^70 [November- 



made known to the Society, by a letter from Prof. Whitney, 

 of New Haven. 



Mr. Lesley communicated certain facts concerning the tra- 

 ditional smelting of lead by the aborigines. 



Prof. Trego doubted the ability of the Indians to reduce 

 galena, and their use or knowledge of lead, until the coming 

 of the Avhites among them. 



Prof. Porter described a remarkable locality within the 

 city limits, on a reclaimed portion of the bank of the Dela- 

 ware, below the Navy Yard, where, during the last two years, 

 at least ninety species of perhaps seventy genera of plants 

 have been discovered, belonging to the flora of the Carolinas, 

 Florida, and other Gulf States, as far Avest as New Mexico, 

 and some of them Western plants. They are divided into two 

 groups, growing on the two banks of a narrow lagoon, one 

 bank consisting of refuse heaps from the city, and the other 

 bank formed by ballast heaps thrown from vessels trading 

 coastwise with this port. Some of these botanical waifs have 

 been discovered also growing on similar accumulations thrown 

 upon the opposite or New Jersey shore. 



Prof. Porter remarked that the native flora of this part 

 of the United States was rapidly yielding to the inroads of a 

 foreign flora, railroads appearing to be one of the most active 

 agents of naturalization. Plants described by Dr. Gray as 

 rare, have already taken complete possession of the valley of 

 the Susquehanna, and the time may soon come when a large 

 part of our flora will have a foreign character. 



Prof. Trego described the sudden apparition of numerous 

 plants, not indigenous to this locality, in the yard of the 

 Moyamensing Prison, introduced, as was supposed, in the 

 wool which the convicts used for manufacturing purposes. 

 Other members testified to the rapidity with which the na- 

 turalization of plants is going on. 



The minutes of the last meeting of the Board of OflScers 

 and members in council, were then read. 



Pending nominations 541, 542, and new nominations 543, 

 544 were read. 



Mr. Geo. Christian Schaefier, lately elected a member, and 



