Emerson.] ^^ [March 19, 



mummy. Two small holes show that the cylinder is hollow ; but they do 

 not communicate. 



One of the other three pieces is a whistle, made of a human head with- 

 out neck, the apertvire slanting up over the forehead. The cheeks are 

 hugely swollen, and the mouth set to represent the act of blowing. The 

 nose is colossal, and the whole thing full of that peculiar humor of Mexi- 

 can art, which is so strikingly exhibited in the set of masks (?) which the 

 Society has in its Poinsett Cabinet. 



The other two fragments are very imperfect, and seem to have been 

 pipe-stands, ornamented, the one with a bird' s head, and the other with 

 something like a calf's. 



Judge Cadwalader read, by appointment, an obituary notice 

 of Mr. Bancker, wliicli was followed by remarks by Mr. E. K. 

 Price, describing the consequences of tlie policy inaugurated 

 by Mr. Bancker, as President of the Franklin Insurance Com- 

 pany, of holding a large number of small mortgages. To the 

 encouragements and facilities which this policy affords me- 

 chanics and builders with small capital, and, therefore, to Mr. 

 Bancker, the City of Philadelphia has been largely indebted 

 for its rapid extension. 



Dr. Emerson communicated a description of an ingenious 

 and important improvement in Whitney's Cotton Gin (1793), 

 made by Mr. P. E. Gwathmey, of Kentucky (1867), and 

 already adopted by planters in the Southwestern States. 



Whitney's gin requires the cotton to be picked by hand from the boll, 

 before it can be ginned. Gwathmey's machine, by simj)ly reversing the mo- 

 tion of the saws, rejects the hulls unbroken, and thereby increases the 

 working capacity of a field hand fourfold, that is, from the old rate of five 

 bales of (400 lbs.) per month to twenty. 



Pending nominations Nos. 622 to 626 were read. 



The Chairman of the Special Committee on the Letting or 

 Selling of the Hall reported that the Committee desired the 

 advice of the Society respecting price. In view of the small 

 attendance of members, on motion, this subject was made the 

 order of business for the next meeting, notice to be sent to all 

 the members. 



On motion of Prof. Trego, the subject of the Eittenhouse 

 Clock was referred to the Curators, with power to act, report- 

 ing their action to the Society. 



And the Society was adjourned. 



