96 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [ FEB. 29, 
success, and that he had mentioned the cause of delay in justice to 
himself. 
Pror. SAFFORD, the astronomer of Williams College, was intro- 
duced and made a few remarks, to the intent that he would be 
pleased at some future time to read a paper before the Academy, 
February 29th, 1892. 
STATED MEETING. 
Vice-President Dr. Bouton in the chair. Twenty persons present. 
The minutes of the Annual Meeting (February 22d) were read 
and approved. 
Dr. Vuutré exhibited some crystal of metallic tin produced arti- 
ficially and by accident in the following manner: Granulated tin 
was dissolved in hydrochloric acid, the tin being in excess, water 
was then cautiously added in order not to disturb the tin solution ; 
at the junction of the two liquids a beautiful fan-shaped mass of 
twin crystals formed rapidly, many of the radial tufts being over 
one inch long. No cause has been assigned for this singular action, 
but it is probably due to a difference of electrical tension of the two 
liquids. A further study of this curious phenomenon is contemplated. 
Mr. Arruur Homuick read a paper on— 
The Paleontology of the Cretaceous Formation on Staten 
Island, 
illustrated by specimens, drawings, and lantern views. 
If we examine any recently published geological map of this vi- 
cinity, which embraces Staten Island within its scope, we may note 
an area along the southern and western shores of that island colored 
or otherwise marked in the same manner as the adjacent shores of 
New Jersey. This will be found to mean that the area in question 
is assumed to be underlain by strata of cretaceous age, although as 
a matter of fact this assumption has had until recently a very slen- 
der basis in actual knowledge. Almost the entire area is covered 
by a mantle of either modified or bowlder drift, and the only place 
where the underlying strata were definitely known to be exposed 
was at Kreischerville, where beds of fire-clay, ‘‘ kaolin,” sand and 
- gravel, similar in composition and arrangement to those at Amboy 
and Woodbridge, N. J., had been mined and utilized for many years. 
Their extent was not known, however, and no organic remains, 
