178 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



The immense quarry-cave, in whicli this skeleton was found, it was 

 our good fortune to discover in 1853, and by the connivance of one of 

 the chief dignitaries of the city, we eluded the vigilance of the Turkish 

 authorities, and succeeded in making a thorough exploration of this 

 hitherto unknown cavern. The skeleton of this adventurous explorer 

 (if such he may be styled) was found in the extreme South end of the 

 cave, 100 feet from the entrance, in a deep pit. The bones (of almost 

 giant proportions) gave evidence of having laid in that position for many 

 years, judging from their decayed state, which, however, is not so appa- 

 rent upon the skull. 



How long since he ended his career, though matter of some uncer- 

 tainty, is obviously no short time, for it is evident that the bats and 

 owls have fluttered over his bones for many long centuries ; for the en- 

 trance to this large quarry-cave is in the wall of the city, which un- 

 doubtedly has been kept carefully closed ever since the subversion of the 

 Frank kingdom of the Holy Land, when the city walls underwent their 

 last reparation. 



The position of this cave, a little elevated above the area of the tem- 

 ple, enabled us to solve an enigma which has heretofore been regarded 

 as an ' opprohimn antiquorum,' — the location of those Cyclopean stones, 

 in their great height in the outer temple wall. 



What may be his history, is a still greater matter of uncertainty. 

 We can only conjecture that he was a pilgrim, who, on exploring the 

 labyrinthine halls of this vast grotto, stumbled down into this deep pit, 

 but whether Jew, Christian or Moslem, is altogether matter of query." 



September Sth, 1857. 



Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. 



The following extract of a letter from Dr. D. B. McCartee, of Ningpo, 

 China, dated New York, Sept. 3d, 1857, was read : 



" I forward a specimen of the ' insect wax' of China. This was said by the 

 naturalists attached to Sir George Staunton's embassy to be the product of the 

 larva of the Cicada limbata, and that ' the fly' which ' was observed by Staunton 

 on the coast of Cochin China has curious pectinated appendages on the back, 

 and the whole insect is covered with a white powder, which is imparted to the 

 stems of the plants it inhabits.' This is not the case with the wax of which a 

 specimen is sent. It is the product of a very small insect, a species of Coccus. 

 as far as I could make it out. It is deposited near Ningpo on the twigs and 

 smaller branches of a species of ash, in granules, giving the twig the appear- 

 ance of white coral. It is not generally known that it is to be found in the 

 vicinity of Ningpo ; and it was only after a search of two years that I succeeded 

 in finding it. * * * "^ * I think Sir George Staunton was deceived by the fact 

 that the larva of a species of Cicada corresponding to his description is found 

 upon the same tree, as I myself saw." 



Dr. Morris remarked that among the fishes brought from Panama by 

 Dr. Ruschenberger, were found the following Atlantic species which 

 were not previously known to exist in the Pacific : Exocetus acutus, 

 Pristipoma rodo, Epliqjpus faher. 



[September. 



