391 



of West Northfield, Cook Co., Illinois. Mr. K. proposes 

 to exchange fossils, reptiles, birds, and fishes for a copy 

 of the Journal of the Society. 



It was voted that a copy of the Proceedings, and of 

 such numbers of the Journal as are not scarce, be for- 

 warded to Mr. Kennicott in consideration of his proposed 

 exchange. 



Dr. Brewer called attention to an interesting fact 

 noticed by Mr. Kennicott, viz : that Plotus anliinga 

 (Snake Bird) is found in Illinois; also that the Wood 

 Ibis (Tantalus loculator) is common in Southern Illinois, 

 where it probably lays its eggs. Mr. Kennicott saw the 

 latter bird frequently near Cairo, in August and Septem- 

 ber of last year. 



At the meeting of May 21, Mr. N. H. Bishop presented 

 samples of a peculiar crystalline salt which he had 

 brought with him from South America. Mr. Bishop's 

 account of this peculiar mineral is as follows : — 



It is found mixed with the soil in greater or less abundance, 

 from San Luis de la punta, (a town on the western side of the 

 pampas of the Argentine Republic, where the grass plains prop- 

 erly end, and the travesia or desert commences,) to the foot of 

 the Andes. 



San Luis lies in Lat. 33^ 16' S., Long. (^Q"" 21' W., and is the 

 capital of the province of the same name. From this town, 

 westward, the soil is almost worthless, until the River Mendoza is 

 reached, where irrigation commences. 



The soil is very light and dry, not compact in the least. This 

 is probably caused by the dryness of the atmosphere and absence 

 of water ; for when Mr. Bishop crossed that part of the country, 

 they were obliged to purchase water that had been caught in 

 holes for the use of cattle. Stones are rarely met with ; where 

 they do exist, at the base of the Andes, he did not observe the 

 existence of this salt. There are several spots on the travesia, 

 between San Luis and Mendoza, furnishing a poor quality of 



