Linncean Society. 259 



4. Acetate of Lead. Immediate dark brown flocculi, leaving a 

 clear liquid above. 



5. Carbonate of Potash. Transparency destroyed ; a trifling brown 

 deposit in a few hours. 



6. Alcohol. No apparent change from it. 



7. Solution of Corrosive Sublimate. An apparent diffusion of brown- 

 ish hue, gradually subsiding in dirty brown flocculi. 



8. Dilute Muriatic Acid. The same, but much smaller in amount. 



10. Lime Water. Light brown flocculi in a few hours. 



1 1 . Liquor Ammonia. No efi^ect. 



12. Succinate of Ammonia. Deep brown deposit in a few hours. 



13. Prussiate of Potash. No efi^ect. 



14. Oxalate of Ammonia. Clouds form and settle in a dirty brown 

 sediment. 



From these experiments Dr. Coxe is disposed to think that an ex- 

 cellent India Ink might be prepared for drawing ; perhaps its dried 

 deposit mixed with oil might answer for engravings ; and as an ink, 

 indestructible from any common agents, it might be well to try it in 

 the filling up of bank notes and other papers of consequence, as he 

 believes it cannot be extracted by any means without destroying the 

 paper itself. 



The Fungus described, and on which the above experiments were 

 tried, is referred with some hesitation to Agaricus ovatus, Schseff'er, 

 ' Icones Fungorum,' fig. 7. A. cylindricus, fig. 8. A. porcellaneus, 

 fig. 46. and 47. The drawings are named Agaricus ovatus*, 



March 19.— Edward Forster, Esq., V. P., in the Chair. 



Read, " A Notice of the Birds of Iceland, accompanied by speci- 

 mens." By George Townshend Fox, Esq., F.L.S. 



It is perhaps not generally known that the Durham University 

 has established a Museum as one of the necessary appendages of an 

 academical institution ; the subcurator of which, Mr. Wm. Proctor, 

 requested and obtained permission to go out to Iceland in the summer 

 of 1837 to procure a collection of the birds of that island. Three 

 months were passed on the most northern part of Iceland, this local- 

 ity being chosen by Mr. Proctor as one least visited by naturalists, 



* The drawings evidently represent Agaricus fmetarius, Linn, and Curtis ; 

 A. comatus, Mull, and Berkeley ; A. cylindricus, Sowerby ; to which A. cy- 

 lindricus y Schseif. f. 8. and A. porcellaneus, figs. 46 & 47. belong; it is not 

 so clear that A. ovatus, fig. 7. (the name adopted by Dr. Coxe) does. In the 

 subgenus named by Berkeley Coprinus every species is deliquescent. Curtis 

 observes, under his A. ovatus, which is A. atramentarius. Bull, and Berk., 

 that the seeds may be seen in the black liquor if magnified. 



