88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



in diameter, with an indefinite length, exploding with a fan-Uke 

 shape of at le.ist ten feet in breadth on an estimate, not unlike the 

 appearance of a sky-rocket exploding. I heard no noise from the 

 explosion." 



Regular Meeting, December 7th, 1869. 

 President in the Chair. 



J. Taylor and A. W. Bowman were elected resident members. 



Donations to the Cabinet : A large collection of shells, radiata 

 and fossil corals, with cones of Pinus tceda, from Florida, by R. E. 

 C Stearns. 



Donation to the Library: Catalogue of recent MoUusca, part 4, 

 by S. R. Roberts, Philad., 1869, pam. 8vo., from the author. 



Prof. Whitney stated that in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado 

 he had observed only six species of Coniferge. 



Dr. Behr mentioned Eucalyptus marginata as. plentiful in Aus- 

 tralia, which he thought might be imported with advantage for use 

 in building wharves, as the logs are not attacked by the teredos. 

 Another tree grows in salt marshes and might be cultivated in such 

 situations here, QAvicennia tomentosa?^. 



Prof. Whitney read a very interesting letter from Baron von 

 Richthofen on his recent explorations in China, where he has been 

 a year and a half. He recognized there the " Taho sandstone ;" 

 next, a series of shales 1,200 to 3,000 feet thick, widely distrib- 

 uted ; third, a superposition of limestone schists ; fourth, a period 

 of volcanic disturbances and outbursts of granite ; fifth, an undis- 

 turbed stratum of sandstone ; sixth, one of limestone, 600 feet 

 thick, full of fossils, isome of Devonian appearance ; seventh, an- 

 other limestone formation, followed by sandstone conglomerate, por- 

 phyritic tufa, and clays, as observed on the Yang-tze-kiang. 



Professor W^hj,tney read a letter from Mr. J. E. Clayton, dated 

 Hamilton, Nevada, October 21st, 1869, and giving a sketch of the 

 geological structure and mode of occurrence of the silver ores in 

 the White Pine District. 



