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Stated Meeting , August , 10 , 1840, 
Present, thirty-one members, 
Hon. Joel R. Poinsett in the Chair. 
The following donations were received : 
A collection of Fossil shells, and a specimen of Selenite, from St. 
Mary’s river, Maryland.— From Pishey Thompson. 
Specimens of Zinc and Copper ores from Missouri.— -From 
Governor Miller , of Missouri. 
‘Farmer’s Letters,’ printed in 1744, by John Dickinson, of 
Philadelphia.—-From Peter Force. 
The following Departments reported their organization : 
Department of Geology and Mineralogy . 
Col. J. J. Abert, Chairman. 
Dr. Thqs. P. Jones, Vice Chairman, 
A. 0. Dayton, Secretary. 
Department of Chemistry. 
Dr. Thos. P. Jones, Chairman. 
A. 0. Dayton, Vice Chairman, 
H. C. Williams, Secretary. 
Department of the Application of Science to the Arts . 
Dr. Thos. P. Jones, Chairman, 
H. C. Williams, Secretary. 
Department of Literature and the Fine Arts. 
Alex. Macomb, Maj. Gen., U. S. A., Chairman. 
Robert Greenhow, Secretary. 
Dr. H. King, of Missouri, presented a paper containing “ Di¬ 
rections for making collections in Natural History,” Order¬ 
ed to be printed. 
The following circulars were read : 
From Mr. Poinsett to the officers of the Army, at distant 
posts, asking their aid, and pointing out the manner in which 
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