1852.] 107 



June Sth. 



Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



Dr. LeConte presented for publication in the Journal, a paper entitled 

 *' Synopsis of the species of Pterosticus Bon., and allied genera inhabit- 

 ing temperate North America/' which was referred to a Committee con- 

 sisting of Dr. Hallowell, Dr. Leidy and Mr. Kilvington. 



Ju7ie 15 th, 

 Major John LeConte in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 dated Washington, June 9th, 1852, acknowledging the receipt of late 

 numbers of the Proceedings of the Academy. 



Dr. Charles M. Wetherill read a paper entitled " Chemical investi- 

 gation of the Mexican Honey Ant," which being intended for publica- 

 tion in the Proceedings, was referred to a Committee consisting of Dr. 

 Leidy, Dr. Grcnth and Dr. LeConte. 



June 22d. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Geological Society of London, dated 1st 

 May, 1852, acknowledging the receipt of the Journal and Proceedings. 



Also letters from the Trustees of New York State Library, dated 

 Albany, June 15, 1852, and from the Corresponding Secretary of the 

 Academy of Arts and Sciences, dated Boston, June 16, 1852, severally 

 acknowledging the receipt of late numbers of the Proceedings. 



Also a letter from the Librarian of the American Academy, asking 

 for certain numbers of the Proceedings, to complete the series of the 

 same in that Institution. 



Dr. Genth read a paper '' On some Minerals which accompany Cold 

 in California;" and a second paper entitled ''On Strontiano-CalcitCj a 

 new mineral '/' both of which were referred to a Committee consisting of 

 Dr. LeConte, Dr. Wetherill and Mr. Ashmead. 



Mr. Cassin asked the attention of the Academy to the collection of Birds 

 presented by E. K. Kane, M.D., of the United States Navy, late Surgeon to 

 Grinnell's Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, and collected by him 

 during the absence of the Expedition in the Arctic regions. 



Nearly all of the specimens are unusually valuable and interesting on account 

 of their representing species in much more mature plumage than is commonly 

 seen either in Museums or in recent specimens obtained so far south as Phila- 

 delphia. This circumstance is of course readily accounted for, as all the 

 species in the collection are only to be met with while in summer plumage in 

 the remote regions visited by the Expedition, and their interesting character 

 may be inferred from that fact. 



Mr. C. regarded the specimens of the Brant (Bernicla brenta, Pallas) and of 

 the Ivory Gull (Larus eburneus, Phipps) as of especial interest. 



