291 



These impressions differed from those of rain, all of them being 

 quite small, and considerably deeper than impressions of rain- 

 drops of the same diameter. Around several of the marks was 

 observed a radiated appearance, caused by a crystallization of 

 the moisture of the clay by the contact of the hailstone, the clay 

 itself being at about the temperature of freezing water. 



DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM. 



October 3d. A specimen of Aquila nmvia, European Eagle, and one of Otis 

 houbara Gould, Bustard; by Dr. Freeman J. Bumstead, of New York. A speci- 

 men of American Swan, prepared as a skeleton by Mr. Samuels; by Mr. Nathan 

 Robbins, A collection of Fresh Water Shells, Echini, &c.; by Mr. J. J. Dix- 

 well. A specimen of Fossil Starfish; by Mr. Robert Fowlis, of St. John, N. B. 

 A specimen of Polyporus cinnabarinus, a red fungus growing on wood; by Rev. 

 Daniel H. Temple. A specimen of Hawk, species unknown, Halcyon Lindsayi, 

 Lindsay's Kingfisher, old and young, two other undetermined species of Halcyon, 

 Merops Javanicus and eryth'ocephalus, Javan and Rufous-headed Bee-eater, and 

 Dasylophus sxiperciliosus, Supercilious Ani; by Dr. SaiBuel Kneeland, Jr. A 

 collection of birds from the Philippine Islands and Australia, among which were 

 a specimen of Dasylophus Cumingii Fras., Cuming's Ani, a Cuckoo of undeter- 

 mined species, Cinnamon-backed Egret, and Black and White Shrike ; by Mr. 

 G. S. Shaw, of Cambridge, Mass. A specimen of Geococcyx JShxicanus, Mexican 

 Ground Cuckoo; by Mr. J. C. Jones, of West Newton. 



October 17th. Specimens of Ankerite, Red Oxide of Iron, and Brown Hsematite, 

 from the Acadian Mines, and samples of Steel ; by Dr. C. T. Jackson. Seventeen 

 species of rare birds from the Philippine Islands, all new to the Collection; viz: 

 five species of Parrots, two of Woodpeckers, two of Hornbills, two of Pitta, a 

 Trogon, Rail, Tattler, Babbler, Coucal, and Megapodius — the last being the 

 only specimen of the family in the Cabinet; by Dr. S. Kneeland, Jr. An African 

 Parrot, a specimen of Harelda glacialis. Long-tailed Duck; by Mr. II. Samuels. 

 A specimen of Limosa Hudsonica, Hudsonian Godwit; by Dr. S. Cabot, Jr. An 

 Australian Sanderling; by Mr. G. S. Shaw. A Night Heron, Ruddy Duck, 

 Crossbill, Indigo Bird, and Solitary Vireo; by Mr. A. L. Babcock. 



November 7th. A Peregrine Falcon, Falco Peregrinus ; by Dr. Samuel Cabot, 

 Jr. The Skull of a Flamingo, and the Sternum of a Red-shouldered Hawk ; by 

 Mr. E. Samuels. The Sword of a Sword Fish; by Mr. Daniel Pratt, Jr., of 

 Chelsea. Some Blind Fish, from the ]\Iammoth Cave of Kentucky ; by Mrs. 

 David Loring. A conical earthen pot, containing a Mummied Ibis, with a dupli- 

 cate mummied Ibis, a mummied Serpent, several young mummied Crocodiles, 

 a Lizard, shot on the Nile, Petrifactions from the petrified forest, near Cairo, 

 Egypt, a bottle of Water from the Dead Sea, &c. ; by Mr. B. Homer Dixon. 



November 21st. A specimen of Nelumbium luteum, Yellow Nelumbo, or Water 

 Chinquepin, from Kansas; by Dr. T. H. Webb. 



