54 FIELD AND FOREST. 



Nov. 2gth, iSySi (ig6th meeting.) 



Mr. F. G. Sanborn was elected a member. 



Mr. Ward exhibited specimens of the Conifers known to be indige- 

 nous to the District: Pinus rigida (Pitch Pine, J P. tnitis (Yellow Pine,j 

 P. /;z<?/j- (Jersey Scrub Pine,) Juniperus Y'ugmiz.rwi'iiPed Cedar or Sav- 

 in,) also P. Strobus, (White Pine,) apparently introduced. 



Mr. Sanborn exhibited specimens of Reduvius perso7iatus curiously 

 covered with all sorts of refuse matter. 



Mr. Jouy read the paper of the evening being a list of the birds thus 

 far detected in the District, 230 in number. 



Prof. Chickering called attention to an economic use of Afidropo- 

 gon Virginiacus, called wrongly Broom Sedge and used for making 

 brooms in Virginia, 



Dr. Schaeffer spoke of an inacciiracy of statement in a newspaper arti- 

 cle, respecting the weight of the late Vice President Wilson's brain, 

 which it gave as 49 ounces, adding that this is above the average of 

 American brains, while on the contrary, the. best authorities fix the 

 average at precisely that figure. 



Dec. ijt/i, 18/ J, {igyfh meeting.) 



Dr. Vasey exhibited specimens of fruits used as food by the Indians 

 of California, the Mesquit, the Piny on ox st&dioi Pinus inonophllos, and 

 P. sabinianay a wild plum, and the acorn of Quercus agrifolia. 



Dr. Gale read the paper of the evening upon the transformation of 

 wood to lignite. 



The questions presenting themselves for solution are, What are the 

 conditions under which wood when cut down and exposed to moisture, 

 will rot ? What are the conditions under which it will turn to lignite ? 



Sundry experiments have shown that woody fibre alternately moist- 

 ened and exposed to the rays of the sun, will, during the first )'ear be 

 bleached, but during the second year, will begin to rot. This has been 

 demonstrated in the wooden pavements in the city streets. 



When on the contrary, wood is buried some feet below the surface, 

 so that it remains constantly wet, with little or no variation in temper- 

 ature or moisture, it undergoes a very gradual change, first to lignite, 

 and then, if the requisite conditions be supplied, eventually to coal. 



This is very finely exemplified in the lignite found so abundantly in 

 the blue clay of the Eocene, in this vicinity, as brought to light in the 



