136 



tious deposit of carbonate of lime, from a cave in Cali- 

 fornia. 



The specimen contained the usual amount of animal matter of 

 old and dried bones. The entrance to the cave was accidentally 

 discovered, and was unknown to any of the present inhabitants 

 of the vicinity ; it was narrow, about thirty feet deep, opening 

 into the cave, from the top of which the stalactites reached to 

 the floor, multiplying indefinitely into the darkness, and so 

 numerous as to prevent advance. The floor sloped considerably, 

 and the bones were found upon it among the stalactites in great 

 quantities and in the utmost confusion, glued together in all pos- 

 sible ways, and very much scattered. The specimen was brought 

 home by a gentleman who obtained it with others from the cave. 

 The locality of the cave was not stated, neither was it known 

 whether the bones of animals were found with the human 

 remains. 



Mr. Ordway placed upon the table severa bottles con- 

 taining the crustaceans collected by Dr. Bryant in the 

 Bahamas ; there were more than thirty species, in excel- 

 lent condition, perfect in all their parts, and with the 

 localities identified. Many were new to the cabinet, 

 and probably some were undescribed species. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson exhibited specimens of a compact 

 specular iron ore from Phillipsburg, N. J. 



The specimens resembled that found on Lake Superior ; it 

 makes most excellent wire. The ore rests on the ends of deeply 

 inclined strata of hornblendic gneiss ; over it is limestone, and 

 over this a second bed of ore, — the first of eight, the latter of ten 

 feet thickness. Over the ore beds is a layer of white serpentine, 

 and the gneiss is cut by veins of red feldspar containing iron ore. 

 It is a limestone region, and the iron is of a superior quality. 



Mr. E. Samuels presented a box containing twenty- 

 four slides for the microscope, of specimens of diatoms 

 from the intestines of echini from the Sandwich Islands, 

 Port Jackson, New South Wales, Tortugas, and Florida, 

 prepared and mounted by himself. 



