152 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. 



The following donations to the museum were received : A 

 box containing skulls and eggs of birds from Missouri, from 

 J. T.Irwin, Esq., Ravenna, Mo.; a specimen of Inoceramus 

 Sagensis(S), and part of the lower jaw and teeth of Rhino- 

 ceros occidentalism from Nebraska, from Gen. Harney. 



Dr. Wislizenus read a continuation of his paper on Atmos- 

 pheric Electricity. Referred to the Publication Committee. 



Dr. B. F. Shumard communicated some of the results of his 

 investigations upon the Cretaceous Formation of Texas. He 

 stated, that, aided by his brother, Dr. Geo. G. Shumard, Dr. 

 W. P. Riddell, and other members of the Geological Survey, 

 he had made an extensive collection of fossils from beds not 

 previously recognized in that State, and which appear to cor- 

 respond in age with the Ripley Group of Tippah Co., Miss., 

 and Enfaula, Ala. The fossils were found in Septarice, em- 

 bedded in blue and grayish-yellow arenaceous clays, and oc- 

 cur in an elegant state of preservation. The iridescent hues 

 of the nacre being as perfectly retained as in recent shells. 

 Dr. Shumard had been able to recognize in the Texan beds 

 about twenty species of the Ripley Group of Alabama and 

 Mississippi ; among these, he mentioned Nautilus Dekayi, Ra- 

 culites Tippaensis, B. Spillmani, Purpura cancellaria, Rapa 

 supraplicata, Ficus subdensatus, Pleurotoma Tippana, Car- 

 dium Spillmani, Legumen ellipticum, and Exogyra costata. 

 Among the new fossils of the Navarro beds, the Cephalopoda 

 preponderate over other genera ; but while Nautilus, Ptg- 

 choceras, Helicoceras, Turrilites, and Raculites, are abundant, 

 not a single species of Ammonites or /Scaphites has been 

 found. 



Dr. C. C. Parry, of Davenport, Iowa, and Dr. James Blake, 

 of San Francisco, Cal., were elected Corresponding Members. 



April 1, 1861. 

 The President, Dr. Engelmann, in the chair. 



Nine members present. 



Letters were read as follows ; from Dr. C. C. Parry, Daven- 

 port, Iowa, March 2'2, 1861, acknowledging notice of his elec- 

 tion as a Corresponding Member; Smithson. Inst., Mar. 1861, 

 respecting exchanges. 



The following donations to the library were received : 



Jonr. Frank. Inst., No. 3, March, 1861, /rom the Institute; On ihe sup- 

 posed identity of the Paradoxides Harlant, Green, with P.spinosus, Bcerk, 

 by Albert Orchvav, /rom the Author; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences Philad., 

 Jan. 1861, from the A 'en demy ; Hull, de la Soc. Imp. Z»ol. d' Acclimation, 

 Paris, T. VIII., No 1, 1861, from the Society; Jour. Canad. Inst., March, 

 1861, from the Institute; Synopsis of Amer. Cretaceous Bracliiopoda, by 



