188 



might be one cause of the tendency to obesity among the 

 New Brunswickers. 



As an instance of the effect of the extreme dryness of the 

 atmosphere of New England, the President stated that a 

 tooth of Mastodon primigenius, which he had brought from 

 Europe, on sawing it open crumbled to pieces at once. 



The President exhibited a tooth of Mastodon giganieus, 

 having upon its upper surface a layer of crusta petrosa. 



Mr. H. R, Storer read a paper giving a botanical descrip- 

 tion and an account of the medical properties of Cimicifuga 

 racemosa, Black Snakeroot of New England. 



Mr. Wells exhibited a lump of pure Anthracite coal from 

 the calciferous sandstone of New York. Dr. Burnett, from 

 microscopic examination, had pronounced it to be fucoidal 

 in its origin. The specimen was submitted to him without 

 any statement as to the locality from which it had been 

 taken. 



Prof. Rogers said, he very much doubted the power of 

 the microscope to demonstrate such a fact in such speci- 

 mens of coal. He thought that in the process of the forma- 

 tion of such specimens, all traces of a vegetable origin must 

 be lost. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson said, that such specimens of Anthra- 

 cite as that exhibited were not uncommon. At Vinal 

 Haven, Maine, is a vein of this substance in the Old Silu- 

 rian rocks, mingled with hornstone and old slate. 



Mr. Bouve said, that he had in his collection, quartz 

 crystals from Herkimer county, N. Y., containing pieces of 

 Anthracite of considerable size. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson exhibited specimens of Cannel coal 

 from Kentucky and Virginia, which were rendered highly 

 electrical by friction. In a similar specimen from Scotland, 

 this effect was not produced. The coal from Peticodiac 

 River is highly electrical. It is remarkable for the large 

 quantity of bitumen which it contains. 



