70 



announced. This last named donation consisted of forty-five 

 volumes and several pamphlets, thus making a very valuable 

 addition to the Institute's library, and as representing the lead- 

 ing opinions and literature of that religious denomination. 



George D. Phippen, as chairman of a committee, on a letter 

 received from C. B. Richardson, relative to the establishment of 

 a magazine, Tvhich should be the organ of all the Historical 

 Societies of the United States of America, submitted the fol- 

 lowing Eeport, viz : — 



The Committee to whom was referred the letter of C. B. 

 Bichardson, Esq., proposing the publication of an Historical 

 Monthly Journal, to be the organ of the Historical Societies in 

 all parts of the United States, and to consist of brief reports of 

 the doings of the several Societies, notes, queries and other 

 Historical matter, said proposition originating with the New 

 England Historic Genealogical Society, respectfully Report. 



That in their opinion such a publication, while confined with- 

 in the proposed plan, would be a work of great importance to 

 all interested in such pursuits, as a key to their investigations, 

 and they recommend the Institute and its members to a share 

 in its support, while it shall remain unconflicting with local 

 Historical publications already established. 



Geo. D. Phippen, 

 Henry M. Brooks, 

 John H. Stone. 



John L. Russell presented, in the name of Prof. "William B. 

 Rogers, specimens of infusorial earth, from the Rappahanock 

 river, in Virginia ; also, of fossils from the middle secondary 

 formation in Pennsylvania, ( Cyprides) ; also, others from the 

 same formation in Virginia. Mr. R. introduced his subjects 

 by the early history of the infusorial earths first known under 

 Prof. Hitchcock's name of hydrate of silica. He said that the 

 late Thomas Cole, used to procure this substance from the 

 meadows in Northfields, near this city, and afterward from peat 

 meadows in other parts of Massachusetts. It then was present- 

 ed to them, under the term and name of dead peat, being found 

 beneath the black and real peat, and lying immediately upon 

 the clay or gravel at the bottom of the peat ditches. Some 

 of the richest lumps or masses were taken from the peat ditches 



