1848.] 5 



interesting remains. As soon as I reach Boston, I shall avail myself of the op- 

 portunity of Dr. Warren's collection, to ascertain whether the Zeuglodon of South 

 Carolina is specifically identical with the large species of Alabama, which I begin 

 to doubt." 



A letter was read from the Rev. Thomas S. Savapre, addressed to Dr. 

 Hallowell, dated Natchez, Miss., January 15th, 18 tS, stating that he 

 had drawn up some flicts connected with the habits of three of the 

 specimens of Natural History from Africa, lately presented by him to 

 the Society, and had forwarded them with sketches of two of the 

 serpents in a recent state, with some account of them as connected 

 with the superstition of the natives of that part of Africa. 



A letter from William Thompson, Esq., addressed to Dr. Griffith, 

 dated Donegal Square, Belfast, January 11th, 184-8, was read, acknow- 

 ledging the receipt of a donation of shells from Dr. Griffith and the 

 Academy, and returning his thanks therefor ; also stating that he was 

 preparing to forward in return, a number of species of Echinodermata 

 and MoUusca, and of Alg(B, about one hundred and fifty species ; and 

 also offering to transmit, if desired, specimens of Irish Crustacea and 

 Zoophytes, also Cirrhipoda, Annelidce, and Amorphozoa, and fossils 

 from the green sand formation of his vicinity. 



A letter was read from Dr. Charles T. Jackson, addressed to the 

 Academy, dated Boston, January 20th, 18-18, relating to the proposed 

 erection in Paris of a monument to M. Etienne Geoffi'oy St. Hilaire, 

 and enclosing a printed circular on the subject, dated Paris, April 30th, 

 1847, signed by Dumeril, Arago, Dumas, Serres, L. Elie de Beaumont, 

 Jomard, Regnault, and Roche, and soliciting the co-operation of scien- 

 tific societies and individuals in this country. 



Professor Haldeman made some remarks ou the fibrous lava of the 

 Hawaian Islands, and referred to the formation of a similar material in 

 anthracite blast-furnaces. When the hearth of the furnace is some- 

 what chilled, and the slag not highly fluid, if the blast is allowed to 

 escape over it, it will be drawn out into long threads, which form 

 bunches resembling flax. According to Mr. Dana, the fibrous lava 

 (which Prof. H. proposes to call Stypnite,) is formed from masses of fluid 

 lava cast into the air and struck by the wind. 



Dr. Morton oifered some observations of the Bushman Hottentot boy, now in 

 this city, and who was brought here under the kind and paternal auspices of Capt. 

 Chase, United States Consul at the Cape of Good Hope. This gentleman has ex- 

 pressed his intention to be present, with the boy, at a future meeting of the 

 Academy; and in view of this arrangement, Dr.M. stated that he should confine his 

 remarks to a few very interesting points. The boy is supposed to be about 

 eighteen years of age, is three feet eleven inches in height, and of slender make. 

 His complexion is that of a dried leaf, as described by travellers among these 

 people ; the head is elongated, flattened on the coronal region ; full behind, and rather 

 broad between the parietal bones. The face does not project ; the nose is so flat 

 as scarcely to be seen in profile ; the cheek-bones wide, and the forehead low but not 

 receding. The hair is arranged in delicate tufts, of a straight and cylindrical form, 

 each tuft being inserted separately into the scalp, so that the intervening light 

 skin presents a strong contrast with the black hair. If these tufts are examined, 

 the hairs composing them are found to be spiral, and so intimately blended as to 

 give the whole fasciculus a compact appearance, and an extraordinary flexibility. 

 The hairs are very fine; but Dr. M. observed that his friend Dr. Meigs had called 



