D. 8vo. Memoirs official and personal, with sketches of travel among the Northern and Southern Indians. By T. L. McKenney. 2 vols. in one. 8vo. Travels over the table lands and Cordilleras of Mexico in 1843 and '44. By Albert M. Gilliam. 8vo. Letters and Notes on the manners, customs, and condition of the N. American Indians. By George Catlin. 2 vols. 8vo. Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. By John L. Stephens. 2 vols. 8vo. History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. By Washington Irving. 2 vols. 8vo. Narrative of a Journey through the upper provinces of India, from Calcutta to Bombay, in 1824-25. By the late Rt. Rev. Reginald Heber, D. D. 2 vols. 8vo. Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan. By John L. Stephens. 2 vols. 8vo. Voyages and discoveries of the companions of Columbus. By Washington Irving. 8vo. Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of Great Britian. Vols. 1-10. 8vo. The American edition of the new Edinburgh Encyclopædia; conducted by David Brewster, LL. D. 18 vols. 4to. American Ornithology. By Alexander Wilson. life. By George Ord. Text 3 vols. plates 1 vol. History of the Indian tribes of North America. Hall. 3 vols. Folio. With a sketch of the author's 4to. (Edition of 1828.) By T. L. McKenney and James Journal of the Franklin Institute from 1837 to 1850, 27 vols. 8vo. (Completing the series in the Library.) Encyclopædia of Chemistry. By James C. Booth. 8vo. Conspectus generum Avíum. By Charles L. Bonaparte. pp. 1–160. July 2d, 1850. Prof. HORNER in the Chair. A letter was read from the Royal Society of Copenhagen, dated 10th November, 1849, acknowledging the receipt of late numbers of the Proceedings of the Academy. Mr. Vaux announced the decease of Dr. R. Eglesfeld Griffith, one of the Vice Presidents of this Institution, which took place in this city on Wednesday, 26th June, 1850. July 16th. Mr. PHILLIPS in the Chair. A letter was read from the Librarian of the British Museum, returning thanks for recent numbers of the Academy's Proceedings. Dr. McEuen exhibited a portion of the charred bark taken from one of the trees in the district which had suffered from the recent extensive conflagration, and which was covered with a pink colored fungus, in masses somewhat spheroidal in form, and nearly half an inch in diameter. The dead and withered bark of the shade trees, of many species throughout the district, was generally covered with this fungus. July 30th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. The Monthly Report of the Corresponding Secretary was read and adopted. Dr. Bridges, after some appropriate, preliminary remarks on the character of the late Dr. Griffith, offered the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted. Resolved, That the members of this Society are impressed with unfeigned sorrow at the death, on the 26th ult., of their esteemed fellow member and Vice President, Dr. Robert Eglesfeld Griffith. Resolved, That Dr. Griffith endeared himself to us by the uniform urbanity of his manner, by his remarkable attainments in natural science, and by his devotion to the interests of this Institution. Resolved, That the Academy records, with pleasure and gratitude, its indebtedness to Dr. Griffith, for extensive and valuable additions to its Library and Collections, and, above all, for the donation of his magnificent collection of shells, on which he had bestowed much of the leisure of twenty-five years of his life. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the family of the deceased. PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA.-VOL. V. NO. IV. 10 On motion of Mr. Phillips it was Resolved, That the Society, at the Business meeting in September next, proceed to the election of a Vice President in place of Dr. Griffith, deceased. ELECTION. Dr. James C. Fisher, of Philadelphia, was elected a Member, and the following were elected Correspondents of the Academy:-John R. Bartlett, Esq., of New York, and T. Charlton Henry, M. D. of Syracuse, N. Y. August 20th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. A letter was read from M. Alfred Malherbe, President of the Nat. Hist. Soc. of Metz, France, dated May 29th, 1850, acknowledging the receipt of his notice of election as a Correspondent. A letter was read from Dr. Franklin B. Hough, dated Somerville, New York, August 12th, 1850, accompanying the donation of a collection of minerals from that vicinity, and stating his desire to make further contributions in this and other departments, if agreeable to the Society. A paper by Mr. Cassin, describing new species of Birds