378 



taken up by the growing plants. Farms often become valueless 

 from the failing supply of phosphates, the crops fail, and the 

 cattle raised upon them are of a less hardy class. The ash of 

 wheat, rye, corn, beans, turnips, and potatoes, contains from fifty 

 to eighty per cent, of various phosphates. 



Mr. Alger, in conclusion, presented to the Cabinet of the 

 Society specimens of this mineral both in crystals, and as asso- 

 ciated with the sulphates of iron and copper. 



Mr. Alger also made some observations on the economic 

 value of Peat. 



The following products have been recently obtained from it in 

 England, namely, — Carbon ; Sulphate of Ammonia, worth .£12 

 per ton ; Naphtha, worth five shillings per gallon ; Paraffine, a 

 fatly, inodorous substance, of which candles may be made, worth 

 one shilling per pound ; Volatile and Fixed Oil, worth one shil- 

 ling per gallon. It is a bicarburet of hydrogen, and has the 

 same composition as Olefiant gas. 



The Committee appointed at the last meeting to nomi- 

 nate a candidate for the office of Curator of Conchology, 

 made vacant by the resignation of Dr. Read, reported the 

 name of Mr. William Stimpson, who was in accordance 

 with the nomination unanimously elected to the office. 



Dr. Cabot announced, in behalf of Mr. Francis Brown, 

 the donation of a young Ger Falcon, a very rare and valu- 

 able specimen, procured by him in Newfoundland. The 

 thanks of the Society were voted for the donation. 



Twenty-six bird skins were presented in the name of 

 Mr. Algernon Coolidge, a member of the Society. 



Dr. Gould presented, in behalf of Dr. Jay of New York, 

 a copy of the Catalogue of the shells in his Cabinet ; also 

 a copy of his own memoir of Dr. Amos Binney. 



The President announced the donation from Prof. Owen 

 of his Memoir on the Teeth of Placocheerus. 



