328 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



Regular Meeting, March 4th, 1867. 

 President in the Chair. 



Twenty-nine members present. 



Messrs. J. M. Sibley, William Norris, Henry Pickel, John W. 

 Nystrom, Ross E. Brown, Cornelius B. Miller and Theodore P. 

 Painter were elected Resident Members. 



Donations to the Cabinet : " Electro-Silicon," (Infusorial Silica) 

 from Six-Mile Canon, near Virginia City, Nevada, from Dr. Lans- 

 zweert ; Fossil Fruit, from Long Valley, Mendocino County, from C. 

 Beottie ; Fossil Shells, from the line of the Erie (Steuben County, 

 N. Y.) Railroad, by A. T. Beardsley; Magnesium Wire, by C. Z. 

 Wilson ; Fragment from the " Pyramid of Cheops," by Mr. 

 Elliott ; Two Specimens of Petrified Wood, from Sonoma County, 

 Package of Coffee -Seed and Specimen of Nest of Trap-Door Spi- 

 der, from Dr. Kellogg. 



Prof. Whitney announced the death of Alexander Dallas Bache, 

 and read a notice of his life and eminent scientific services. 



Mr. Stearns read the following communication, prefacing it with 

 some remarks on the hibernation and aestivation of land shells : 



Remarkable Instance of Vitality in a Snail. 



In that invaluable work to the conchological student, entitled " Recent and 

 Fossil Shells," by S. P. Woodward, pp. 18 and 19, reference is made to certain 

 genera and species of laud shells, and several instances are cited proving the 

 remarkable vitality of these comparatively insignificant animals, and their abil- 

 ity to exist for great lengths of time without food. 



Particular mention is made of a specimen of the snail Helix desertorum, 

 which was affixed to a tablet in the British Museum, March 25th, 184G, and 

 upon the 7th of March. 1850, it was observed that the animal must have come 

 out of the shell, as the paper was discolored in the attempt to get away, but 

 finding escape impossible, it had withdrawn inside of the shell and closed the 

 aperture with the usual glistening film, which led to its immersion in tepid 

 water and marvelous recovery. It will be noticed that this period embraced 

 nearly four years. 



A more remarkable case has come under my observation, which is worthy of 

 mention. 



Dr. Veatcb, a member of this Academy, visited Cerros or Cedros Island, 

 opposite the west coast of Lower California, and upon his return, in the year 



