147 
observed; it was clear the absorbing power of the coal was 
overbalanced. 
Béchamp employed 80 grms. sugar, 1,500 c. c. creosote 
matter, and 140 grms. chalk, and obtained, after two months, 
2°6 c.c. alcohol, 4:5 grms. butyric acid, 6°8 grms. acetate of 
soda, and 9 grms. lactate of lime. This would correspond to 
40 per cent. of the decomposed sugar. How is it possible 
for another than a neutralizing role for the chalk, the common 
butyric fermentation being over in one to one and a-half 
. weeks, and even, if the ‘ microsyma crete” would exist, for 
which, however, I looked in vain. In all my experiments, 
I found only the common butyric ferment formed by the 
spores of the atmosphere. 
December 19, 1870. 
The President in the chair. Nineteen persons present. 
The President read a communication from Prof. J. Henry 
of the Smithsonian Institution, relative to the distribution of 
Packages sent through that Institution for Societies and Indi- 
viduals in New York and its vicinity, asking if the Lyceum 
could and would take upon itself the distribution of such 
packages; thus preventing the delay and extra expense con- 
sequent upon their being sent to Washington and back to 
New York, all expenses to be paid by the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution. 
On motion of Prof. Seely the offer of the Smithsonian 
Institution was accepted. 
Pror. D. S. Martin exhibited a specimen of one of the 
Zeolites, from Bergen Hill, N. J. It is of a grey color but 
does not exactly coincide with any distinct mineralogical 
species as published. 
