192 [ NOVEMBER, 
whole human race is from a single couple, and that such is the legitimate con- 
struction of the biblical passages mentioning Adam and Eve, did not appear to 
him to be a question in Natural History; that is, he conceives it to be impossible, 
from any natural evidence now existing upon the surface of the earth, either to 
prove or disprove this proposition, or to render it more probable or improbable, 
and that it must, therefore, rest for its certainty upon revelation, records, and the 
grammatical construction and just verbal meaning of an ancient language. 
November 23d. 
The President, Mr. Orp, in the Chair. 
A letter was read fromthe Secretary of the Acad. C. L. C. Nature 
Curiosorum, dated Breslau, 28th Aug. 1852, presenting the volume 
of its Transactions acknowledged this evening. | 
Dr. Leidy presented a paper from M. Tuomey, entitled ‘ Description 
of some fossil shells from the Tertiary of the Southern States,’ which, 
being intended for publication, was referred to a committee, consisting of 
Dr. Leidy, Mr. Conrad, and Mr. Charles E. Smith. 
Dr. Woodhouse presented a paper for publication, describing a new 
species of Numenius; which was referred to Mr. Cassin, Dr. Wilson 
and Dr. Heermann. 
Dr. Owen presented for inspection by the members, a copy of his Re- 
port of the Geological Survey of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and 
called attention to some of the illustrations, which were produced by an 
entirely new method ; the copy of the fossil being medal-ruled on the 
steel plate from the object itself. 
November 30th. 
Mr. Orp, President, in the Chair. 
The Committee on Mr. Tuomey’s paper, offered at last meeting, re- 
ported in favor of publication in the Proceedings. . 
Description of some Fossil Shells from the Tertiary of the Southern States. 
By M. Tuomey, Prof. of Geology, Univ. of Alabama. 
The fossils described in this paper are from a well known locality at Wil- 
mington, N. C. The bed in which they were found is a coarse calcareous con- 
glomerate resembling, in mineral composition, the compact white limestone of 
the Santee. ! 
Sir Charles Lyell described this structure in the first volume of the Quar- 
terly Journal of the Geological Society of London, and referred it to the Eocene. 
In a report on the geology of South Carolina I pointed out the existence of one 
or two cretaceous forms—Ammonites placenta, Morton, and a Trigonia related 
to T. thoracica, Morton, in the same bed, together with Eocene fossils. 
Some of the fossils described are much larger than any occurring in the 
Eocene, yet as a group, no one acquainted with our cretaceous and Eocene 
fossils could hesitate in referring them to the latter. Besides, Sir Charles 
Lyell has given a list, from this locality, of several species found elsewhere in 
the Eocene. 
