267 



Prof. Hall presented a copy of his report on the Geology 

 of Iowa, in 2 vols. 



On motion, a vote of thanks was tendered to Prof's. Hall 

 and Anthony for their donations. 



Adjourned. 



March 1, 1859. 

 The president, Hon. J. V. L. Pruyn, presided. 

 David E. E. Mix presented to the Institute a copy of a 

 work entitled, A Catalogue of Maps, &c, in the offices of 

 the Secretary of State, Comptroller and State Engineer, and 

 in the State Library, prepared by himself. 



Mr. Taylor continued his account of oceanic currents. 

 He pointed out how they were modified by evaporation, 

 which changes the level at different points on the surface. 

 The form of the land too had its influence ; so also the in- 

 flux of rivers into the ocean. The currents of the ocean 

 as they at present exist are modifying the bed of the ocean, 

 as in the case of the sea of Saragossa. Mr. Taylor advanced 

 the idea that the coal fields at present found in various 

 parts of the land, may have been produced by the gradual 

 accumulation of sea plants, which have become transformed 

 to coal. Thus the coal fields of Pennsylvania may have 

 been produced when the eastern part of the continent was 

 submerged, and the gulf stream occupied the valley of the 

 Mississippi and the line of the great lakes. 



Some discussion followed on various points, participated 

 in by Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Pruyn, Mr. Carroll and others. 



Mr. Minor called attention to a point in natural history, 

 in regard to some of the homologies of the odontoid. It 

 has usually been considered as the body of the atlas verte- 

 bra ; but the examination of the foetus shows at once that 

 there is a separate body in the ring of the atlas, belonging 

 to that vertebra. It may be therefore, Mr. Minor suggested, 

 an apophysal plate, greatly developed in the cetacea, or a 

 rudimentary vertebra as" Agassiz would seem to think. 

 Mr. Homes called the attention of the Institute to the 



