1856.] 1S9 



July ]s<, 1856. 

 Dr. J. Carson in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Rudolph C. Burlag, Consul of the Nether- 

 lands, dated New York, June 26th, 1856, enclosing a letter from The 

 Society for the Succor of Drowned Persons, of Amsterdam, dated March 

 21st, 1856, transmitting their publication acknowledged this evening. 



Dr. Uhler remarked, that the specimen of Dewe;^lite presented by 

 himself this evening, has exactly the composition of the precious ser- 

 pentine and resembles chalcedony. 



On leave granted. Dr. Rand moved that the Committee on Mr. Gri- 

 rard's paper, entitled ** Contributions to the Ichthyology of the western 

 coast of the United States," be allowed to present their report. The mo- 

 tion was adopted. The Report of the Committee in favor of publica- 

 tion in the forth-coming number of the Proceedings, was then received 

 and adopted.* 



July Sth. 

 Dr. Bridges, Vice President, in the Chair. 



Letters were read 



From Dr. E. K. Kane, acknowledging the receipt of the special vote 

 of thanks of the Academy. 



From H. Gr. Bronn, dated Heidelburg, 5th January, 1856, ai?know- 

 ledging the receipt of the Journal of the Academy, (N. S. Vol. iii., 

 No. 1,) and a copy of Dr. Leidy's paper on the Extinct Sloth Tribes of 

 North America ; also transmitting donations. 



From the Zoologische Botanischen Verein of Vienna, dated 12th 

 December, 1855, transmitting donations. 



From the Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow, dated March 

 29, 1856, acknowledging the receipt of the Proceedings, (Vol. vii.. 

 No. 1,) of the Academy. 



A paper was presented for publication in the Proceedings, entitled 

 " On a new Genus and Species of Urodela, from the collections of the 

 U. S. Exploring Expedition, under Com. Charles Wilkes, U. S. N., by 

 Charles Grirard, M. D. ;" referred to a Committee consisting of Mr. 

 Cassin, Dr. Brinton, and Dr. Bridges. 



Mr. Lea presented for publication in the Proceedings, a paper enti- 

 tled " Description of fifteen new species of Exotic Melaniana, by Isaac 

 Lea ;" referred to a Committee consisting of Mr. Vaux, Dr. Leidy and 

 Mr. Gliddon. 



Dr. Leidy mentioned that the skin of the Musk Ox, deposited by 

 Dr. E. K. Kane, the skeleton of an Owl, presented by the same, the 

 skin of the Llama, presented by Dr. Ruschenberger, and the skeleton 

 of the large specimen of Chelonura serpentina, presented by Mr. Tiffany, 

 of Cape May co. N. J., had been mounted and placed in the collection. 



* See page 131. 



PROCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OP PHILADELPHIA, VOL. VIII. NO. IV. 11 



