228 



bourne to Sydney, Ani^tralia. The ore is accompanied by titan- 

 iferous and chromiferous iron ores, garnets, and yellow quartz. 

 In this connection, he stated that he had examined the black 

 sands of many of tlie gold washings of California, in which, be- 

 sides garnets and topazes, cinnabar is generally found, without 

 detecting tin ore. Some of the titaniferous iron crystals yield 

 the slight traces of oxide of tin, often found in the ore, but no 

 crystals of pure oxide of tin have been found. Although, in 

 general, a resemblance exists between the sands of Australia and 

 those of California, the heavy ores found are not the same in 

 both. 



Mr. F. H. Storer exhibited specimens of Lithium, Strontium, 

 and Calcium, and described the process of their preparation. 



Dr. Jackson presented a specimen of Sugar obtained by Mr. 

 Wray from the Sorghum saccharatum, or Ciiinese Sugar Cane, 

 which was raised in Algeria. He likewise presented some of the 

 dried juice of the Sorghum, which he had prepared from samples 

 of the plant raised in Massachusetts. 



Dr. Hayes stated that the plant, when raised in Algeria, con- 

 tained Cane Sugar, but that, when raised in this climate, it had 

 been satisfactorily determined, by both microscopical and chemical 

 examinations of the juice in the cells, that only Grape Sugar is 

 produced. The specimens were referred to the Microscopical 

 Department. 



MICROSCOPICAL DEPARTMENT. 



The Curator of the department announced the dona- 

 tion, by Dr. John Bacon, of a handsome portable double 

 Argand Gas Burner, together with the accompanying 

 apparatus for connection with the gas pipes of the build- 

 ing. These burners were used for the microscopical 

 demonstrations of the evening, and found very convenient 

 and effective. 



Dr. Durkee exhibited some living specimens of Vorticella cra^ 

 teriformis, Ehrenberg. He stated that this infusorial animalcule 

 first made its appearance upon a Gordim aqriaticiis, one of the 

 so-called horse-hair worms, so commonly found in pools of water, 



