392 



Gulf of Mexico and the coast of West Florida. Dr. G. shows 

 that this coast of Florida has changed in different directions 

 twice within the period of the now existing nnollusca of the gulf. 

 At present, the land is slowly sinking ; the bar of the West Pass 

 of the Bay of Appalachicola, within the memory of those now 

 living there, never had more than twelve feet of water upon it ; 

 vessels drawing fourteen feet, now sail over it safely ; oyster beds, 

 twenty years ago uncovered at every low tide, are now never or 

 very rarely laid bare ; all along the bay the roots of pines are 

 now daily washed by the tide, which, a few years ago, were 

 flourishing above high-water mark ; at various places on the 

 coast may be seen roots and trunks of cypresses and other 

 trees, in an erect position, extending to the depth of several 

 feet into the Gulf of Mexico ; these submerged forests, every 

 year, increase perceptibly in extent. 



There is abundant evidence that a change from dry land to 

 sea, and again to dry land, has taken place in West Florida. 

 The rate of the present descent of the land, when examined for 

 a series of years, seems quite uniform ; the facts observed indi- 

 cate that the change for the last twenty years is between eight 

 and nine inches, or an average rate of three and a half feet in a 

 century. 



On motion of Dr. Storer, it was voted that the President 

 be requested to draw up such resolutions as he may think 

 proper, in reference to the death of the late Mr. Tesche- 

 macher, to be read at the next meeting. 



Mr. J. C. White was elected a resident member. 



December 'HI, 1853. 



The President in the Chair. 



The President, in accordance with a vote passed at the 

 preceding meeting, offered a series of resolutions relative to 



