1847.] Association of Geologists and Maturalists. 209 



rate of progress of their transporting agent, should so boldly and 

 obstinately oppose the glacier theory, fortified as it is by positive 

 knowledge of the movement of the ice in its different portions. 

 He exemplified the little confidence to be placed in strictly mathe- 

 matical results in such questions by reference to the glaciers; the 

 rate of movement of the glacier was mathematically, and it was 

 supposed of course exactly, determined, the rate of movement of 

 currents probably serving as a starting point; the experimental 

 results showed that these mathematically precise calculations were 

 completely wrong. The same will be found to be true of the 

 currents of water. 



On the Absorption of Carbonic Acid by different Liquids; by Wm. 

 B. and R. E. Rogers. 



Among other curious facts, it was mentioned that sulphuric 

 acid absorbed carbonic acid nearly volume for volume ; so that 

 many extremely nice analyses, carried even to a third decimal 

 point, are quite unworthy of confidence. Among other conse- 

 quences of this fact, is the most important conclusion, that the 

 atmosphere contains a greater amount of carbonic acid than is 

 usually supposed; this is exceedingly interesting, when it is con- 

 sidered in connexion with the far greater quantity of this great 

 " pabulum of life" in the ancient atmosphere. 



On the Languages of the Aborigines of the Southwest; by S. S. 

 Hald^num. 



Among other curious facts, it was s*^ated that these language; 

 have comparatively fevv' labials. They have the wh, in which 

 it is difficult to say whether it is pronounced wh, or hw, and 

 this immediately before a consonant. The northern nations have 

 sounds proceeding from the glottis, which is closed after a vowel; 

 in these nations it is closed. They have a whispered final vowel, 

 resembling the final c, mute of the French language; with a 

 peculiar t, pronounced without the action of the lungs. They 

 have double letters, pp, in which both are distinctly pronounced; 

 an intermediate sound between 5, and sh, &c. 



On the Mounds of the Southwest, by Dr. M. W. Dickerson. 



He entered into minute details on the different kinds of mounds; 

 their constitution and the relics found in them. He showed that 

 in the construction of these moiuids, and their precise location, 

 the ancient races must have had some standard of measurement, 

 and some instrument for measuring angles. It will be unneces- 

 sary to enter into the details, which have been so fully given in 



No. 19. 17 



