30 [April, 



read before the Academy, June ISth, 1839, although not actually published in the 

 Journal until January, 1840. 



Prof. Gibbes in stating that several of Dr. Randall's specimens had been lost, 

 has overlooked Xantho intonsus, Rand., which is still in the cabinet of the 

 Academy. But one other species is omitted in Prof. Gibbes' list, Astacus 

 Oregonus, which was lost or destroyed while in the hands of the artist by whom 

 the drawing, published in the eighth volume of the Journal, was made. 



The Committee to which was referred Mr. Peter A. Browne's paper 

 on the hair of the Ornithorynchus paradoxus, reported that in conse- 

 quence of the author's observations having been already anticipated by 

 a number of distinguished naturalists and others, the Committee deem 

 it inexpedient to recomniend Mr. Browne's paper for publication. 



In accordance with a resolution offered at last meeting of business, 

 a life membership was conferred on Dr. J. K. Townsend, in return for 

 his numerous valuable contributions to the Cabinet, at various times. 



ELECTION. 



M. Alfred Malherbe, President of the National Academy of Metz, in 

 France, was elected a Correspondent, and Charles M. Wheatley, Esq., 

 of New York, was elected a Member of the Academy. 



^pn7 2d. 

 Dr. Morton, President, in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, 

 dated March 26th, 1S50, acknowledging the receipt of Vol. 3, No. 3, 

 and Vol. 4, Nos. 912, of the Proceedings, and Vol. 8, Part 2, first 

 series of the Journal. 



Also a letter from Mr. James Deane, offering to prepare for publica- 

 tion in the Journal of the Academy, a paper on the fossils of the new 

 red sandstone of the Connecticut valley. Referred to the Publication 

 Committee. 



Dr. Morton, on resigning the chair to Mr. Vaux, then read a 

 further continuation of his paper on the size of the brain in the various 

 races of Man. 



The following is an analysis of this portion of the Memoir : 

 In regard to the diversity of the human species, some ethnologists account 

 for it by supposing changes to be effected by varieties in food, vicissitudes 

 of climate, and other physical agents. Others again attribute the differences 

 to the rise of accidental varieties, by which individuals have been produced, from 

 whom, at first, tribes, then races and nations have sprung in succession. 



If, therefore, we suppose all mankind to have been originally white, the hypo- 

 thesis would necessarily require that negroes must be a mere accidental variety. 

 This is Dr. Prichard's view of the case. 



