56 [June, 



June Wth. 



Dr. Morton, President, in the Chair. 



Mr. P. A. Browne expressed his views in relation to the peculiarities 

 of the hair in man and other mammalia, and more particularly on the 

 absence of a central canal in the hair of certain races of the former, 

 on which he proposes to found specific differences. After some con- 

 versation among the members on the organization of hair, Mr. Browne 

 offered a resolution that a committee be appointed to make microscopic 

 investigations on the subject, which was adopted, and the following 

 committee appointed, viz : P. A. Browne, Prof. Haldeman, and Dr. 

 Morton. 



June ISth. 

 Dr. Morton, President, in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Royal Society of London, dated Somerset 

 House, March 20, 1850, returning acknowledgments for recent num- 

 bers of the proceedings of the Academy. 



Mr. Cassin read a paper entitled, ' Descriptions of new species of 

 the genera Vidua, Hyphantornis, Hirundo, Atticora, Acanthylis, and 

 Cypselus, specimens of which are in the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia," which was referred to the following committee, Drs. 

 Wilson, Townsend, and Heerman. 



Mr. Moss read a description, with a figure, of a new Carpolite from 

 Arkansas, which was referred to the following committee, Dr. Bridges, 

 Mr. Conrad, and Dr. Hallowell. 



June 25th. 



Dr. Morton, President in the Chair. 



The committee to whom was referred Mr. Cassin's descriptions of 

 Birds in the collection of the Academy, read at last meeting, reported 

 in favor of publication in the Proceedings. 



Descriptions of new speeies of Birds, specimetis of which are in the collection of 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



By John Cassin. 



Vidua Verreanxii, nobis. Vieill. Ois. Chant, pi. 37 ? 



% . Form. GeneralJy resembling Vidua paradisea, (Linn.) Swains. B. of W. 

 Af. I, pi. 11, but is larger, the two longest tail feathers taper gradually to the 

 find from near the middle of the feather, the outer (or upper) webs are very nar- 



