24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



The direction of the wind had been noted during the time of observation, as 

 follows : 



Wind east until 9, A. M. From 9, A. M., until 10^, A. M., wind S. W. with 

 a little rain. From 10J violent west wind with snow. The clouds gathered 

 like a summer thunder storm. I thought I discovered a faint flash of light- 

 ning about 12. Mrs. L. reports to me, that between 6 and 7, P. M., there was 

 a partial remission of the storm. This may account for the sudden elevation 

 of temperature that appears on the record at that time. The greatest violence 

 of the storm was after this time, gradually declining after 11 or 12 o'clock. 

 The snow accompanying this storm was in very fine particles. Probable 

 range of temperature from 10, A. M., 7th Feb., until 8, A. M., 8th Feb., about 

 70. Feb. 11th, at 2J, P. M., temperature 52 ! ! 



February 19 th. 

 Mr. Lea, President, in the Chair. 



Thirty-five members present. 

 A paper was presented* for publication, entitled 

 " Descriptions of new species of Anodonta and Lithasia, by Isaac 

 Lea," which was referred to a committee." 



Dr. Slack called the attention of the members to some specimens of mam- 

 malia upon the table, viz. : 



Anomalurus B eechcroft ii (Fraser, P. Z. S.,) 1852, page 11, t. This genus 

 resembles somewhat the American flying squirrel, (Pteromys,) but differs in 

 having the greater portion of the tail covered with very short hairs, termi- 

 nating in a tuft. On the inferior surface of the basal portion are a number of 

 sharp, short spines, projecting downward. These are used by the animal in 

 climbing, somewhat in the manner of climbing irons. This specimen is from 

 Western Africa, collected by Duchaillu. 



Belideus flaviventer ( Waterhouse, Marsupialia, p. 286. ) A fine mounted 

 specimen of this species, the Hepoona Roo of the colonists, was exhibited, and 

 the distinction pointed out between the genera Belideus and Acrobates, This 

 specimen was procured by Dr. Slack of a dealer in Edinburgh, and was said 

 to have been received from New South Wales. 



A fine series of the Aluatta c a r a y a Slack, (Simia caraya Humb., Mycetes 

 niger Wied.) Dr. S. stated that the name of Mycetes (JMiger, Prodromus, 

 1811.) should be replaced by that of Aluatta, proposed by Lacepede in his 

 Tableaux de Classification, 1799. The series consisted of five specimens, an 

 adult male, entirely black ; a very young t male and adult female of a golden 

 yellow color ; and two nearly adult males, yellow, dashed with black. Two of 

 the specimens were in the collection of the Academy, the others were collected 

 during the recent Paraguay expedition, and are the property of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



Among the mammals presented by the Smithsonian Institution this evening, 

 he particularized a female of the Caprovis canadensis Gray, Ovis canaden- 

 sis Shaw, Nat. Misc., xv., 1790, (Ovis montana Ord. Journ. A. N. S., vol. i. 

 page 8, 1817,) and a very large specimen of the Castor canadensis KuhL, 

 measuring three feet five inches from extremity of snout to end of tail. 



February 26th. 



Mr. Lea, President, in the Chair. 



Thirty-three members present. 



On report of the respective committees, the following were ordered 

 to be printed in the Proceedings : 



[Feb. 



