139 
April 27th. 
PRESIDENT NEWBERRY in the chair. Twelve persons present. 
A large number of specimens in mineralogy and zodlogy 
were exhibited by members, among which,— 
tJ 
THE PRESIDENT showed a specimen of the rare mineral 
scorodite, which had lately been received at the School of 
Mines, from Zacatecas, Mexico. It is said to occur there in 
large masses, similar in character to the piece shown, which 
has but indistinct indications of crystalline faces. Crystals 
of scorodite may perhaps be found there; and if so, they 
would possess much interest. 
Pror. D. S. Martin showed three large bones, apparently 
femora, but unfortunately with the extremities gone, from 
a Miocene marlin Virginia. The shafts are respectively 5i, 8, 
and 83 inches in length, evidently belonging to some large ani- 
mal; but they are hollow, and peculiarly interesting from the 
great proportionate size of the cavity, which in one is emp- 
ty, and in the others is partly occupied by a fine diploe. 
The aspect of the bones is highly ornithic, the relative 
sizes of the walls and cavities being nearly the same as in the 
femur of a turkey, which was shown for comparison, though 
the shaft is much stouter in proportion to its length than in 
that bird. These curious and interesting fragments, so dis- 
appointing from their broken and indeterminable condition, 
were found in a bed of shell-marl, by Mr. Thomas L. 
McCready, on his farm a few miles from the head of Mobjack 
Bay, near Mathews Court House, Virginia. Theshells, Prof. 
Martin stated, he had in his own collection, and had deter- 
mined as familiar and typical Miocene species,—Chama cor- 
ticosa, C. congregata, Crassatella undulata, Venericardia granu- 
lata, Astarte undulata, Pecten Jeffersonius, and many more}; 
so that the horizon of the bones is unquestionable. Other 
bones were reported as found with them, but these are all 
that could now be obtained, and for the loan of them he was 
indebted to Dr. B. W. McCready, of this city. Whatever 
