43 



The President made some remarks upon the relation be- 

 tween the vegetable impressions of the coal beds, and those 

 of the New Red Sandstone. In connection with this sub- 

 ject, Mr. Bouve stated that the Sandstone slabs from the 

 Connecticut Valley exhibit a large number of vegetable 

 impressions. 



In answer to a question by the President, as to the best 

 received theory of the formation of coal, Prof. Rogers 

 stated that it is generally admitted at the present day, that 

 each bed of coal was an ancient peat deposit ; that it was 

 formed at a period when the climate was warmer than at 

 present, and when the fall of rain was also much more 

 abundant; when vegetation was rank and redundant, the 

 plants abounding in cellular tissue, and evidently of quick and 

 easy growth. 



The Curator of Oology announced the donation of nine 

 specimens of choice eggs from Florida, by Dr. Henry Bry- 

 ant, of the following species : 



Trogiodptes Ludoviciamis, Carolina Wren; Quiscalus 

 major, Boat-tail Grakle ; Charadrius WilsoniuSy Wilson's 

 Plover ; Tantalus loculator, Wood Ibis ; RhynchojJS nigra, 

 Razor-bill Shearwater ; Anous stolidtis, Noddy Tern ; 

 Sterna fuliginosa, Sooty Tern ; Sterna acuflamda, Cabot's 

 Sandwich Tern ; Plotus anhinga, Snake-bird. 



Also a donation of twenty-four specimens by himself, 

 viz. : — American Species : Chordeiles Virginianus, Night 

 Hawk ; Acanthylis pelasgia, Chimney Swallow ; Progne 

 purpurea, Purple Martin; Myiobius crinitus, Crested 

 Flycatcher ; Ammodramus passerinus, Yellow-shouldered 

 Sparrow ;• Ammodramus mariti7nus, Seaside Finch ; Frin- 

 gilla tristis, Goldfinch ; Rallus crepitans, Clapper Rail. 



European Species: Alcedo ispida. Kingfisher; Upupa 

 epops. Hoopoe; Calamodytapalustris, Fauvette Warbler ; 

 Accentor modularis. Hedge Chanter; Turdus 7nerula, 

 European Blackbird; Enneoctonus collurio, Red-backed 



