36 



souri river, at Boonville; in North latitude, 38° 10', and in 16° 40' 

 West longitude. The County of Benton, south of the Osage, and 

 bordering thereon, is characterized for its irregular and broken ap- 

 pearance, running up into extensive ridges, rocky cliffs, and flinty 

 knobs. These elevations, though far from being mountainous, ne- 

 vertheless, afford views of the surrounding country, beautiful, exten- 

 sive, and in many instances, sublime. Again valleys intervene, through 

 which meander some streams of water, bordered by alluvial bottoms 

 and lofty forests. It was in such a country as this, to all appearance, 

 that the Mastodon delighted to dwell, and there his bones are found 

 most numerous. 



" In one of the valleys named, just at the point where a fertile bot- 

 tom is connected with a more elevated region, is a small saline marsh, 

 perhaps of an acre in extent. One half of this marsh is covered by 

 a soil different from that composing the marsh, but partaking of the 

 character of a ridge of land, of one-eighth to one-fourth of a mile dis- 

 tant, and which runs parallel with the bottom above-named. This 

 ridge is composed in part of a species of limestone, columns of which 

 are at intervals left standing, and in some instances of from ten to 

 twenty feet elevation above the surrounding portions of the ridge. 

 Between this ridge and the marsh the ground declines gently, and 

 was formerly covered with oak timber. It is now a cultivated field. 

 The soil of this field also bears evidence of having been washed, or 

 otherwise conveyed from the ridge. One-half of the marsh, as above 

 stated, is covered with this soil, and to the extent of about ten feet. 

 It was under this deposite, and to the depth of from two to twelve 

 feet imbedded in the marsh, that these bones were found, lying in 

 the greatest confusion and disorder. 



(Signed,) "S. H. WHIPPLE." 



On motion of Mr. Kane, a Committee was appointed to re- 

 vise the laws and regulations of the Society. Mr. Kane, Mr. 

 Ord, and Dr. Patterson form the Committee. 



Mr. Kane announced the reappointment, by the Secretaries, 

 of Dr. Dunglison as Corresponding Secretary, and also his ap- 

 pointment as Reporter of the Society's Proceedings for the 

 present year. 



