18 
SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
The regular meeting was held 
Friday evening, Feb. 9th, the 
president, Dr. G. W. Barnes, in 
the chair. The formation of a sec- 
tion adjunct to the Society, com- 
dosed of the San Diego Historical 
Society, was consummated. The 
following publications were re- 
ceived: Proceedings and Trans- 
actions of the Nova Scotia Insti- 
tute of Natural Sciences of Hali- 
fax, by Mr. Simon D. McDonald; 
also by the same, a pamphlet by 
himself on Sable Island and _ its 
attendant phenomena; Meteorol- 
ogy of Oakland, by J. D. Trembly 
M. D.; Transactions of Vassar 
Brothers Institute andits Scien- 
tific section, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., 
1883-1884; Bulletin of the Minne- 
sota Academy of Sciences, Janu- 
ary 1882; official document—en- 
grossed on parchment—of the Ha- 
walian Council in 1864, by E. W. 
Hendrick; a check-list of the 
flowering plants and ferns of 
Southern and Lower California, 
by C. R. Orcutt; Revision of 
the Stenini of America north of 
Mexico, from the author, Thos. 
L. Casey. Miss Rosa Smith exhib- 
ited the egg and young of a Swell 
Shark—Scylliorhinus ventriosus. 
Dr. Barnes exhibited a specimen 
of turquoise—the sacred stone of 
the Aztees—from the mine near 
Cerillos, New Mexico, stating his- 
torical and scientific facts connect- 
ed with it. Four new members 
were elected. 
Specimens of the fruit of all 
our manzanitas (Arctostaphylos ) 
can now be had with many other 
seeds of botanical interest. 
THE WEST-AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 
INQUIRIES. 
Mr. Geo. F. Kunz desires to 
learn of any mention made of 
pearls in any paper—either as a 
hewspaper item, or in a popular 
or scientific work. 
Lovers of flowers are requested 
to note the first appearance of 
blossomsin their immediate neigh- 
borhood of all the varieties they 
can; also duration of the time of 
blossoming, peculiar conditions, 
ete. 
California Erythraee wanted by 
the publisher—30 or more fine 
specimens of every species except 
KE. venusta and E. Douglasii; will 
give liberal exchange. 
MONTHLY BULLETIN. 
Some fine specimens of Laeyi- 
cardium elatum, Sby. are now on 
hand at prices from 50 cents to $3 
each. 
Two or three specimens of 
Chlamydoconcha orcutti, Dall. can 
be had at $1 each. 
Dr. Frank Cowan a member of 
the Philadelphia Academy of 
Science, gave an entertaining and 
instructive lecture on India,, the 
evening of the 9th instant, under 
the auspices of the San Diego 
Society of Natural History. He 
was a guest on the U.S. survey- 
ing steamer, Carlisle P. Patterson 
on her voyage from the east on 
her way to Alaska where she is 
ordered. Dr. Thos. H. Streets 
and Messrs. Niblock and Marsh 
are stationed on this vessel and 
attend to the Natural History de- 
partment, Lieut. Clover command- 
ing. 
