686 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. 
At the time of his ghee ae the above fact it was a ques- 
tion whether there be really a new oxide present combined 
with the oxide Cerium, closely related to it in the figure of its 
equivalent, or simply a second oxide with which it had not 
hitherto been known to be associated. The fact referred to 
consisted in the observation, that in its deportment with the 
tests for oxide Cerium, it would not yield the characteristic 
reactions. These facts seemed to demand an investigation of 
Letters were read from Dr. P. W. Mosblech, Bethany, Va., 
and from the Librarian of Yale Coll., New Haven, acknowledg- 
ing receipt of the Transactions No. 3. 
onations to the Library were presented as follows: tee 
of Expl. & Surv. of Pacific R. Routes, Vol. X., Wash., 
1859,—Cong. Globe, 2d Sess. 35th abe Part I, ise 
from the Hon. F. P. Blair, Jr.; Canad. Jour. Ind. Sci. & A 
Nov., no from the Canadian Institute ; Jour. of Baucation, 
Nos. 1--10, Vol. IIL, Montreal, 1859, from Capt. L. A. 
guet- aco 
wads ©, ‘Hilgard read a letter from Prof. S. F. Baird, 
Washington, relating to the small snake supposed to have 
been found imbedded in solid sandstone, near Liberty, Lils.,. 
(mentioned in the letter of Dr. C. A. Mann, which was read 
ot a former meeting, dated Sept. 15, — which was as 
ollows: 
“ Smirusonran Institution, Washington, Nov. 23, 1859. 
“Dr. T. C. Hiregarp.—Dear Sir: I isthe just received poe letter oe 
the snake at the hands of Mr. H. Engelmann. On a: tion, I find 
to be i t 
your State. Dr. Engelmann has sent it from near St. Louis. It was de- 
scribed last ne by Mr. Kennieot as Celuta perce anaes Acad. Nat. 
into its rocky cavity is of comparatively recent origin. It may have ve 
pied it without food for many months, perhaps est more than re year 
should ae this to have been the case by its somewhat emaciated ap- 
pearance 
ee S. F. BAIRD.” 
The Corresponding Secretary communicated an_ extract 
from a letter of Dr. B. F. Shumard, dated Austin, Nov. 14, 
1859, touching his recent discoveries of extensive Coal Meas- 
ures in Northern Texas, which was as follows: 
“ My trip to Fort Belknap was one of great interest. We have found 
a large development of Coal Measures, my with cpr nige char ; 
fossils, ser 4 of them the same as occur in the Coal of Missouri an 
oo — The beds consist of sandiitien, cn og pens selenite shales, 
unted with con ge merate. Before the commenceme $7 
ey, 7 coal W as supposed to exist here in “shallow bands of no great “~" : 
ness and of little value,” se many supposed that t he coal was merely lig 
