July, 1847.] 229 



From Henry Seybert, Esq., dated Philadelphia, July 5, 

 1847, in reference to the deposit of his chemical apparatus 

 and books in the Institution, the conditions of the deposit 

 being, that the whole is to become the property of the Society, 

 unless withdrawn by himself during his life-time, under the 

 usual rules regulating such deposits. 



From Richard Brown, Esq, dated Sydney Mines, Cape 

 Breton, Nova Scotia, addressed to the Corresponding Secre- 

 tary, of which the following is an extract : 



" During the last winter months I frequently went into the Pits, 

 and rejoice to say was rewarded by the discovery of some remark- 

 able fossils in the roof of the seam. One was an upright Lepidoden- 

 dron 12 inches diameter, with roots spreading out in all directions 

 to a distance of 7 to 8 feet from the stem. The roots near their 

 junction with the stem, present rhomboidal markings combined 

 with areolae of stigmaria nearer to the extremities of the roots, 

 the rhomboidal spaces disappear and the surface assumes the ap- 

 pearance of true stigmarise. A pith or core of iron pyrites is found 

 in some of the roots. I sent drawings and descriptions of this fos- 

 sil to Mr. Bunbury about a month ago. You will probably see 

 them in the Loudon Geological Journal, for August next. 



I have also got another remarkable fossil, a complete root-stock 

 i)f a dome-shaped figure, but the stem had been broken short off, 

 and the bark squeezed together by the mud deposited upon it. It is 

 covered with a coaly bark 10th of an inch thick ; presents leaf scars 

 arranged in double lines similar to the Sigillaria alternans of Lind- 

 ley and Hutton. Roots spread out in all directions, marked with 

 areolae of stigmaria; but what is most curious, the under side of the 

 root exhibits a series of short, obtuse tap roots, arranged nearly in 



a c i r cle these are marked with scars similar to stigmatise. The 



under side of the root is also covered with a thin coaly bark the 

 vertical tap roots are 3 inches long, 2 in diameter at their junction 

 with the root-stocks, and terminate downwards in an obtuse point, 

 the shape being fusiform, or not unlike a short carrot. 



In addition to these, I have got some fine specimens of fossil 

 fruits from the same locality. They appear to have been similar to 

 those of Pandanus ; the seeds being arranged on the surface and 

 continuing in towards the centre. Before compression they proba- 

 bly resembled a fluted melon in shape, and were as large." 



Prof. Hare presented a Synopsis of his paper on Electricity 

 (read at a late meeting of the Academy,) which being designed 