of the genera Paradisea, Pastor and Buceros, and intended for publication in the Proceedings, was read and referred to Dr. Wilson, Dr. Townsend, and Mr. E. Harris. A paper was read entitled, "Descriptions of ten new species of Crinoidea, from the sub-carboniferous Limestone of Iowa, collected during the U. S. Geological survey of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minesota, in the years 1848-9, by David Dale Owen, and B. F. Shumard, M. D.:” which being intended for publication in the Journal, was referred to Mr. Conrad, Dr. Wilson, and Dr. Morton. A paper was also read entitled, "Notice of fossil remains brought by Mr. J. Evans from the Mauvais Terres,' or bad lands of White River, 150 miles west of the Missouri, by D. D. Owen, J. G. Norwood, and John Evans," of which the following is an abstract:— This remarkable collection consists of numerous teeth, fragments of bones, and twenty skulls, some of which last are in an excellent state of preservation. They belong to the orders Ruminantia and Pachydermata. For the present, the authors of the memoir propose to give only a general and provisional description, as the basis of a full report on a future occasion. The following species are particularly noticed. 1. Palæotherium? Proutii. These remarkable remains are thus named in compliment to Dr. Prout, of St. Louis, who first noticed them in the American Journal of Science and Arts. The generic characters, however, are not yet satisfactorily decided. 2. Another species is allied to Charopotamus, and still more to Hyracotherium, but is probably distinct. The bones, skulls, and teeth of this animal were found, with the greater part of the other remains, in a flesh-colored calcareous marl. Mr. Evans' reports have traced the cretaceous formation, with its characteristic fossils, from the mouth of the Iowa river to about 300 miles below the Yellow Stone. In this region of country, and west 130 miles from Pierre Chouteau, (on the Missouri four miles above Teton river,) Mr. Evans noticed the following fossils:-Nucula Hammeri ?, Ammonites Conradi, Morton, Inoceramus Crispii? Inoceramus planus, Inoceramus mytilloides?, Inoceramus Cuvieri, Nautilus Dekayi, Morton, Cuculloa vulgaris, Morton, Pholadomya occidentalis, Morton, Gryphia Pitcheri, Morton. Also-two species of Avicula, a Lucina, a Pyrula?, several undetermined species of Ammonites and Baculites, two species of Scaphites, and a Diceras ? On Sage creek, a southern tributary of the Chayenne, heading on the "bad lands," Mr. Evans obtained three species of Inoceramus, two of Ammonites, Nautilus Dekayi, Cuculloa vulgaris, &c. August 27th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. The Committee to which was referred Mr. Cassin's paper, read at last meeting, reported in favor of publication in the Proceedings. Descriptions of new species of Birds of the genera Paradisea, Pastor, and Buceros, and a proposition to re-name others of the genera Alcyone and Hirundo. 1. Paradisea Wilsonii, nobis. BY JOHN CASSIN. Form.-Specimen about to be described probably not fully adult, somewhat mutilated, skin of the hinder part of the head wanting. Plumage compact, with elongated feathers from the sides of the neck, and two plumes having their origin at the base of the tail, which latter are curved into circles of about one inch diameter. First primary spurious, third and fourth longest and nearly equal. Exposed portion of the plumage of the back, thread-like; feathers on the belly broad and truncate. Subgenerically related to Paradisea magnifica, Lath. Dimensions. Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 7 in., wing 31, tail 1 inches. Colors.-Back crimson, which color is completely enclosed by an edging of black, and forms a somewhat cordate mantle. Large nuchal spot pale yellow. Front and chin black. Wing coverts and quills hair brown, greater coverts and primaries narrowly edged, secondaries and tertiaries broadly edged with crimson, some of the more exposed tertiaries almost entirely of this color, and tipped with black. Tail and coverts above and below hair brown. Ornamental plumes of the tail steel blue. Elongated feathers on the side of the neck black, with a beautiful coppery lustre, and tipped with bright green. Under parts from the neck to the abdomen silky green, the feathers brown at their bases, and having intermedial (between the brown and the green colors) triangular spots of a deeper glossy green, inclining to blue upon the neck and breast; truncate feathers of the sides and belly tipped with deep shining green, posterior part of abdomen dull brownish black. Hab.-New Guinea? |