112 TRANSACTION'S OF THE [mAR. 7, 



for its power of absorbing water. It is in rounded lumps, 5 mm. 

 to 25 mm. in diameter, with a white chalky or glazed coating 

 somewhat resembling the cachalong from Washington Co., 

 ■Georgia. 



When water is allowed to drop slowly on it, it first becomes 

 very white and chalky, and then gradually becomes perfectly 

 transparent. This property is developed so strikingly that the 

 finder has proposed the name " Magic Stone" for it and suggest- 

 ed its use in rings, lockets, charms, or other objects of jewelry 

 to conceal photographs, hair, etc., which the wearer wishes to re- 

 veal only as his caprice dictates. The specific gravity and weight 

 of several specimens were taken, with the following results : 



Weight dry. Weight wet. Water ab- Weight Specific 



sorbed. in water. gravity. 



(grammes) (grammes) (grammes) (grammes) 



Slabs ) .880 1.342 ,588 .463 2.110 



2m.m. \ .644 .934 .416 .338 2.091 



thick. ) .730 1.109 .379 .382 2.097 



Natural "^ 



witiTlazed [ 1-8^4 1.059 .864 2.097 



coating. J 



It will be seen that the mineral absorbs more than an equal 

 volume of water. 



Mr. Kujs"Z also exhibited hollow quartz crystals ; and very 

 large and perfectly transparent crystals of rhodochrosite from 

 Colorado. 



Mr. p. H. Dudley exhibited plants which he had obtained 

 ten days previously at Panama, one of which when young re- 

 sembled the banana, and was called by the natives ''wild plan- 

 tain. '' 



March 7, 1887. 



Regular Business Meeting. 



The President, Dr. J. S. Newberry, in the chair. 



Thirty persons present. 



The Report of the Council recommended the payment of 

 certain bills,and the acceptance of the resignations of the follow- 



