Proceedings of the New York Lyceum. 1 53 



April. — Mr. Cooper read a communication from Prof. Troost, of 

 ihe Nashville University, entitled, "Description of a new genus, Acon- 

 tia, and of two new species of Heterodon, accompanied with draw- 

 ings. 



Under the genus Acontia, the author describes two species, viz. 



Acontia leucostoma, or Cotton Mouth, with poisonous fangs. 

 " atrofuscus, Highland Mokeson, Copper Head, Pilot, &;c. 



Under the genus Heterodon the author enumerates 3 species, viz. 



Heterodon niger, of Beauvais. 



" annulatus of Troost, inhabits swamps. 



" tigrinus of Troost. All of which are found in Ten- 



oessee. 



Dr. Gale read a report on Dysodile or mineral paper, presented 

 at a former meeting by Capt. Perry, and referred to Dr. Gale for ex- 

 amination and report. 



May. — Dr. Samuel L. Metcalf read a paper entitled, " A New 

 Theory of Terrestrial Magnetism, in which he maintains, 1. the iden- 

 tity of caloric and electricity ; that atmospheric electricity or lightning, 

 results from the accumulation of caloric in aqueous vapor, and from 

 its rapid passage out of vapor into bodies which contain less of it : 

 2. that galvanic electricity is produced by the oxidation of metallic 

 plates in acids or alkalies ; that its properties vary according to the 

 size and number of the metallic plates, and the rapidity of their oxid- 

 ation : 3. that common electricity is derived from the atmosphere, 

 and from other bodies by pressure, and by friction ; in short, that the 

 latent caloric of all bodies is convertible into heat or electricity, ac- 

 cording to the mode of its disengagement from other matter. 



He further maintained, that caloric is the cause of all the powers 

 and motions of other matter ; that it is the combining force in cohe- 

 sive and chemical affinities; that it is the cause of capillary attraction, 

 and of gravitation ; that it is the cause of light, by expanding com- 

 mon matter into a state of extreme diffusion, until it becomes phos- 

 phorescent and imponderable. He also maintains that the aurora 

 borealis is produced by the caloric which is given out by the upper 

 current of the atmosphere, as it passes from the tropical to the polar 

 latitudes, by which it is greatly condensed ; and further, that caloric 

 is the source of all life and motion throughout creation. 



In Part II. he endeavored to show, that magnetic polarity was 

 caused by the passage of radiant caloric from the tropical to the polar 

 latitudes, because the force of magnetic power coincides with the cold- 



VoL. XXVIL— No. 1. 20 



