NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 
113 
May Ath. 
Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 
Thirty-two members present. 
The following papers were presented for publication in the Proceed- 
ings : 
Notes on American Land Shells, No. 3, by W. Gr. liinney. 
Description of a new Phyllostome Bat from California, in the Museum 
of the Smithsonian Institution, by Spencer F. Baird. 
And were referred to Committees. 
Mr. Taylor stated that, at a meeting of the Academy, on the 16th of February, 
lie made a verbal communication, announcing the discovery of a probably new 
mineral in crystals, which had been brought from the cave of Las Piedras, 
Honduras, by his friend, Dr. John L. LeConte. By a qualitative analysis, he 
found it to be an anhydrous Sulphate of Potash, containing Ammonia. Prof, 
Dana, of New Haven, to whom he had sent two of the crystals, very kindly 
measured them, and found a difference in the angle of the trimetric prism suffi- 
cient to separate it from Glaserite, to which it was first referred. The differ- 
ence of angle being about in ratio to that existing between Barytes, Anhydrite. 
Celestine, Anglesite, &c., isomorphous anyhydrous sulphates. He hoped soon 
to show, by a quantitative analysis, that it is worthy of being considered 
u new species. He regretted very much that this preliminary notice, which is 
recorded in the rough minutes of the meeting referred to, should not liave ap- 
peared in the printed Proceedings for that month. 
Mr. Foulke asked the attention of the Academy to the fact that in 
the published Proceedings, under date of 16th February last, his name 
had been accidentally printed in connection with remarks which had 
never been made by him. 
May 11th. 
Mr. Vaux in the Chair. 
Thirty-one members present. 
A communication was read from Dr. Isaac I. Hayes, announcing his 
desire to attempt a further exploration of the Arctic regions, and asking 
for such suggestions from the Academy as might assist in carrying out 
the project. 
Whereupon the following resolutions were adopted : 
Resolved^ That the Academy has heard with great interest the com- 
munication of Dr. Isaac I. Playes, of his purpose to attempt a further 
exploration of the Arctic regions. 
Resolved, That the Academy will hereafter give to Dr. Hayes such 
recommendations respecting the subjects proposed by him, as shall be 
deemed most likely to promote the objects of the Academy. 
Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed to co-operate on 
behalf of the Academy with Dr. Hayes. 
The Committee was then appointed, as follows : Messrs. J. F. 
Frazer, T. B. Wilson, I. Lea, W. P. Foulke, J. L. LeConte, J. Leidy, 
and W. S. W. Ruschenberger ; subsequently, on motion, Messrs. E. 
Durand and J. Carson were added to the Committee. 
1858.] 
