175 



London Nature ; and Mr. Prestwich ; the Essex Institute, 

 Boston Soc. ITat. Hist. ; Boston Public Library ; American 

 Antiquarian Society ; Mass, Sclio ol for Idiots ; Harvard Col- 

 leo;e; Mus. Com. Zoology; American Chemist; Dr. Raynold 

 Coates; Prof. Cope; McCalla & Stavely ; Pennsylvania Board 

 of Public Charities ; Buffalo S. I^^. Soc. ; University of South 

 Carolina ; and Mr. Michley, of Pennsylvania. 



The death of Prof. John Phillips, of Oxford, was an- 

 nounced by the Secretary. 



On motion, the Publication Committee was discharged 

 from the consideration of Dr. Allen's paper, and Messrs. 

 Whitman, Lesley and Brinton were appointed a Com- 

 mittee to report to the Society upon the cost of its publica- 

 tion. 



Dr. C. M. Cresson communicated the results of analysis of 

 coal from the diiferent benches or layers of the Mammoth 

 bed, with a comparison of their heating powers, &c., illus- 

 trated by diagrams. 



Mr. Chase communicated, through the Secretary, a letter 

 from Dr. Wm. F. Channing, of Boston, on the need of 

 additional signal service at the Bermudas and along the 

 New England archipelago. 



On motion, a copy of the communication was ordered to 

 be sent for the consideration of the U. S. Bureau S. S. 



Mr. Lorin Blodget exhibited on a chart of the United 

 States a centre of maximum sudden variation in tempera- 

 ture during the winter months, and explained his views 

 of the cause of the phenomenon. 



Prof. Houston, Mr. Briggs, Dr. Emerson, Mr. Lesley, Mr. 

 Whitman, and Gen. Stokes joined in the discussion which 

 ensued. 



Dr. Emerson ascribed the gradual translation southward 

 of the peach-belt of the Atlantic coast to the progressive re- 

 moval of the forests, exposing the fruit to severe variations 

 of climate. 



Gen. Stokes showed, by his experience in peach planting 

 on limestone soils, and by the later development and long 



