69 



[Salurnia ccanothi. Behr.) 



From Dr. Lanszweert, a young specimen of Stur- 

 nella hu/oviciana. 



From Mr. Tallant, specimens of the formation at 

 Point Bonita, some of them with the perforating 

 shells inclosed, and sponges from the same locality. 



Dr. Behr exhibited specimens of insects from Hon- 

 olulu, remarking that half of them seemed to be 

 American species, one quarter East Indian, and one 

 quarter truly belonging to the Islands. 



Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of a species of 

 Juniperus, brought by Col. L. Ransom', of U. S. Sur- 

 vey, from Mariposa. The specimens we have seen 

 have neither fruit nor flowers, but arc probably the 

 /. Virginiana or Red Cedar, known also as Savin. 



The leaves are merely minute scales in 4-rows ; all 

 parts of the tree and wood exhale a strong aromatic 

 odor. The wood is one the most durable and valua- 

 ble of any known in the U. S. It would be both 

 us ful and interesting it our friends in the mines 

 would each furnish us with their observations of its 

 localities, extent, &c. 



Dr. Behr presented the following description, with 

 drawings, of a plant brought by Mr. Froebel from 

 the lower coast. 



Oxvbaphus Froebklu, Behr. 



Herba tota scabra. Folia cordata, quinquenervia, 

 glauco-pruinosi. Involucrum quinquefldum, quin- 

 qucflorum. Perigonii tubus pro genere longissimus, 

 place vix constrictus, ex involucro exsertus. Stam- 

 ina quinque, inter se libera. 



Herba, si exceperis inflorcscentiam, Abroniam 

 quandam simulat Floribus pentandris, et stamiiii- 

 bus basi in angulum hand concretis, ab omnibus spe- 

 ciebus Oxybaphi adhuc cognitis satis ditfert, ita ut 

 divisionem generis constituere possit. 



Flores majusculi, violacei, vespertini fugaces. — 

 Planta elegaus, in horto viri nobilis Belgi de Terloo 

 culta e semiuibus a J. Froebel prope Warner's 

 Ranch lectis orta. Quarropter, quod speciem in ho- 

 norem et memoriam viri illustrissimi aequo de scien- 

 tia ac de patria bene meriti nominaverim, et justum 

 et acquum esse putavi. 



Dr. Lanszwcert presented the following report 

 npon the' mineral waters, &c, sent from Red Bluffs, 

 Shasta county, Which had been referred to him at a 

 former meeting for examination : 



Without entering upon the subject of the medical 

 qualities of these waters, 1 may state, as nearly every 

 one is ac ,;iainted with those of the far-famed Blue 

 Lick Springs of Kentucky, that these latti r are sur- 

 d in every respect by those of the Shasta 

 Circumstai :es have not allowed mo to 

 make an analysis comparative with that of the Blue 

 Lick waters, and the quantities sent by Dr. Vi 

 were not sullicient to afford a definite quantitative 

 analysis, still i have ined that they surpass 



any known Sulphurous waters in the bug.- propor- 

 tion ol oli hie sails they contain ; and their denom- 

 ination hould rather be Mineral Saline Springs, 

 rmed by the presence of Iodine, which, accord 

 ing l ■ iwn anah l nd in Mine of the 



r sulphurous waters. The quantity of Iodine is 

 larger or more sen ible in tho ■ less impregnated 

 with hydrosulphuri i action decomposes 



ills. 



■• to say, in none of the samples Bent do we 

 f.n I a ilphurctted alkaline, or a hydrosulphate in 



solution; the sulphuretted hydrogen is free, the wa- 

 ter losing this gas by exposure to the atmosphere, or 

 by simple boiling. 



Bottles labelled No. 1. and No. 4., contained gas 

 from two springs ; it was in both a mixture of hy- 

 drosulphuric acid and carburetted hydrogen. 



No. 2 — This water as received was clear and tran- 

 sparent ; smell and taste on opening the bottle ex- 

 ceedingly unpleasant, the nauseous odor being simi- 

 lar to that of putrefying eggs; chemical reactions 

 denoting hydrosulphuric acid ; after-taste very salt. 

 The saline matters, according to my analysis, were — 



Muriate, Carbonate, and Sulphate of Soda, 



Carbonate of Magnesia, 



Carbonate and Sulphate of Lime, 

 the Muriate of Soda surpassing the others in quan- 

 tity. Iodine also was present. 



It may not be out of place here to state the superi- 

 or sensibility of pure Chloroform over that of a solu- 

 tion of starch, in the search for Iodine. To two and 

 a-half drachms of any liquid, containing one hun- 

 dred thousandth part of its weight of Iodine of Po- 

 tassium, add two drops of Nitric Acid, and fifteen to 

 twenty drops of Sulphuric Acid, shake, and add 

 twenty drops of Chloroform ; on agitation the Chlo- 

 roform will have a very apparent violet color. We 

 have thus a ready method of determining the quan- 

 tity of Iodine in the different kinds of Cod Liver oil. 



By the following mode we may detect the adulte- 

 ration of Chloroform by Ether. Pure Chloroform 

 in dissolving a small quantity of Iodine, takes a 

 beautiful violet tint, entirely similar to that of the 

 vapor of Iodine ; but if the Chloroform contains sul- 

 phuric ether we find a red claret wine color, and 

 sometimes a red caramel (burnt suga*) color. 



No. 3 — Water clear, yellow tinted, with the same 

 smell and taste as No. 2., with which it is identical 

 in chemical composition. Deposite of Sulphur on 

 the bottom of the bottle, proceeding from the decom- 

 position of the Hydrosulphuric gas. 



Dr. Veatch states that from this spring the largest 

 quantity of gas issues. 



No. 5. — Tho top of the water of this bottle was 

 covered with a pellicle of sulphur. Smell and taste 

 not so strong of hydrasulphuric gas as in Nos. 2 and 

 3. Water clear and transparent. In its natural 

 state, and when concentrated, it did not appear to 

 my taste more bitter than Nos. 2 and 3. Chemical 

 composition the same as that of No. 2, excepting that 

 it contains a remarkably large proportion of Sul- 

 phuric acid. Iodine was present, as well as sulphur. 



It may be remarked that the JVitro-prussiate of 

 Soda readily detects Sulphur, a drop of it communi- 

 cating a beautiful purple color to the liquid which 

 contains the sulphur. The presence of the latter 

 may be thus demonstrated in the hair, horn, albu- 

 men , etc. 



No. (i.— From a spring of saltwater. Clear, tran- 

 sparent; odor slightly nauseous: hydrosulphure 

 ion ; taste saltish ; chemical composition iden- 

 ,.iili thai of No. 2; appearance of a i. 



proportion of Iodine. 



No. 7.- Water from a well Clear, transparent, 



taste p|ea> ant, rather sweet , no I 



It contains — 

 Muriate, Carbonate, and Sulphate of Soda • 

 ( iarbonate, and Sulphate of Lime ; 

 Carbonate of Magnesia ; 

 Silicia ; 



No Iodine. 



No. 8. I'luni a \ erv "a eon pring. Water tran- 

 sparent : I'' ee iVuin Kit ternei a j i mell ami te I 



DUB than in Nos. 2 and II Chemical . 



