1891.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. T 
de premiére instance de la Seine, contenue en son proces verbal 
d’ouverture et de description des d. lettre et testament en date du 
méme jour enregistrés. . DE LA PALME. 
The Chairman then called on members for communications. Dr. 
Britton stated that in continuation of his study of South American 
plants he had examined the herbaria preserved at Kew, Paris, and 
Geneva. He had also studied the old types as seen in the Linnzan 
Collection at Burlington House, and those of Jussieu and Lamark 
at Paris, and of de Candolle at Geneva. The results were chiefly 
of a technical nature and would be given on another occasion. 
Pror. D. S. Martin spoke of having attended the three great 
scientific meetings at Washington, details of which he reserved for 
the future. 
Mr. GeorGcEe F. Kunz spoke of mineralogical observations made 
by him in Bohemia, in the Ural Mountains at the platinum wash- 
ings, ete. 2 
Mr. A. L. Rawson spoke of a visit to the supposed wall near Cleve- 
land, Tenn., and stated that it had not been determined whether the 
wall is natural or artificial, The wall is about one thousand feet 
long, built in three courses of sandstone about eight feet high, and 
rests on sandstone. The courses are joined with a red cement not 
easily separated. Between two courses are strange characters re- 
sembling inscriptions cut by man, and the speaker exhibited a sketch 
of a portion of these characters, 
Dr. Brirron asked if the markings were in relief, and Mr. Raw- 
son, by the aid of the blackboard, explained the position and nature 
of the so-called characters. 
Dr. Boiron referred to the fact that alkaline solutions, especially 
calcareous, sometimes infiltrate sandstones and produce peculiar 
forms in attempting to crystallize out in the pores, imitating the 
work of man. 
Mr. Konz referred to the quartz markings on septaria. 
Dr. Boron being called upon by the Chair, stated he had been 
engaged in bibliographical studies abroad, especially in the libraries 
of London, Paris, Strassburg, Darmstadt, and Berlin. He praised 
the advantages offered scholars at the British Museum, and spoke 
of the unsatisfactory arrangements at the Bibliotheque Nationale, 
Paris. He had experienced courtesies everywhere. 
The Secretary announced the presence of Pror. F. R. MAtLet, 
