150 Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 



many variety of liquids, as well as to solid bodies. It furnishes a 

 complete result in a few minutes, while the method hitherto in use, 

 in many cases, requii'es several days. 



The results they obtained vary greatly from the determinations 

 of Saussure, which have heretofore been relied on as accurate. Among 

 these, Professor Rogers mentioned, as a very interesting fact, that 

 conmion sulphuric acid, at G0° degrees of Fahrenheit, absorbs car- 

 bonic acid in the enormous proportion of 94 per cent., and that 

 Nordhausen acid absorbs 125 parts to tho 100 of liquid. Professor 

 Rogers especially insisted on the importance of this fact on its bear- 

 ings on the processes for determining the amount of carbonic acid in 

 the free atmosphere, as in the experiments of Boussingault and 

 others, and that in the air of mines, and the air escaping from the 

 lungs in respiration. The use of the sulphuric acid as a drying 

 agent in these processes, as well as in the appai'atus of Fresinius 

 for analyzing the carbonates, was thus shewn to be attended witli 

 serious error, in consequence of the absorption of the carbonic acid 

 by the dessicating agent. 



A conversation took place, in which Professor Agassiz, Professor 

 Johnson, and Mr Tcschmacher engaged. The latter remarked, that 

 he hoped in his future experiments Pi'ofessor Rogers would consider 

 the connection of this subject with an atmosphere of carbonic acid 

 gas during the coal period, and its then action on the disintegration 

 of rocks. 



Professor S. S. Haldeman read a paper upon the languages of 

 the Aborigines of the South-West. The labials, the easiest sounded 

 of all the letters, are wanting in the Indian languages ; the want of 

 these sounds is a marked peculiarity of these languages. The Pro- 

 fessor thought that he had identified a peculiar sound of the Arabic 

 with some of the sounds of the Indian languages. The Wyandotts 

 close the glottis after pronouncing the vowels ; the North-Western 

 after pronouncing the consonants. The Cherokees place the final 

 accent on almost every word. There is no word for horse among 

 the South-Western Indians. Other differences and peculiarities 

 were pointed out by Professor Haldeman. 



A brief discussion sprang up relative to the time allowed for 

 making written and verbal reports, and sevei'al motions were made, 

 but subsequently withdrawn. 



Professor B. Silliman jun. laid before the Association the pro- 

 spectus of the Ray Society. 



Professor Henry made a few remarks on the plan of the Smith- 

 sonian Institute. 



Dr Dickeson read a paper on the mounds of the South-West. 

 These mounds are very similar in character to those found in tho 

 Ohio valley ; many articles found in them are identical with those 

 discovered in the Ohio mounds. Dr Dickeson has opened a largo 

 number of these mounds, and recovered from them great quantities 



