38" DAVEXPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



societies, editors and others, leaving 288 copies on hand. On 

 jnotion the action of tlie committee was approved. 



Drs. Preston, Parry and Cochran were appointed a committee to 

 draft resohitions in acknowledgement of the generous action of 

 the ladies of the Centennial and Bric-a-Brac societies on behalf 

 of the publication. 



December 29th, 1876. — Regular Meeting. 



G. H. French, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Thirteen members present. 



The Corresponding Secretary reported a large correspondence 

 in regard to the Proceedings, etc. A communication from Prof. 

 Richards projiosing to deliver a course of lectures upon chemis- 

 try was referred to a special committee, consisting of Messrs. 

 Parry, Hume and Pratt. 



The list of donations for December was read, and the thanks 

 of the Academy returned to the donors. 



Dr. Edward Palmer, Cambridge, Mass. ; Dr. L. N. Dimmock, 

 Santa Barbara, Cal. ; J. G. Lemmon, Sierra Valley, Cal. ; W. 

 G. Wright, San Bernardino, Cal. ; and Dr. J. D. B. Stillman, 

 of San Francisco, Cal.. were elected corresponding members 

 of the Academy. 



A line specimen of stone carving by the Hydah Indians, of 

 Queen Charlotte's Island, was exhibited by Dr. C. C. Parry, with 

 brief explanatory remarks. The following paper was then read : 



SHELL MONEY and Other Primitive Currencies. 

 fiY w. II. PRATT. 



Having recently received, among other articles collected from mounds 

 in Calhoun County, Ills., by Capt. W. P. Hall, a quantity of small univalve 

 shells, all of which have been uniformly ground off in a peculiar manner, 

 and different from any specimens that we have seen or heard of before, 

 and which have evidently been buried a long time, it becomes a matter 

 of considerable interest to determine, if possible, for what purpose or use 

 they were intended. (Fig. 2.) 



They are from half an inch, or somewhat less, to three-quarters of an 

 inch in diameter, with very low spire, and were supposed to be of some 

 marine species, though we were unable to find any to which they could 

 be referred. Within a few days, however. I have identified the species 



