162 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



The Secretary presented the following letter from Sir "W. E, 



Logan : 



Montreal, March, 1860. 



My Dear Sir : Understanding that the shells of the United States exploring expe- 

 dition are being arranged, and that there are many duplicates, I should be rejoiced if 

 a set of them could be obtained for our Provincial Museum. It may be the case that 

 what we maybe able to return for them may not equal their value ; but the Canadian 

 territory is a lar^e one, and we shall have duplicates of our fossils from various parts, 

 extending from Labrador to Lake Superior. 



In our geological expeditions to the eastern part of the province, advantage has 

 been taken of the opportunity to dredge in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and we shall 

 undoubtedly have duplicates of many of the specimens obtained. This season I hope 

 to send an exploring party to the Straits of Belle Isle. 



"VVe are so much pressed with work at present that it may be a little time before our 

 duplicates are ready, particularly as the protracted want of Professor Hall's third 

 volume of the palaeontology of New York disables us from naming many of our fos- 

 sils according to his authority, while a regard for him prevents us from naming them 

 for ourselves. Our Lower Silurian fossils will be the first that will be ready. 

 I am, my dear sir, very truly yours, 



W. E. LOGAN, 



Professor Henry, 



Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 



A letter was read from Hon. Alfred Ely, chairman of the Com- 

 mittee of Claims of the House of Representatives, relative to an 

 application of an officer of the navy for remuneration of specimens 

 of natural history, &c, collected by the United States exploring 

 expedition. 



The subject was discussed, and referred to the Secretary and the 

 Executive Committee. 



A letter was read from Sir George Simpson, Governor of the 

 Hudson's Bay Territory, offering to aid the institution in collecting 

 meteorological and other information. 



A letter was read from C. Zimmerman, of Columbia, South Car- 

 olina, on the subject of the preparation by the institution of man- 

 uals on entomology. 



The Secretary stated that a proposition had been made by Lieu- 

 tenant Gilliss, relative to an expedition to the coast of Labrador to 

 observe the total eclipse of July 18th, if the necessary means could 

 be secured to defray the expenses, towards which, if the institution 

 would subscribe $500, the balance, it was believed, could be secured 

 from individuals. 



Professor Bache addressed the Board, commending highly the 

 proposed expedition, and stating the advantages which would result 

 to science if the observations could be made. 



On motion of Professor Bache, it was — 



Resolved, That an appropriation be made, not exceeding $500, to aid in the proposed 

 expedition to observe the eclipse of July 18, 1860. 



The Secretary called the attention of the Board to another expe- 

 dition, proposed by Dr. I. I. Hayes, to the Arctic regions, and sug- 



