Editorial, 8y 



to the Academy some fossil shells and the tooth of a horse, found 

 at a depth of 35 feet below the surface of Alameda creek. The 

 Doctor said he was not enough of a paleontologist to determine 

 whether these specimens, either the shells or the tooth, belonged 

 to extinct species, or to species now living. An enormous ivory- 

 tusk, II feet long, and well preserved, of a mastodon, which was 

 obtained from the natives of Alaska by Captain James McKenna, 

 and presented to the Academy two years ago, has been placed in 

 the museum, having been brought from the Merchants' Exchange, 

 where it has been for two years past for the inspection of the ship 

 captains and others. 



Dr. C. M. Richter read a paper on the ' The Ocean Currents on 

 the Western Coast of North America.' 



Announcements were made of the following appointments by 

 the Council : Publication Committee — H. W. Harkness, E. L. 

 Greene, C. G. Yale, C. Troyer, George Hewston. Curators — 

 Botany, M. K. Curran, E. L Greene. Ethnology, S. Wooster. 

 Mammals and Birds, E. F. Lorquin, W. E. Bryant. Reptiles and 

 Radiates, Rosa Smith, H. E. Lorquin. Geology and Paleontol- 

 ogy, E. S. Clark, George Hewston. Mmeralogy, Melville At- 

 wood, C. D. Gibbes. 



President Harkness exhibited some specimens of Certiceps 

 hugelii, a remarkable fungus from Australia and New Zealand. 

 He showed a species of caterpillar which never appeared above 

 the surface of the ground, and from the head of which, after it 

 died, springs a fungus growth having the appearance of a vine. 



Dr. Behr read a eulogy on the late Isaac Lea, the first honorary 

 member elected in the Academy, and a member of a number of 

 scientific and other societies both in America and Europe. 



The Secretary, Mr- Yale, stated that hereafter papers read be- 

 fore the Academy would not be considered as intended for publi- 

 cation, unless they were handed to the Secretary immediately after 

 they were read. 



EDITORIAL. 



The Mineral Exhibit. — The collection of minerals and ores 

 of Southern California, formed for Dr. A. E. Foote's representa- 

 tion of the mineral resources of the U. S., for the American 

 exhibition to be opened in London on the 2d of May, is probably 

 the best ever yet secured from this section. We are indebted for 

 this success to Messrs. Wilcox, of Julian; McNamara, of San 

 Diego; Banks, Hoff, Warson and others, of Elsinore; Chandler, 

 of San Jacinto; Kent, of Barstow, and Ira J. Gray, business man- 

 ager of The West American Scientist. The letter from 

 Mr. Gray, given elsewhere, shows that the collection came near 

 costing that gend^man dearly. 



