IS->1.J 145 



New Jersey JNIeteorolite, and enclosinj^ in return a portion of the 

 Cabarras Meteorolite ; and also stating his intention to make further 

 donations of other meteorolites at an early period. From an examina- 

 tion of the specimen sent him, he had thus far obtained the following 

 results. Sp. gr. 3.25: it also abounds with nickeliferous iron, together 

 with magnetic iron pyrites, while the greyish-white earthy matter ap- 

 pears to be Hovvardite. (Fe Si + Mg Si.) 



A letter was read from the Scandinavian Scientific Association 

 (without date,) accompanying the donation of a copy of its Proceed- 

 ings during th>i last meeting at Copenhagen. 



A letter was read from H. B. Dewey, Fsq, dated Para, Brazil, Dec. 

 28, 1850, tendering hi^s thanks for his election as a Corresponding 

 member of the Academy, and expressing his desire to still further 

 promote the objects of the Institution. 



A communication addressed by Peter A. Browne, Fsq , to Dr. Mor- 

 ton was read, briefly enumerating the discoveries he had made by 

 means of the microscope, micrometer, and trichometer,* in regard to 

 pile, by which term he meant to include both hair and wool, as fol- 

 lows : 



1st. I have found the hair of the head of man of three principal shapes, viz. : 

 1. The cylindrical ; 2. The oval ; and 3. The eccentrically elliptical. 



Of the 1st 1 have noticed the ancient hairs from Peru, Mexico, Brazil, &c., 

 those of our present Indians and the Chinese. Of the second, the hairs of the 

 English, French, Hungarians, Germans and Americans, &c.. &c. And of the 

 third the wool of the Bushman and African negro. 



2d. The pile of the 1st and 2d class comes out of the epidermis at an acute 

 angle, that of the third at a right angle. 



3rd. The pile of the 1st class is straight and lank, that of the 2d is flowing or 

 curling, and th it of the 3rd is crisp or frizzled, and sometimes spirally curled. 



4th. The pile of the 2d class has its coloring matter in a central canal, but I 

 have never been able to detect any central canal in either of the other classes ; 

 their coloring matter appears to me to be disseminated in the cortex and inter- 

 mediate fibres. 



'ith. The cortex of the pile of all three classes is squamose ; but the scales on 

 the 1st and 2d classes are less numerous, are rounded at the anterior extremity, 

 and adhere closely to the shaft ; but those of the 3rd class are more numerous, 

 pointed, and not so closely set to the shaft. 



Cth. That there are two distinct species of sheep, as determined by their pile, 

 viz. the hairy sheep, and the woolly sheep. The pile of the hairy sheep will 

 not felt nor full ; the wool of the woolly sheep will do both. 



7th. Upon the heads of hybrids formed by the crossing of any two of the spe- 

 cies of man above mentioned, are found separate filaments belonging to their two 

 classes respectively ; and upon the head of a double hybrid, | which I examined, 

 I found filaments belonging respectively to all three classes. 



An instrument invented by Mr. Brown for determining the ductility, elasticity, 

 and tenacity of filaments, 

 t One who had the blood of all three classes. 



