55 



skin of the berry, in abundant granules containing 14.6 per cent, 

 of the wax. It is not hkely that it would prove remunerative to 

 bring so light and bulky a material to this countiy from Japan, 

 for the purjiose of extracting the Avax here. 



Prof. W. 1>. IvOG-ers airreed with Dr. Jackson, that this substance 

 is not a wax ; its fusing point is 20° lower ; it is less plastic and 

 ductile, but equally indamraable ; it consists of substances re- 

 sembling stearine, as does palm oil, with palmitic acid. The wax 

 of bees is more complicated, being an animal secretion and not a 

 vegetable product. According to the last authority, the Japanese 

 wax is almost pure palmitine. The Japanese make ornamental 

 candles of this substance, using paper for the wicks. 



Drs. Charles M. Tuttle, of New Bedford, George 

 Suckley, of New York, and F. V. Hayden, of Washing- 

 ton ; and Messrs. William Stimpson and Robert Kenni- 

 cott, of Washington, were elected Corresponding Mem- 

 bers. 



Messrs. E. S. Tobey, Walter H. Cowing, and Joseph 

 H. Allen, of Boston, were elected Resident Members. 



Annual Meetings May 4, 1859. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Annual Reports of the Treasurer, Librarian, and 

 Curators, with the exception of those of Ornithology and 

 Crustacea, were read and accepted. 



The Librarian reported the addition of 75 volumes, 

 and 126 pamphlets and parts of volumes since the last 

 annual meeting. He called attention to the propriety of 

 republishing deficient numbers of the Journal and Pro- 

 ceedings. 



The principal addition to the Geological department 



