19 
Fifty-five genera of recent and fossil shells, comprising 117 
species.— From Col. J. G. Totten. 
Specimen of shelly concretion, used as building-stone at St. 
Augustine, Florida, and a portion of a Mastodon tooth from 
Glynn county, Georgia.— From the same. 
Specimens of crystallised Sulphuret of Silver, and Carbonate of 
Lime, from Mexico.— From Don Velasquez de Leon , one of 
the Mexican Commissioners. 
Boylston Prize Essays, by Dr. Parsons, of Providence, Rhode 
Island.— From the Author. 
Silicified wood; Galena, from Nashville, Tennessee ; Quartz, 
from Tybee Island, Georgia.— From G. Gaither. 
Splendid specimen of crystallised Carbonate of Lime, from 
Wyer’s Cave, Virginia. Gold ore, from Spottsylvania coun¬ 
ty, Virginia.— From his Excellency Martin Van Suren , 
President oj the United States. 
The First Director reported that, agreeably to the desire of 
the members, he had invited several literary afid scientific 
gentlemen, in this and other cities, to deliver lectures before 
the National Institution. 
General Macomb, from the committee appointed to make 
arrangements for the first annual meeting, reported that the 
Hon. Joel R. Poinsett had consented, at their request, to fur_ 
nish for publication a copy of the Discourse pronounced by 
him on the 4th instant, the anniversary of the National Institu¬ 
tion. From the Discourse the following extracts have been made: 
Extracts from the Discourse of the Hon. J. R. Poinsett , First Director , on the 
objects and importance of the National Institution. 
“ The lovers of Science, Literature, and the Fine Arts, residing in this District, 
felt sensibly the absence of those resources which are found elsewhere, and are 
necessary for the attainment of knowledge. They were mortified to perceive that 
the great advantages possessed by the public authorities at Washington were neg¬ 
lected, and that, at the seat ot Government of this great nation, there existed few¬ 
er means than in any other city of the Union of prosecuting those studies, which, 
while they impart dignity and enjoyment to existence, lead to the most useful 
practical results. They believed it to be their duty to arouse the attention of 
Government to these deficiencies, and, at all events, to address themselves to the 
task of supplying them, as far as could be done by their individual and combined 
