398 Miscellanies. 



quim Jose da Costa de Macedo, perpetual Secretary of the Royal 

 Academy of Sciences at Lisbon, transmitted a copy of his treatise 

 on the early Portuguese navigators. The same gentleman, in his 

 official capacity, addressed a letter to the Academy, inviting corres- 

 pondence with the Academy which he represents, and giving infor- 

 mation that he had sent for tlie library the proceedings of the Royal 

 Academy of Lisbon. These volumes have since been received, and 

 form a valuable acquisition to the library. — Sir Nicholas Carlisle was 

 elected an honorary member. — Dr. Geddings, from the section of 

 Zoology, reported a catalogue of the insects formerly referred to that 

 section. — The first section reported as full an account as could be 

 attained, of the late remarkable aurora borealis, which was ordered 

 to be published. — Dr. Aiken, of the section of Botany, reported 

 progress in the arrangement of plants. 



May 12. — Dr. Geddings reported upon several specimens refer- 

 red to the section of Zoology at former meetings. — Prof. Ducatel 

 reported upon the specimens presented by Mr. Trevallyn which 

 had been referred to the section of Mineralogy. — Dr. A. H. Bay- 

 ley, of Easton, presented a fine specimen of the Coluber eximius, 

 (corn snake ;) Mr. Minifie the two forefeet of a kangaroo, from New 

 Holland ; Rev. J. J. Chauche six speciujcns of South American 

 birds ; Dr. W. E. Coale several specimens of Rana and Coluber.— 

 A memoir was read by Richard Wilmot Hall, M. D. "on the use of 

 water as fuel," which was referred to the joint consideration of the 

 sections of Physics and Chemistry. — Dr. Aiken proffered on deposit 

 a large collection of geological specimens from the Erie Canal, jvhich 

 was accepted and the section of Mineralogy charged with superin- 

 tending their removal to the museum of the Academy. — Mr. Fisher 

 communicated the notice of a slight auroral display on the night of 

 Sunday the 8th inst., and also information of the existence of a min- 

 eral spring in the western part of the city, containing free carbonic 

 acid, •protocarbonate of iron, muriates of lime and magnesia, and a 

 trace of vegetable matter. 



May 19. — Specimens were received from Dr. Cohen, Dr. Kee- 

 ner, and Mr. P. T. Tyson, and several works for the library from 

 Mr. Fisher. — Dr. J. W. Gratham, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, re- 

 ported a table of meteorological observations made at that place for 

 the month of April, 1836. — Dr. Coale, from the section of Mine- 

 ralogy, reported that the geological specimens had been conveyed to 

 the museum. The section was further charged with the duty of 



