February, 1S44.] 11 



A paper, by Dr. Morton, describing a supposed new spe- 

 cies of Hippopotamus from the River St. Paul's, W. Africa, 

 was read, and referred to the following committee : Mr. 

 Conrad, Dr. Goddard, and Prof. Johnson. 



A letter was read from Mr. Isaac G. Strain, of the U. S. 

 Navy,* Corresponding Member of the Academy, addressed 

 to Dr. Morton as Vice President, giving the synopsis of the 

 translation, by himself, of a letter from Dr. Lund, of the 

 Royal Society of Antiquarians at Copenhagen, to the Histori- 

 cal and Geographical Society of Brazil, on the subject of 

 some organic remains recently discovered in the calca- 

 reous rocks in the Province of Minas Geraes, Brazil. 



[The interesting and novel information contained in Dr. 

 Lund's letter has induced the Committee on Proceedings to 

 submit for publication the entire translation of Mr. Strain.] 



Rio de Janeiro, 7th December, 1843. 



My Dear Sir, — Knowing the interest you, as well as the other members of 

 the Academy, take in any subject tending to throw light upon the history of 

 the human race, I take the liberty of giving you the synopsis of a translation I 

 have made of a letter addressed by Dr. Lund, of the Royal Society of Anti- 

 quarians at Copenhagen, to the Historical and Geographical Society of Brazil, 

 of which he is an honorary member. 



Dr. Lund has for some time been pursuing his investigations in the Province 

 of Minas Geraes; and has devoted his attention particularly to the fossil 

 remains found in the calcareous rocks of that region. At present he is engaged 

 in the publication of a work entitled, Blik pact Braziliens Dyreverden, or a 

 View of the animal creation which inhabited Brazil immediately preceding the 

 present state of things. The Doctor states it to have been his wish to have 



* Mr. Strain left the United States in the summer of last year in a Govern- 

 ment vessel for South America, as the head of a scientific exploring party into 

 a portion of the interior of that country, and which promises important and 

 interesting results. Mr. S. goes out under the auspices of the U. S. Government, 

 aided also by members of this Institution and other individuals, and is amply fur- 

 nished with every requisite for the successful prosecution of his hazardous and 

 arduous undertaking. Since his arrival at Rio, he has also been fortunate 

 enough to obtain every facility and encouragement from the Imperial Govern- 

 ment. The letter above referred to was written on the eve of his departure on 

 his journey. 



