174 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ACADEMY. 



scientific reputation of the academy and community, it was 

 resolved that a committee should be appointed to decide upon 

 the measures necessary to be taken for publishing a volume of 

 transactions. 



January 26. — Donations of books were received from Mr. 

 Minifie, Dr. Coale, and Dr. Cohen. The committee appointed 

 at the last meeting, made a report recommending the publica- 

 tion of a volume of transactions, and prescribing the terms and 

 regulations upon which the work should be conducted. Pro- 

 fessor Ducatel read a description of the aurora borealis, which 

 had appeared on the evening of the 25th inst. He also read 

 a memoir of the early history of the academy. 



February 2. — Dr. J. W. Greetham communicated to the 

 academy a table of meteorological observations, made at Mount 

 Vernon, Illinois, for October, November, and December, of 

 the past year. Professor Ducatel read a biographical memoir 

 of the first president of the academy, L. H. Girardin, LL. D. 

 intended for publication in the volume of the transactions. 



February 9. — Many interesting donations for the cabinet 

 were received from Mr. P. T. Tyson, Dr. T. Buckler, Master 

 James Buckler, Master William Buckler, Dr. Coale, Mr. I. 

 Tyson, Jr. The Boston Natural History Society presented 

 several numbers of the Boston Journal of Natural History. 

 Mr. P. T. Tyson read a communication descriptive of the 

 Frostburg coal formation, illustrated with a map and drawings. 



February 16. — Donations from Mr. Joseph Neal, Dr. Annan, 

 Master William Buckler, Dr. Coale, Mr. J. B. Fitzgerald, Mr. 

 duinby, and the Rev. Mr. Morris, were this evening added to 

 the cabinet. The library also received several publications of 

 interest from Professor Jacob Porter, of Plainfield, Mass., Pro- 

 fessor W. R. Johnson, of Philadelphia, and Professor Ducatel. 

 The latter gentleman read the first part of his description of 

 physical geography of Maryland. Mr. James Cheston Linn 

 exhibited specimens of water cement, prepared by himself from 

 a native mineral found in Allegany county, Md. 



February 23. — Donations were received for the cabinet 

 and library, from Dr. Coale, BIr. Morris, Mr. Tyson, and Dr. 

 Aikin. The section of zoology reported progress in the 

 examination and arrangement of many specimens in natural 

 history which had been referred to them. 



Transcribed by order of the Academy from the minutes. 



Wm. R. Fisher, Secretary. 



