24 proceedings: biological society 



were variable, so that successive beds could not be identified individu- 

 ally but the general history and succession could be worked out. Min- 

 eralization seems to be associated with igneous rocks of all descriptions, 

 but no very important mines have been developed. T. Wayland 

 Vaugh'an spoke of the faulting and inquired if the great block faulting 

 of the West Indies found a parallel in southern California. He had 

 formed the impression from talks with R. T. Hill that such was the case. 

 Darton replied that in his work the details of faults had not been de- 

 termined. He had found, however, that the topographic lineaments 

 of the region were not due to faulting. 



C. N. Fenner, Secretary. 



THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The 544th meeting of the Society was held at the Cosmos Club, 

 Saturday, November 6, 1915 with President Bartsch in the chair; 90 

 persons present. 



On recommendation of the Council, Gilbert F. Bateman, Trinidad, 

 Colorado was elected to active membership. 



The first paper of the regular program was by O. P. Hay: A new 

 Pleistocene sloth from Texas. Dr. Hay discussed the finding in Texas 

 of a new member of the genus Nothr other ium. This discovery extends 

 the range of the genus from South into North America. The specimen 

 was exhibited and remarks were made on the interrelationships and 

 distribution of the living and fossil American Edentates. 



The second paper was by J. N. Rose: Botanical explorations in South 

 America. Dr. Rose gave an account of his botanical explorations in 

 South America. He outlined first the field work which he and Dr. 

 N. L. Britton had planned in connection with the cactus investigations 

 of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, and then described the 

 great cactus deserts of South America which he had visited. During 

 his last trip to South America he spent six weeks in the state of Bahia, 

 Brazil, six weeks in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and three weeks 

 in Argentina. Large collections were obtained and many living plants 

 were sent back to the United States for cultivation, the living collection 

 being now on exhibition in the New York Botanical Garden. Several 

 remarkable generic types of cacti were discovered. Dr. Rose's paper 

 was illustrated by numerous lantern slides of the regions visited and 

 of cacti in their native environment, and by many interesting botanical 

 specimens. 



The last paper of the evening was by L. 0. Howard: Some biological 

 pictures of Oahu {Hawaii). Dr. Howard showed a large number of 

 lantern slides from photographs made by him during a short stay on 

 the island of Oahu during the past summer. Special emphasis was 

 laid on those which dealt with agricultural problems and economic 

 entomology. 



M. W. Lyon, Jr., Recording Secretary. 



