150 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OP SCIENCE. 



Mr. Holmes read an extract from a newspaper giving an 

 account of the fall, on the 11th January last, of a meteor- 

 ite in Northern Illinois. 



Dr. Prout called the attention of the Academy to the Ne- 

 braska mass of Meteoric Iron on the table which had been 

 placed in his hands for examination. He had submitted a 

 polished portion of its surface to the action of nitric acid, 

 which had developed the Widmannstattian Figures in beau- 

 tiful relief. 



On motion of Dr. Baumgarten, the following amendments 

 to Art. II. of the By-laws were adopted: 



Substitute for Section 5. — Members may borrow books, 

 the property of the Academy, from the Librarian, on signing 

 a receipt for the same in the following words : " Received of 

 the Academy of Science of St. Louis [title and description of 

 the work], to be returned five weeks after date in good order 

 and condition" — which receipt shall be returned to the signer 

 on the return of the book. 



Sectio7i 6 shall read — But no works marked in the cata- 

 logue with an asterisk (*) shall be loaned from the library on 

 any account whatever, unless by an affirmative vote of three- 

 fourths of the members present. 



Substitute for Section 7.— No book shall be kept from the 

 library longer than five weeks. A fine of 25 cents shall be 

 imposed for each week that any book is kept over the time 

 laid down in this section. Any fines thus imposed shall be 

 reported by the Librarian to the Treasurer, to be collected 

 with the semi-annual contribution of members. 



February 18, 1861. 



The President, Dr. Engelmann, in the chair. 



Seven members present. 



Letters were read as follows: from E. G. Squier, Esq., 

 N. York, dated Feb. 4, 1861, acknowledging receipt of Trans- 

 actions and transmitting publications in exchange ; N. Orl. 

 Acad, of Sci., dated Jan. 22, 1861, acknowledging receipt of 

 Transactions. 



The following publications were received : 



Trans. Royal Scottish Soc. of Arts, Vol. V., Pt. IV., Edinburg, 1860, 

 from the Society; Jour. Frank. Inst., No. 2, Feb. 1861, from the Institute; 

 Canad Jour. Toronto, No. XXXI., Jan. 1861, from the Institute ; Proc. 

 Amcr. Philos. Soc. Philad., No. 61, Dec. I860 from the Society; Geology 

 of the Island of Aquidneek, by C. H. Hitchcock,— Synchronism of Coal 

 Beds in New En-land and the U. S. Coal Basin, bv C. H. Hitchcock,/>om 

 theJuthor; On Roberts' Test-Plate and Stria; of Diatoms, by W. S. Sulli- 

 vant and T. G. Wormley, from Dr. G. Engelmann. 



