NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 



73 



are black ; bill and feet red. Front and sides of head frequently spotted with 

 dull rusty reddish. Young, dull bluish or pale lead colored on the head and 

 upper parts of body. 



2. Anser albatus, Cassin. 



Anser albatus, Cass. Proc. Acad. Philada., 1856, p. 41. 

 Smaller than the preceding, about the size of Eernicla Hutchinsii or B. albi- 

 frons. Total length about 25 inches, wing 15J, tail 5|, bill along the culmen 



2. tarsus 3 inches. White, ends of primaries black ; bill and feet red. Young, 

 dull bluish cinereous. 



3. Anser Rossii, Baird. 



Smaller than either of the preceding, and the smallest goose known to in- 

 habit North America. About the size of the Mallard Duck, {Anas Boschas.) 

 Total length about 21 inches ; wing 14| ; tail 5 ; bill along the culmen 1 ; 

 tarsus 2% inches. Bill strongly warted or carunculated in front and on its 

 sides near and at its base. Entire plumage white ; ends of primaries black ; 

 bill and feet red, both probably darker than in either of the preceding. 



4. Anser cozrulescens, (Linnreus.) 



Anas coerulescens, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 198 (1766.) 



About the size of A. albatus, or of Bernicla Hutchinsii. Total length about 

 24 inches ; wing 16 ; tail 5 ; bill along the culmen 2 ; tarsus 3 inches. 

 Tertiary quills rather long and inclined to curve downwards. Head and neck 

 white; body above and below dark ashy brown, nearly black on the back ; 

 rump and upper tail coverts ashy white ; abdomen and under tail coverts 

 white ; wing coverts light cinereous ; primary quills black ; tertiaries dark 

 brown, widely edged with pale ashy. Bill and feet red. 



The last species has been regarded by American naturalists as the young of 

 Anser hyperboreus, and is figured as such by both Wilson and Audubon, but, 

 I am confident, without sufficient evidence that such is the fact. The young 

 of both A. hyperboreus and A. albatus are in the collection of this Academy, 

 and are quite different from this species. 



April 2d. 

 Mr. Lea, President, in the Chair. 



Forty-four members present. 



Mr. Lea exhibited a specimen of slag from the iron furnace of 

 McKelney, Neal & Co , Bloomsburg, Pa. It was in the form of a cotton- 

 like mass of spun glass, and about two tons of the material were blown 

 out in one hour. 



Papers were presented for publication, entitled 



" On the identity of the genera Neomaenis of Girard, and Lutjanus 

 of Bloch, by Theo. Gill." 



" Revision of the genera of Sciaminse of North America, by Theo. 



Gill." 



And were referred to Committees. 



The number of the Proceedings for March was laid upon the table. 



Mr. Cope stated, that he had an opportunity, during a recent visit to the 

 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, of instituting comparisons between certain 

 genera aud species of reptiles. These resulted in his conviction of the necessity 



1861.] 



