1866.] 31 [Blake. 



of cinnabar in a gangue of calc spar. The whole forms a thin seam 

 or vein in a homogeneous bluish colored sandstone, somewhat pyrit- 

 iferous, though otherwise but slightly altered from its original granular 

 state. Samples of pebbles of cinnabar from the same place, obtained 

 by placer washing, contain grains of gold.* The age of the formation 

 is either Cretaceous or Tertiary. Fossils of the genera Terebratula 

 and Inoceramus are abundant in the vicinity. The occurrence of gold 

 with the quicksilver ore of New Almaden has been noticed by Prof. 

 Oxland, who discovered it in the refuse of the furnaces ; f he also 

 notes its occurrence with the cinnabars of Colusa Co. It is prob- 

 able that gold will be found at most, if not all, of the quicksilver 

 localities. Some, at least, of the cinnabar veins are in formations as 

 recent as the Miocene Tertiary. Both Mr. Atwood and Prof Silli- 

 man collected Miocene fossils from the quicksilver-bearing rocks of 

 San Luis Obispo.J 



San Francisco, Cal., May 9, 1866. 



Dr. Jackson exhibited various specimens presented by Mr. 

 H. H. Ronne ; a vegetable tallow from Bengal, called "kac- 

 kum oil," used by the natives medicinally for colds, and also 

 for cooking, giving a sour taste — the source of it is un- 

 known ; an indelible ink nut, containing between the shell 

 and seed a coloring fluid matter of very insoluble and in- 

 destructible character; a solution from this nut in Benzole 

 gives a brown dye, changing to black ; it seems also to pos- 

 sess poisonous properties ; mucilaginous Chumalla seeds used 

 in glazing India silks, and also for medicinal purposes in 

 affections of the eye ; Ghantee root much like Munjeet, yield- 

 ing a yellow instead of a red dye, and also Cashew nuts, the 

 kernel of which is used as an article of food, and also as an 

 ingredient in chocolate. They are imported into Bombay 

 chiefly from Goa ; the kernel is extracted by placing the nut 

 in the fire. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam read an extract of a letter from the 

 Rev. A. B. Kendig of Davenport, Iowa, concerning an ice 

 cave in Decorah in that State, in which the ice foiins in 

 summer and disappears in winter. 



* Similar pebbles are mentioned by Prof. Whitney in his Report, i. p. 92. 



t Trans. Cal. State Ag. Sec. 1864 and 1865. p. 173. Report of Prof. R. Oxland. 



t Noticed by Mr. Gabb, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Cal. iii, (2), 173. 



