AMERICAN GEOLOGISTS AND NATURALISTS. 39 



Dr. Jackson, Prof. Hitchcock, and Mr. Moses B. Williams, 

 were appointed a local committee, (pursuant to a resolution re- 

 ported by the committee on business,) for the purpose of making 

 suitable arrangements for the next session of the Association. 



The Secretaries were intrusted with the preparation and publi- 

 cation of an abstract of the proceedings of the Association. 



Resolved^ That the chairman of the present session be request- 

 ed to open the next session by an address. 



Dr. S. G. Morton was then appointed Chairman, and Dr. 

 Jackson Secretary, for the next session. 



Dr. L. C. Beck, Prof H. D. Rogers, Prof. Hitchcock, Dr. 

 Locke, and Dr. Jackson, were appointed a committee to pre- 

 pare a constitution, by-laws, &c. for the government of the 

 Association, according to a resolution of the committee on 

 business. 



Dr. Griscom made a communication respecting the Duane 

 " steel ore " of New York. 



Adjourned to 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. 



At 8 o'clock in the evening the Association had the pleasure, 

 in common with a respectable audience of ladies and gentlemen 

 of Philadelphia, of hearing a most interesting and instructive 

 address from Prof. Silliman, on the general principles of 

 geology, and subjects connected with its progress in America. 



Fifth day of Session, Saturday, April 10, 1841. — The Associa- 

 tion met this morning according to adjournment of yesterday. 

 Dr. Locke in the chair. 



The minutes of yesterday's proceedings were read and 

 adopted. 



Dr. Morton opened before the Association a vessel of earthen 

 ware taken from the Pyramids of Sakhara in Egypt, and for- 

 warded to him by the American consul at Cairo, which con- 

 tained an embalmed body of the Ibis relig-iosa, or sacred bird of 

 the ancient Egyptians. The earthen vessel containing this relic 

 of the most remote antiquity, was of a cylindrical or rather a 

 conical shape, having a lid or cover fixed on the larger end, 

 closely fitted on and luted with a composition resembling com- 

 mon mortar of lime and sand. 



Dr. M. remarked upon the interest attending these relics, 

 owing to their complete preservation — the bones, feathers, and 

 even animal matter being frequently found almost unchanged, 

 except by desiccation. The specimen opened was one of un- 

 common interest on account of the great perfection and almost 



