126 
March 28d. 
Pres. NEWBERRY in the chair. Fourteen persons present. 
Pror. D. S. MARTIN read by title, in the absence of the 
author, the following paper :— 
Catalogue of Plants observed in Monongalia County, West 
Virginia; by I. C. WHITE. 
This list enumerates 312 species of phaenogams and ferns. 
The author states, at the outset, that it by no means includes 
the entire flora of the county, but only those plants identi- 
fied by himself; and that as his observations have been very 
imperfect during some important parts of the year, he esti- 
mates that it could be increased by at least 200 species. 
Among the notes to this paper, are several facts of much 
interest. Puastinaca sativa (feral) is reported as completely 
overrunning some meadows. Ambrosia artemisivfolia, general- 
ly regarded as worse than useless to farmers, is by some 
mown down and used as fodder for sheep, which are said by 
their owners to eat it eagerly, and to winter very well upon 
it. Astmina triloba (papaw), abundant east of the Mononga- 
hela River, is rare west of it. 
THE PRESIDENT made some observations in reference to 
the paper of Mr. White, and to the flora of the Western 
States. The last circumstance, respecting the distribution of 
the papaw tree, can only be a local peculiarity. 
Pror. D. S. MARTIN brought forward some views concern- 
ing the distribution of the Mesozoic rocks in the Middle 
States, particularly of the Cretaceous formation and its old 
shore-line, as compared with that of the Triassic. He dis- 
cussed the relative distribution of these two series, at a num- 
ber of points, from New York southward to North Carolina ; 
