THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 79 



notice to that effect, and of the namea of the gentlemen who may he 



selected as such committee. 



CHARLES AVERY, 

 ORIN ROOT, 



OTHNIEL S. WILLIAMS, 

 THEODORE W. DWIGPIT, 



Commiitee. 



On motion of Mr. English, the following resolution was adopted : 

 Besolved, That the letter of the committee of the trustees of Hamil- 

 ton College he referred to Messrs. Bache, Totten, and Henry, with 

 authority to comply with the request contained in said letter. 



The following letter from the corresponding secretary of the Amer- 

 ican Academy of Arts and Sciences was read : 



Boston and Cambridge, Ilassachusetta , August , 1855. 

 My Dear Sir : The following extract from*the record of the annual 

 meeting in May last has just been furnished me hy the recording sec- 

 retary : 



"Professor Agassiz referred to the allusion in the librarian's report 

 to the Smithsonian Institution, and expressed in strong language his 

 sense of the indebtedness of the scientific world to that Institution, for 

 its enlightened efforts to diffuse knowledge, particularly as a medium 

 of exchange of publications. In conclusion, he moved that the thanks 

 of the academy he presented to the Smithsonian Institution, for its effi- 

 cient agency in effecting for the academy its exchanges with societies and 

 individuals, which was unanimously adopted." * 



I have great pleasure in forwarding to you the vote of the academy, 

 in obedience to its instructions. 



And I remain, very respectfully, your obedient, faithful servant, 



ASA GRAY, 

 Corres2)onding Secretary. 

 Professor Henry, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The Board then adjourned to meet on Saturday, the 22d instant, at 

 11 o'clock a. m. 



SATURDAY, Blarch 22, 1856. 



The Board of Regents met this day, at 11 o'clock. 



Present : Hon. R. B. Taney, the Chancellor, Messrs. Mason, Doug- 

 las, English, Warner, Totten, Towers ; Seaton, Treasurer, and the 

 Secretary. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



Mr. Mason stated that he had made an examination of the papers 

 referred to him relative to the Wynn estate. 



After some remarks respecting the proper course to be pursued, on 

 motion of Mr. Douglas, it was 



. Resolved, That Messrs. Mason and English be appointed a committee 

 to draught a bill, and present it to Congress at their discretion; ask- 



