1855.] 265 



February 20th. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Dr. George Dock, dated Harrisburgh, Penna. 

 accompanying the donation from him acknowledged this evening. 



Dr. Le Conte presented a paper for publication in the Proceedings, 

 entitled " Synopsis of the Pyrochroides of the United States :" which 

 was referred to Mr. Guex, Dr. Zantzinger and Mr. Cooke. 



Mr. Cassin presented a paper for publication in the Proceedings en- 

 titled u Notes on North American Falconidse, with descriptions of new 

 species." Referred to Dr. Wilson, Col. McCall and Dr. tlenderson. 



Mr. Isaac Lea exhibited a specimen of the tanned skin of the Walrus. 

 It consists only of the cutis vera, and is one inch and three-sixteenths 

 in thickness. It was manufactured near Hull, and is used for polishing 

 cutlery. 



Mr. Cassin remarked with reference to the specimen of Crex pra- 

 tensis presented this evening, that it was the first he had ever known to 

 be obtained on the continent of America, and the species is another to 

 be added to the list of accidental visitors from Northern Europe. Of 

 this description of stragglers, the European Widgeon and the European 

 green-winged Teal most frequently occur, but no specimen of a land 

 bird had ever come under bis observation, the present specimen being 

 the nearest approach to it. This specimen he had been assured by Mr. 

 Patterson, who presents it this evening, was shot in the vicinity of 

 Salem, N. J., and was prepared by him from the recently killed bird. 



February 27th. 



Col. McCall in the Chair. 



The Committees to which were referred papers by Mr. Conrad, read 

 February 13th, by Dr. LeConte, read February 20th, and by Mr. Cassin, 

 read same date, reported in favor of publication in the Proceedings. 



Descriptions of eighteen New Cretaceous and Tertiary Fossils } fyc. 



By T. A. Conrad. 



Cretaceous Species. 

 BACULITES. 



Baculites annulatus. Subcylindrical, ribbed ; ribs annular, some of them 

 robust, flattened, remote, and generally partially sulcated or bifurcated, the 

 intermediate ribs narrower and less prominent; septa bifurcating in two long 

 equal branches, with intermediate comparatively short segments, the foliations 

 very acutely angulated. 



Locality. Dallas County. 



HAMITES. 



1. H.larvatus. Ovate-oval, obliquely ribbed; back rounded, the opposite 

 side truncated; ribs obsolete on the back, prominent and acute laterally, and 

 increasing in elevation alternately towards the back, where they are truncated 



