18G 



Journal of the Franklin Institute. Third Series. Vol. XXXI. No. 4. 



April, 1856. Philadelphia. 8vo. — From the Institute. 

 Ma Bibliotheque Francaise. Paris. 12mo. — From Hector Bossange 



6^ Son. 



The Committee appointed at last meeting, on a communica- 

 tion by Dr. Ilallowell, "On a New Genus of Boaedse from 

 Cuba," reported in favour of its publication in the Transactions 

 of the Society, which was ordered accordingly. 



Judge Kane announced the decease of Thomas I. Wharton, 

 Esq. a member of this Society, who died April 7, 1856, aged 

 65:— 



And, on motion of Dr. Franklin Bache, Judge Kane was 

 appointed to prepare an obituary notice of ]\Ir. Wharton. 



Mr. Durand made a communication concerning the collec- 

 tion of plants brought from the Arctic regions by the expedi- 

 tion under the command of Dr. Kane. 



The collections of plants, brought by Dr. E. K. Kane, from his two 

 voyages to the polar regions, comprehend 148 species — 77 of which 

 are dicotyledonous; 29 monocotyledonous, and 42 cryptogamous 

 plants: all from the western coast of Greenland, between the 64th and 

 80th north parallels. 



Although compelled, by the casualties of his voyage back to the 

 United States, to sacrifice several of his packages, Dr. Kane's collec- 

 tions are yet among the richest ever brought by arctic and polar ex- 

 plorers. They not only afford a great accession to our previous know- 

 ledge of the polar vegetation, but they, almost, complete the flora of 

 northern Greenland, by adding 27 new species to the 49 alloted by 

 Sir J. Pvichardson, in his statistical tables, to the polar section of that 

 vast island, from the 7 3d parallel. 



They, moreover, develop facts of great importance in a physico- 

 geographical point of view; first, by exhibiting throughout the range 

 of coasts between the arctic and polar circle no perceptible change in 

 the number and species of plants therein collected; which seems to 

 establish that the third or polar zone of Sir J. Richardson, as far 

 at least as Greenland is concerned, might as well begin at the 67th 

 as at the 73d degree of north latitude. Secondly: By the reappear- 

 ance, beyond the limits of Smith's sound, of two plants, Hesperis 

 Pallasii and Vesicaria Arctica, belonging rather to the miklcr parts 

 of the arctic zone. Both these plants were gathered, with a {cw 



