522 



[Oct, 21, 



nal and News ; E. D. Cope ; H. Phillips, Jr. ; Geological Survey 

 of Pennsylvania ; American Journal of Mathematics ; U. S. 

 Geological Surveys ; Commissioners of Education ; J. Hotch- 

 kiss ; A. W. Williamson, and the Geological Survey of Canada. 



The deposit of the late Prof. J. F. Frazer's portrait in the 

 Hall of the Society, by his son Prof. Persifor Frazer, during 

 his absence in Europe, was on motion ordered to be placed on 

 the minutes. 



Mr. Patterson accepted by letter his appointment. (See last 

 meeting.) 



The following letter was read : 



"To the Secretary of the American Philosojjhical Society. 



Dear Sir : — In reply to your inquiry under date of the lOtli instant, it 

 may be briefly stated that Carlile Pollock Patterson was born at Shields- 

 boro, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, August 24, 1816. He was appointed mid- 

 shipman in the United States Navy in 1830, served in the Mediterranean 

 Squadron, and in 1836 returned home, and graduated from Georgetown Col- 

 lege, Kentucky, in 1838. Having served as passed midshipman on the Coast 

 Survey until 1841, he was again on naval sea service until 1844, and sub- 

 sequently as lieutenant United States Navy, had charge of a hydrographic 

 party on the Coast Survey for four years. In 1850 he took command of a 

 Pacific mail steamship, and continued in that and other private business 

 until 1861. He then returned to the Coast Survey as Inspector of Hydro- 

 graphy, and so remained until he was appointed Superintendent of this 

 work in February, 1874. His death took place at "Brentwood," his resi- 

 dence near Washington, on Monday, August 15th, 1881. 



Yours respectfully, 



J. E. HiLGARD, 



In charge of Coast and Geodetic Survey. 



The death of Dr. B. H. Coates, the oldest surviving member 

 of the Society, on the 18th instant, aged 83 years and 11 

 months, was reported. 



On motion, Dr. Euschenberger was appointed to prepare an 

 obituary notice of the deceased. 



Prof. Haupt exhibited fragments of terra cotta from the 

 Northern Pacific Eailroad crossing of the Little Missouri 

 river, produced by the spontaneous combustion of the Lignite 

 beds between the clay -beds of the bad lands, and extensively 

 employed for ballasting the railroad. Also specimens of silici- 



