206 



eggs, little larger than the domestic pigeon's. In the Banda 

 Oriental, where the country is as fine, and the favorite food of 

 the owl more plentifully distributed than upon the pampas, this 

 bird is not common compared with the latter locality. The 

 reason is obvious. The bizcacha does not exist in the Banda 

 Oriental, and consequently these birds have a poor chance for 

 finding habitations. 



On the pampas, where thousands upon thousands of bizcachas 

 undermine the soil, there, in their true locality, the traveller finds 

 thousands of owls. Again, along the bases of the Andes, w^here 

 the bizcacha is rarely met with, we find only a few pairs. Does 

 the hole from which this specimen w^as obtained, dug among the 

 roots of a tree, appear to be the w^ork of a bird or quadruped ? 

 The several works that I have consulted do not in one instance 

 give personal observations relative to the burrowing propensities 

 of this owl, from which fact it will be inferred that it never has 

 been caught in the act of burrowing. 



Dr. Hayes presented, in the name of R. H. Eddy, Esq., 

 some specimens of Native Borate of Lime from South 

 America. They varied in size, were of a dirty appear- 

 ance externally, but internally beautifully white and 

 silky, and exhibited a tendency to crystallization. The 

 thanks of the Society were voted for the gift. 



It was voted that during the summer months the 

 meetings should commence at 8 o'clock P. M. 



May 20, 1857. 



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



In the absence of the Secretary, Mr. C. C. Sheafe was 

 chosen Secretary pro. tem. 



Dr. Silas Durkee read a paper on the method by which the 



