l8o2.J 



Mmj \t\ 1852. 

 Mr. Ord, President, in the Chair. 



Letters were read : 



From Commander H. F. Adams, U. S. N., dated Philadelphia, 

 April 20th, 1852, addressed to Dr. Ruschenberger, acknowledging the 

 receipt of a copy of his ''Notice of the Academy of Natural Sciences,^' 

 and expressing his desire to further the objects of the Institution, 

 during his connection with the projected U. S. Expedition to the East 

 Indies. 



From Dr. Wm. F. Daniel, dated London, March 12th, 1852, accom- 

 panying the donation of a copy of his work on the Diseases, &c., of 

 Western Africa. 



Dr. LeConte presented a communication intended for publication, en- 

 titled, '' Synopsis of the Anthicites of the United States.'' Referred 

 to Dr. Leidy, Dr. Henderson and Dr. Hallowell. 



Dr. Leidy called the attention of members to two crania of extinct species of 

 Ox. One is the original specimen described by Dr. Wistar in the Transactions 

 of the Am. Phil. Soc.,and afterwards named Bos bombifrons by Dr. Harlan. The 

 second specimen was found on the shore of the Arkansas river, and was brought 

 to this city by Mr. Thomas Kite, of Cincinnati. It is remarkable for the very 

 large process crowning the top of the head, resembling a thick exostosis. Dr. 

 Dekay has described a fragment of the same species,* and referred it to the Bos 

 Pallasii, from which it is, however, very distinct. Dr. L. stated that this fossil, 

 as well as that described as Bos bombifrons, were remarkable for the possession 

 of large larmiers or lachrymal depressions, as in the deer ; and if these are pos- 

 sessed by the Ovibos moschatus, the two fossils would belong to the same genus 

 as Ovibos bombifrons and O. cavifrons ; but if they are not possessed by Ovibos, 

 as is stated to be the case by Desmarest, the two latter species would form a new 

 genus, for which the name Bootherium is proposed. 



May 11th. 

 Major John LeConte in the Chair. 



Letters were read : 



From the Smithsonian Institution, dated Washington, April 14, 

 1852, acknowledging the receipt of the Proceedings of the Academy, 

 Vol. vi. No. 1. 



From Prof. A. Retzius, dated Stockholm, Oct. 16, 1851, accompany- 

 ing his donation of works announced this evening. 



From the Rev. Dr. Ducachet, dated May 5, 1852, acknowledging the 

 receipt of his notice of election as a Member. 



Mr. Langstroth, referring to the specimens of Honey Ant presented by him 

 this evening, remarked that they were obtained by his brother in the vicinity 

 of Matamoras, Mexico. He had learned that a part of the colony are incapable 

 of locomotion, and are used as living repositories for the surplus honey of the 

 colony, which in time of need answer the purpose of the full honey-combs of 

 the bee. 



An. Lye. Nat. Hist., Vol. 2, p. 280, pi. vi. 



mOCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA. VOL. VI. NO. III. 12 



