Harris.] gg [October. 



A communication for the Transactions was presented by the 

 Secretary, entitled "Intellectual Symbolism," by Pliny 

 Chase, of Philadelphia, Avhich was on motion referred to a 

 committee, consisting of Dr. Goodwin, Rev. Mr. Barnes, and 

 Professor Coppde. 



Professor Bache described a model, which he presented to 

 the Society, as the ingenious workmanship of Mr. Engle in 

 the office of the United States Coast Survey. " The surface 

 of the plaster model was designed to illustrate the diurnal 

 variation of the magnetic declination, and its annual irregu- 

 larity, as found in the discussion of the magnetic observations 

 at Girard College, Philadelphia, 1840 to 1845, Part II. It 

 is intended to make similar models for the horizontal and 

 vertical forces." 



Dr. Franklin Bache made some remarks on the discovery 

 of the new metal thallium. 



Dr. Harris exhibited the skull of the Bueeros scutatus, or Helmet 

 Hornbill of India, upon the frontal plate of which had been carved a 

 beautiful Chinese intaglio by an artist in Canton. The specimen 

 presented was obtained from the male bird, the head of which is of 

 the same character with, but larger than that of the female, present- 

 ing a larger frontal space, and therefore more highly valued. The 

 bird is a species of raven, quite common in India. It is not at all 

 well proportioned, having a large head, thick neck, long body and 

 tail, and somewhat short legs. Its neck is bare of plumage, and its 

 head also, except at the occiput. Its prevailing color is black. Like 

 the other Buceri, it presents a large protuberance on the top of its 

 head, which is hollow, and has no connection with the cranial cavity. 

 This eminence presents none of tlie characteristic features of bone, 

 and is remarkable for the extreme thickness of its frontal plate and 

 its ivory-like formation. It is of a light nankeen-yellow color. 



A few years ago it was discovered in China that the skull of this 

 bird might be used for ornamental purposes, and plates of it carved 

 to represent flowers, and then rendered translucent by some chemical 

 process, were set as breastpins and bracelets and sold to a few foreign 

 residents in Canton. Some of these articles were sent out to this 

 country, and were shown by Dr. Harris to several members of this 

 Society and of the Academy of Natural Sciences, all of whom doubted 

 the correctness of the Chinese statement that they were made from 

 portions of a bird's head, and one, without any hesitation, pronounced 



