9G TRANSACTIONS OF THE [fEB. 29, 



success, and that he had mentioned the cause of delay injustice to 

 himself. 



Prof. Safford, the astronomer of Williams College, was intro- 

 duced and made a few remarks, to the intent that he would be 

 pleased at some future time to read a paper before the Academ3\ 



February 29th, 1892. 

 Stated Meeting. 



Vice-President Dr. Bolton in the chair. Twenty persons present. 



The minutes of the Annual Meeting (February 22d) were read 

 and approved. 



Dr. Yulte exhibited some crystal of metallic tin produced arti- 

 ficially and by accident in the following manner: Granulated tin 

 was dissolved in hydrochloric acid, the tin being in excess, water 

 was then cautiously added in order not to disturb the tin solution ; 

 at the junction of the two liquids a beautiful fan-shaped raas.s of 

 twin crystals formed rapidly, many of the radial tufts being over 

 one inch long. No cause has been assigned for this singular action, 

 but it is probably due to a difference of electrical tension of the two 

 liquids. A further study of this curious phenomenon is contemplated. 



Mr. Arthur Hollick read a paper on — 



The Palaeontology of the Cretaceous Formation on Staten 



Island, 



illustrated by specimens, drawings, and lantern views. 



If we examine any recently published geological map of this vi- 

 cinity, which embraces Staten Island within its scope, we may note 

 an area along the southern and western shores of that island colored 

 or otherwise marked in the same manner as the adjacent shores of 

 New Jersey. This will be found to mean that the area in question 

 is assumed to be underlain ])y strata of cretaceous age, although as 

 a matter of fact this assumption has had until recently a very slen- 

 der basis in actual knowledge. Almost the entire area is covered 

 by a mantle of either modified or bowlder drift, and the only place 

 where the underlying strata were definitely known to be exposed 

 was at Kreischerville, where beds of fire-clay, " kaolin," sand and 

 gravel, similar in composition and arrangement to those at Amboy 

 and Woodbridge, N. J., had been mined and utilized for many years. 

 Their extent was not known, however, and no organic remains, 



