OF ARTS AND SCIENCES : MARCH 9, 1869. 105 



Six hundred and fifth Meeting. 



February 9, 1869. — Monthly Meeting. 



The Vice-President in the chair. 



In the absence of the Recording Secretary, Dr. S. Kneeland 

 was appointed Secretary pro tempore. 



The Vice-President announced that the committee appointed 

 to memorialize Congress for a grant of money for the obser- 

 vation of the eclipse of the sun, August 7, 1869, having at- 

 tended to that duty, had received an answer from Honorable 

 G. S. Boutwell that the steps necessary to secure the grant 

 would be taken. 



Mr. Paul B. DuChaillu, present by invitation, gave a brief 

 . account of the geography and meteorology of Equatorial Africa. 



Professor J. D. Whitney gave an account of his recent in- 

 vestigations in California into the subject of the occurrence of 

 human remains and works of art in rocks considered by him 

 as being of Pliocene age. He remarked : — 



That while nothing had been discovered to invalidate the testimony 

 brought forward at the meeting of the National Academy, in August 

 last, at Northampton, in regard to the Calaveras County skull, im- 

 portant additional evidence of other discoveries of a similar character, 

 had been obtained. There are now three distinct cases of the occur- 

 rence of human remains or works of art in rocks of Pliocene age, known 

 to him, each vouched for by the testimony of respectable witnesses, 

 given under circumstances in which there was no possibility of col- 

 lusion or probability of deceit. As I have opportunity I am dili- 

 gently engaged in collecting facts on this important subject, and, 

 without unnecessary delay, the whole will be laid before the scien- 

 tific world in proper form, and properly illustrated with maps and 

 sections. 



Six hundred and sixth Meeting. 



March 9, 1869. — Monthly Meeting. 



In the absence of the regular presiding officers, Mr. John A. 

 Lowell was chosen to take the chair. 



VOL. VIII. 14 



