THE WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 75 



SELECTED POPULAR MISCELLANEA, 



The Brookville (Ind.) society of natural history has proposed the formation of a 

 state academy of science. 



There are in the United States thirteen well marked kinds of rattlesnakes, four 

 moccasins or copperheads and four coral snakes, besides four small grouud rattle- 

 snakes. These are our only poisonous species. 



Exchange notices are the means of increasing collections at slight cost. 



A sporting association in Portland, Oregon, recently received sixty pheasants from 

 China. They were presented to the state by Mr. Denny. The legislature refused 

 to even pass suitable laws for their protection, so that the beautiful birds were 

 shipped to an island in Puget sound where they can breed unmolested. 



About three hundred amateur papers are now published in the United States. 

 One by one they start and one by one they 'sell out, ' 'are happy to inform their 

 readers of having merged with — ' or silently discontinue publication. 



Portland, Oregon, can boast of a sea serpent story. 



A new society of natural history has lately been formed in Humboldt Co. 



About 59 provisional postage stamps were issued in 1861 by various post masters 

 in^southern cities prior to the regular issues of the Confederate States. 



SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES OF CALIFORNIA, 



California academy of sciences. San Francisco. George Davidson, A. M., Ph. D. 

 president; S. B. Christy, Ph. D., corresponding secretary. Has museum and library. 



California state geological society. San Francisco. Henry G. Hanks, president; 

 S. Heydenfeldt, jr., secretary. 



Geographical society of the Pacific. San Francisco. (?) 



Natural history society. San Francisco. Win. H. Barrows, pres. ; Wm. C. Flint 

 corresponding secretary. 



San Diego lyceum of natural history. (?) 



San Diego society of natural history. George W. Barnes, pres.; Miss Rosa Smith, 

 cor. secretary. Has museum and library. 



San Francisco microscopical society. P. O. box, 1327, San Francisco. 



Ventura society of natural history. San Buenaventura. Stephen Bowers, pres.. 



Santa Barbara society of natural history. H. C. Ford, pres. ; Mrs. R. F. Bingham 

 corresponding secretary. 



Humboldt society of natural history. Areata, Humboldt Co.. Carl C. Marshall, 

 secretary. 



Agassiz association. 17 chapters. 



(Any information regarding California societies will be gladly received. ) 



PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES, 



San Diego society of natural history. October 2, 1885. Present, 12 mem- 

 bers and 3 visitors. Reports of committees: — John G. Capron, on preservation of 

 Pinus Torreyana. Donations: — Mrs. E. D. Buell, spider; C. R. Orcutt, shells. 



Publications received: — Proceedings of the Minnesota academy of natural science; 

 Proc. Canadian institute; Le naturaliste Canadien; Terraces of Potomahana (a poem) 

 by Frank Cowan; Bulletin of the Essex institute; U. S. census, vol. ii; Report of 

 the department of the interior, on mortality and vital statistics; Ihe West American 

 scientist. Communications: — Rosa Smith, on the scale insects (specimens exhibited). 

 Committees appointed: — to petition congress for San Miguel mountain; on a society 

 seal; on collecting the dues of the society, etc.; on the proposed exhibition at the 

 county fair. Elections: — Rev. E. S. Chase and John P. Burt as active members; 



Miss S. S. Church as an associate member. 



