236 [August, 



Mary E. Griffith, widow of Dr. R. E. Griffith, late Vice-President of 

 the Academy; Mrs. Charlotte H. Townsend, widow of Dr. J. K. Town- 

 send; Mrs- Catharine M. Gambel, widow of Dr. Wm. Gambel; and Mrs. 

 Rebecca P. Morton, widow of Dr. Samuel George Morton, late Presi- 

 dent of the Academy ; and the same were also privileged and invited to 

 visit, at all times, the Museum and Library. 



ELECTION. 



M. Ambrose Tardieu, Prof, agrege a la faculte de Medecine de 

 Paris, was elected a Correspondent ; and Mr. Francis Lennig, of 

 Philadelphia, was elected a Member o{ i\\e Institution. 



August 5th. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



Communications were read 



From the Librarian of the Smithsonian Institute, dated July 9th, 

 1851, addressed to the Librarian of the Academy, transmitting a copy 

 of " Notices of public Libraries in the United States," published by the 

 Institute. 



From the Librarian of the British Museum, dated 18th July, 1851, 

 acknowledging the receipt of late Nos. of the Proceedings. 



From Dr. Joseph Hyrll, dated Vienna, July 13th, 1851, acknowledg- 

 ing the receipt of his notice of election as a Corresponding Member. 



Mr. Cassin asked attention of the members to the specimens of owls 

 on the table. 



These specimens comprise parent male and female, and three young birds, 

 fully grown, which were reared in the woods at Powelton, the residence of John 

 Hare Powel, Esq., at whose hospitable mansion the members of this Academy 

 have been always made welcome. 



The adult male exhibits the plumage of the mottled owl, or Ephialtes navia, 

 {Gm.), the adult female that of the red owl, or E. asio, (Gtn.), and the young 

 birds, sufficiently feathered to be able to fly readily, and which were ascertained, 

 by dissection, to be two males and one female, are assuming the red plumage of 

 their parent female, but having evidently been previously of a grayish white 

 color, the entire plumage of the head and body above and below, with every 

 feather marked with transverse lines of dark reddish gray, very distinct, and not 

 seen in either of the adults. 



The present specimens must, of course, be regarded as fully demonstrating the 

 identity of the red and the mottled owl, and the only point now to be determined 

 is, whether the female ever becomes mottled. This, however, Mr. C. regarded 

 as very probably the case, as it is well established that rapacious birds of several 

 species breed before they assume mature plumage. 



Mr. Phillips made some remarks on a brilliant meteor, which he 

 had observed in this city on the evening of the 3d inst., taking a direc- 



