1862.] 5 [Hall. 



Mr. Wlieatlej's extensive cabinet of undescribed Mesozoic 

 plants, shells and bones. 



On motion of Mr. Fraley, Mr. Lesley was nominated Li- 

 brarian for the ensuing year. 



Pending nominations Nos. 425 to 445, and new nomination 

 1^0. 446, were read. 



And the Society was adjourned. 



Stated Meeting, January 17, 18G2. 



Present, twelve members. 

 Dr. Franklin Bache, in the Chair. 



The Verein flir Naturkunde im Herzogthum Nassau, was 

 ordered to be placed upon the list of corresponding societies. 



Donations for the Library were received from the Academy 

 at Boston ; the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture ; the 

 Medical Journal and Franklin Listitute; B. V. Marsh, and 

 Sherman & Son, of Philadelphia. 



Dr. Bache announced the death of Sir John Forbes, a 

 member of this Society, i^ovember 13, 1861, aged 74. 



Prof. Lesley, read extracts from letters from Prof. James 

 Hall, of Albany, relative to the Taconic System of Dr. 

 Emmons. 



The discussion of this system has lately been revived by Mr. 

 Marcou, supported by the distinguished Bohemian palaeontologist 

 M. Barrande. Mr. Hall in these letters claims that the original 

 error was made by the geologists of the New York Survey, who had 

 charge of the eastern divisions of the State, in identifying the two 

 slate formations on the two opposite sides of the Hudson River. Sir 

 William Logan, chief of the Canada Survey, describes a similar error 

 made in the great plain of the Richelieu River, before the existence 

 of the great fault in Canada was known. Mr. Hall, accepting the 

 identification in the Hudson region, proved long ago that the Hud- 

 son River slates were the same as the Taconic slates of Emmons. It 

 now appears, that the Hudson River slates, east of the Hudson, are 

 not the No. 3 (the upper part of the Lower Silurian) slates of New 

 Jersey and Pennsylvania, west of the Hudson ; and that that name 

 must be dropped ; or applied only to the slates of the Hudson River 



