49 



Dr. F. Bache announced the decease of Dr. Robert M. Pat- 

 terson, formerly President of this Society, who died on the 

 5th instant, in the 68th year of his age : 



Whereupon, on motion, Judge Kane was requested to pre- 

 pare an obituary notice of the deceased, with a view to its 

 publication as a preface to the Transactions of the Society. 



Dr. Boye exhibited, for the inspection of the members, a 

 stereoscopic daguerreotype of a famil}^ group, taken by Mr. 

 Mayall, of London, which he considers as indicating great 

 perfection in this art, particularly in the colouring. 



Dr. Dunglison laid before the Society some specimens of 

 printing, recently brought by him from Vienna, executed in 

 the "K. K. Hof und Staatsdruckerei," in that city. They 

 consist of copies from impressions in lead of laces, leaves, 

 mosses, &c., presenting an exact resemblance of the original ; — 

 an improvement in art which promises to be useful in imitating 

 botanical and other specimens, as well as in preparing copies 

 for the use of the blind, of various subjects which they may 

 admirably study by the touch of copies prepared in this 

 manner. 



Judge Kane mentioned that he had lately received a com- 

 munication from England, containing information from which 

 it appears unlikely that the American Exploring Expedition, 

 under the command of Dr. Kane, will be able to return to this 

 country as soon as was originally expected. The severity of 

 the season and the closeness of the ice succeeding the open 

 season of 1853, will, it is considered probable, detain them in 

 the Arctic regions for another year. 



Stated Meeting, October 6. 



Present, twenty members. 



Dr. Franklin Bache, President, in the Chair. 



Letters were read: — 



From the Secretary of I'Ecole des Mines, dated Paris, 13th 

 May, 1854, accompanying a donation for the library: — 



