Miscellaneous Intelligence. 297 
17. Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society of London.—The 
gold medal of this Society has been awarded to Captain CHARLES 
Wixes, U.S.N., Commander of the late U. S. Exploring Expedition. 
The President of the Societ , Mr. W. J. Hamilton, after remarking upon 
the various explorations of the Expedition under Ca aptain Wilkes, thus 
addressed Mr. Bancroft on putting the medal in hischarge. ‘In address- 
ing you for the purpose of placing in your hands the medal which has 
been awarded by the Council of the Royal Geographical Society of 
London to your distinguished countryman Captain Wilkes, for the 
valuable work which he has published under the title of the Fa 
States Exploring Expedition,’ I rejoice in being the organ of ex 
ing to you the sentiments entertained on this side of the ‘Atlantic of 
the merits of Captain Wilkes. This is the second occasion on which 
I feel no small gratification in being thus enabled to give to the — 
poi hie? this additional proof, that the pursuit of science operate 
of the Royal Geographical Society of London for his future prosper- 
ity and success.” 
. Beavers ; by D. D. Puanres, (from a letter dated a Miss., 
May 8, 1848. )—Some months ago, I noticed in the Journal of Science 
and Ans, an bape nt in relation to the southern limits of “the habitation 
of the b T-am in latitude 31° 2’, being just two miles north of 
the bouitidnty ‘line between a ae te and Louisiana. I have seen for 
the last twenty years a number of Beaver dams in this vicinity ; and 
there is one family of fhe now within o one mile of me, and two other 
families in two or three miles of my residence. Members of these 
emy at West Point, for $2,000. It has been esteemed one of the most 
vafeable private collections in the United States, and is a great acqui- 
sition to the means of instruction at West Point, where they had before 
almost no mineralogical collection. 
20. Meteorite of Arkansas.—The account of the meteorite of Ar- 
kansas, cited in this Total. vol. v, p. 293, ii tad from a Philade ‘ 
phia paper, proves to be false. There has since been an account 0 
recent Pennsylvania meteorite going the rounds of the ec wavers, 
which is found to be a fabricatio 
21. Osrrvary.—Death of J: Richardon —This gentleman, who was 
the author of a popular work on geolo ogy, and one of the Curators of 
the British Museum, died by his oi hand in London in July last. 
