5^ Proceedings of Societies. 



Professor Ward, of Rochester, who had visited the same hill more than thirty years 

 before gave an accouut of his experiences during the journey, which was then 

 much more difficult, and corroborated Dr. Eolton's report of the form of the hill 



and the sound produced by movement. 



Professor Ward afterward described a recent voyage around South America, and 

 told in graphic words the story of his trip down the western side of the continent. 



From latitude 42° south, opposite the Island of Chiloe, there extends along 

 the coast for more than a thousand miles an inland passage navigable for small ves- 

 sels the entire distance, but in places too tortuous and narrow for large ones. 

 He described the natives of the southern western coast as a miserable, naked and 

 degraded race, and gave some amusing instances of their apparent indifference to 



cold. 



April JO, iSgo, President Harkness in the chair. 



Some specimens of Coprinns of extraordinary size presented by Mr. C. H. Clark 

 were exhibited. They were found growing under brandy casks in the storage cellar 

 of ^U. Kohler's winery near Glen Ellen. The largest was over six inches in 

 breadth, with a stipe an inch in diameter, and sixteen inches in length. 



Dr. Harkness made some remarks explaining the place of the plant in classification, 



and its usefulness as food. 



Mr. C. H. Eigenmann spoke of some fibhes collected near the mouth of the Sac- 

 ramento River calling especial attention to the young of the quinnat salmon of 

 which a number were procured, and the young of the smelt, Osmerus thaleichthys. 

 He also called attention to the large number of species of Scopelidce recently 

 added to the Californian fauna. Six Hew species were found in the neighborhood of 

 San Diego. All these possess phosphorescent organs. They were all obtained 

 from the stomachs of rock cod in stormy weather. During calm weather they do 

 not get in the reach of rock cod, probably living nearer the surface. 



San Francisco MicROsconcAL Society. April g, i8go. President Wickson 



in the chair. 



The President read a communication from Dr, Sydney J. Hickson, of England, 

 regretting that he was not able from lack of time to meet with the society and give 

 them a short account of his studies on coral reefs. * 



Dr. Henry Ferrer briefly addressed the society on the motility of the color cells 



of the eye. 



Mr. Riedy exhibited anew American concentric stand recently made for the Sec- 

 retary by the Bausch & Lomb Company, which showed several new and very desi- 

 rable improvements. 



April 2j, iSgo. President Wickson in the chair, 



A communication was read from Professor Hanks stating that the society having 

 been organized June 4, 1S70, would on the next anniversary be twenty years old. 

 The President thereupon appointed a committee of arrangements to make the occa- 

 sion one of special interest. 



A communication on the use of carbon made from the down of the milkweed, as 



a flash light for photography, was read by the Secretary. 



Professor E. W. Runyon exhibited a fine series of micro-photographs, and 

 explained in detail his method of procedure. 



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