153 



trical induction, having at present nothing before them, were 

 discharged. 



The list of members appointed to write obituary notices of 

 deceased members of the Society, was read. 



Dr. Patterson drew the attention of the Society to a speci- 

 men of what is technically called a "grain" of gold, found on 

 the lands of a Virginia gentleman, Mr. David R. Pulliam, in 

 Spotsylvania County: its weight was 25 1 ounces: the quality 

 of the gold, 897.5 thousandths by standard. The specific gra- 

 vity of the gold was found to be 17.87. The specific gravity 

 of the whole mass was 14.87; the value of the gold in it is 

 ^456.54, which was determined by the problem of Archi- 

 medes. Dr. Patterson referred to cases of grains of gold found 

 in this country, which are on record in the Manual of Coins 

 by Messrs. Eckfeldt and Du Bois, and to others found in other 

 countries. 



Professor Frazer mentioned one found in 1843, in the Ural 

 mountains, described by Baron Humboldt in the Annales de 

 Chimie, Tom. VII., which is the largest on record, weighing 

 over 72 lbs. avoirdupois. 



Stated Meeting, Jipril 18. 



Present, twenty-seven members. 



Dr. Bache, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Letters were received and read: — 



From the Royal Asiatic Society, dated London, 2d Novem- 

 ber, 1844, acknowledging the receipt of the Transactions and 

 Proceedings of the Society:— 



From the Society of Antiquaries of London, dated London, 

 29th November, 1844, accompanying a donation of certain 

 works to this Society : — 



From Mr. C. A. Le Sueur, dated Havre, 14th February, 

 1845, accompanying a donation of Geological Views of the 

 Falaises at the Cape of Laheve, near Havre : — and 



From the American Minister at the Court of St. James, Mr. 

 Everett, dated London, 14th March, 1845, in relation to the 



