ance of the resinous coniferse, &c. pervading the whole bitumin- 

 ous formation, was a step, perhaps not the first, in the progress of 

 the vegetable creation towards, he would not say those more per- 

 fectly developed forms, but towards those dicotyledonous forms 

 of the present day possessing more functions, and qualities more 

 adapted to the use of the animals, terminating with man, which 

 were to appear on the globe ; a progress somewhat analogous to 

 that supposed to have taken place in the animal creation. 



He much regretted that the want of books, of living and dried 

 specimens of tropical acotyledonous and monocoty ledonous plants, 

 particularly of Palms and Graminese, and of a proper microsco- 

 pical apparatus, impeded his further and more minute investiga- 

 tion of this interesting subject. 



Prof. Rogers hoped Mr. Teschemacher would persevere in the 

 investigation. Books could and ought to be procured. He 

 offered from his own collections, made in Pennsylvania, an abun 

 dant supply of specimens. On the subject of the relative ages of 

 the anthracite and bituminous Coals, he could not agree with Mr. 

 T. He thought his own and his brother's researches in Penn- 

 sylvania had demonstrated the parallelism of the two kinds, and 

 the progressive augmentation of bitumen as you advance towards 

 the west. 



Dr. Gould exhibited specimens of Bulla solitar^ia, from 

 Plymouth Beach, collected by Rev. Mr. Hincks, who found 

 them in great numbers. Dr. G. was not before aware of 

 the existence of this shell in that locality. It had been 

 found at Newport, R. I., and Roxbury. 



He also presented, on behalf of B. A. Gould, Esq., a por- 

 tion of the Jaw of a Skate, Raia ocellata, and a specimen 

 of Phrynosoma orbicular e. Also, an Agama from Prof. 

 Cleveland, of Bowdoin College. 



Dr. Bacon exhibited masses of Gutta Percha, to show the 

 appearances which had been mistaken for wood and bark. 



Mr. Teschemacher reported on the Seed-vessel of Ne- 

 lumbium luteum. Mr. Ayres remarked that the plant was 

 found as far north as Connecticut, in a pond in Middle Had- 

 dam, in that State. 



