284 [February, 



24. Polyborus tharus, (Molina.) 



Specimens are in a collection made by Mr. Arthur Schott, while attached to 

 the Mexican Boundary Commission in charge of Major W. H. Emory, U. S. 

 Army. They were obtained in Texas. 



25. Morphnus unicinctus, (Temm.) 



Specimens are in the collections made in Texas by Mr. Schott, Dr. Kennerly 

 and Lieut. Couch. 



The Committee to which was referred a paper by Messrs. J. G. Nor- 

 wood and Henry Pratten, containing notices of Fossils trom the Carbon- 

 iferous series of the Western States, reported in favor of its publication 

 in the Journal. 



The Committee to which was referred a communication entitled " Re- 

 marks on the Cryptogamic Flora of the State of Georgia, by Prof. Julien 

 Deby," reported in favor of publication in the Journal. 



Dr. Leidy offered the following Preamble and Resolutions, which were 

 unanimously adopted. 



Whereas, Information has been received by this Academy, that a proposal 

 has been made to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to change, 

 in several fundamental particulars, the system of administration adopted by said 

 Board ; 



And whereas, The relationships of this Academy to the cultivation of the 

 natural sciences in the United States and elsewhere, give to it a peculiar interest 

 in the employment of the means best suited to the most liberal promotion of those 

 sciences ; 



And whereas, Tt is the opinion of this Academy that, in view of the multi- 

 plied means which the zeal, enterprise and skill of the present.-age have furnished 

 and will continue to furnish, for the " increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 men," it is eminently desirable that the special opportunities and aids rendered 

 practicable by the bequest of Mr. Smithson p shall be discreetly applied to such 

 important objects as are not likely to receive assistance from ordinary sources ; 



And whereas, Such application is to be guided rather by the relations which 

 the objects selected hold with important scientific generalizations, and with 

 the largest increments of scientific knowledge, than by considerations of mi- 

 nute or ephemeral utility ; 



And whereas, The plan of operations adopted by the Board of Regents is 

 believed by this Academy to be well adapted to promoting, in the largest as 

 well as the most practical sense, "the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 men;" and that it possesses the advantage of supplying, according to a compre- 

 hensive and philosophic anticipation, the wants of the age, without superfluous 

 intervention in cases in which other agencies will surely produce the desired 

 results without such intervention ; 



And whereas, The number, variety, and extent of the departments of know- 

 ledge, render it essential to the greatest usefulness of any plan of administration 

 of the Smithsonian fund, that it shall have the confidence of the persons upon 

 whose contributions its resources for good shall be mainly dependant ; and also 

 that it shall be maintained in operation consistently and without frequent change ; 



Therefore, Resolved, That this Academy, as at present advised, would deeply 

 regret any material alteration of the plan adopted by the Board of Regents ; 



Resolved, That, as an expression of the reasonable solicitude of this Academy, 

 and of the desire which its experience has occasioned for the continuance of 

 said plan, the President is hereby requested to forward a copy of the foregoing 

 preamble and resolutions to the Secretary of said Board. 



ELECTION. 



Rev. Dr. J. C. Adamson, late of Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, 

 and Capt Geo. B. McClellan, U. S. A., were elected Correspondents of 

 the Academy. 



