AVood.J ]^3Q [June. 



sidered by Dr. Bache as representing one of the most interesting 

 eras of his life ; but the length to which this address has been 

 already protracted, and a glance at my notes of the journey showing 

 me that it would be impossible to compress what I should have to 

 say within very narrow limits, have warned me that I must forego 

 the execution of this intention. 



In the spring of 1864, just as he was about to enter upon the task 

 of preparing a new edition of the United States Dispensatory, which 

 he expected to be peculiarly laborious, he was seized with an illne?s 

 that proved to be his last. After considerable suffering for two or 

 three days, his pains left him almost entirely, and in a few days more 

 he sank into a state of prostration and stupor, which terminated in 

 a perfectly easy death, on the 19th of March, somewhat more than a 

 week from the commencement of the disease. He was in his seventy- 

 second year when he died. 



A memoir was presented for publication in the Transac- 

 tions, by the Secretary, from Dr. Leidy, entitled "The 

 Myriapoda of the United States, by Dr. H. C. Wood, Jr." 

 The Secretary stated that the original MS. had been burnt 

 in the late conflagration of the Smithsonian Buildings, at 

 Washington, and that the present had been newly prepared 

 from his original notes by the author, and was now oflfered, 

 with the consent of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, for publication by this Society, with the use of a num- 

 ber of wood-cuts already executed, and others drawn but not 

 ready for use. On motion, the paper was referred to Dr. 

 Leidy, Dr. Le Conte, and Dr. Bridges. 



A memoir was presented for publication in the Transac- 

 tions, by the Secretary, entitled " On the Formation of the 

 Island of Sombrero, by Alexis A. Julien," and referred to a 

 committee, consisting of Dr. Genth, Prof. Booth, and Mr. 

 Lesley. 



Mr. Briggs made a verbal communication of his views re- 

 specting the nature of the force by which petroleum is 

 brought to the surface, regarding it as an intimate mechani- 

 cal mixture of the gases, into which the petroleum sponta- 

 neously decomposes, with the petroleum fluid, like that which 

 exists between the carbonic acid and the water in a soda 

 fountain. 



