Flustra lanceolata, Goldf., yellow limestone, Dayton.

Gorgonia infundibuliformis, Goldf., yellow and silicious limestone and gravel, Dayton; Defiance, Sandusky, Delaware and Columbus, O.; Louisville, Ky.; Bloomington, Ind.

Lithodendron dichotomum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton.

99

99

99

caespitosum, Goldf., yellow limestone, Dayton.
verticillatum, new species, gravel, Dayton.

vermiculare, new species, gravel, Dayton.

larviforme, new species, gravel, Dayton; limestone, Columbus. secundum, new species, limestone, Columbus.

fasciatum, new series, limestone, Delaware, O.

flexuosum, new species, gravel, Dayton.

Retepora prisca, Goldf., gravel, Dayton.

99

producta, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton.
terebrata, new series, gravel, Dayton.

contexta, new series, limestone, Louisville, Ky.
nitida, new series, blue limestone, Dayton.

Sarcinula organnum, Lamarck, quarry limestone, Dayton.

Syringopora verticillata, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Drummond's Island, Lake Huron.

,, ramulosa, Goldf., gravel, Dayton.

reticulata, Goldf., quarry limestone and gravel, Dayton; Defiance, O.; Bloomington, Ind.

caespitosa, Goldf., Hardin Co., Ill.

I have specimens of stromatopora concentrica and polymorphia, and of some other species of the foregoing genera, chiefly new, amounting altogether to fifteen or twenty in number, of which the plates and descriptions have not been prepared. I could complete them at any time by the labour of a few weeks; but, as it is a matter of much doubt whether the work, if published, would pay expenses, and compensate me for what I have done, I have suffered a year to pass without adding any thing to my list of engravings. Whether I shall go on with them or not, will depend very much on the prospect of a satisfactory arrangement with regard to the publication.

I send with this, plates of all the new species in the foregoing list, and also a page printed as a specimen of the manner in which I designed to arrange the matter with the cuts in connexion with the descriptions.

JOHN W. VANCLEVE.

On motion of Mr. S. W. ROBERTS, it was

Resolved, That the first General Evening Meeting of the Association shall be held on Friday evening next, the 22d instant, at half past seven o'clock, in the College Hall of the University of Pennsylvania; and that it shall be the duty of the Standing Committee to make arrangements for bringing before this and the subsequent evening meetings, one or more subjects of general interest, and

Resolved, further, That each member of the Association shall be permitted to introduce one or more ladies to any of the meetings.

The President stated that, according to the Constitution, six members of the Standing Committee, to act in conjunction with those who are ex-officio members of that Committee, are to be elected at each meeting, by ballot, from among the members present, who have attended any of the previous meetings. It was then, on motionResolved, to proceed to an election of six members of the Standing Committee, when, on canvassing the votes, it was found that the following gentlemen were duly elected members of that Committee, viz:

Prof. BENJAMIN PEIRCE, Prof. S. S. HALDEMAN, Prof. JOSEPH HENRY, Prof. LOUIS AGASSIZ, RICHARD C. TAYLOR, Esq. and PETER A. BROWNE, Esq.

Prof. JOHNSON stated, that the great amount of business likely to come before the Association would evidently require some aid, such as had been formerly afforded to the Secretary in the fulfilment of his duties, and moved the appointment of two Assistant Secretaries; which motion was adopted, and, on nomination,

Prof. LEWIS J. GERMAIN and Dr. M. W. DICKESON were appointed Assistant Secretaries.

Mr. BROWNE then called up his resolution, offered this morning, in respect to Prof. LARDNER VANUXEM, deceased, which was referred to the Standing Committee.

On motion, the Association adjourned to meet to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock.

Attest,

WALTER R. JOHNSON, Sec'ry.

Thursday, 10 o'clock, A. M., Sept. 21.

The Association again met, agreeably to adjournment, in the Hall of the University, WILLIAM C. REDFIELD, Esq., President, in the chair, a large number of additional members being present, and many

D

new subjects being announced for entry on the list of communications, intended to be presented during the Session.

A communication was read from the Corresponding Secretary of the Franklin Institute, conveying a resolution of the Board of Managers of that Institution, inviting the members of the Association to attend a Monthly Meeting of the Institute, to be held to-morrow evening. On motion, the invitation was accepted, and the thanks of the Association were tendered for the kindness manifested by the Managers of the Institute.

Prof. WILLIAM B. ROGERS, as Chairman of the Standing Committee, reported a programme for the organization of the Association, into Sections, agreeably to the requirements of the Constitution, and offered the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That the Association be divided into two Sections, one to embrace General Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, and the applied Sciences generally; the other to include Natural History, Geology, Physiology and Medicine.

On motion, it was

Resolved, That the order of proceedings at the General Meeting, to be held on Friday evening, be as follows:

1. Annual Address, by Prof. W. B. ROGERS.

2. Communication on the General Principles of Analytical Mechanics, by Prof. B. PEIRCE.

3. A paper on the Classification of the Animal Kingdom, according to embryological data, by Prof. LOUIS AGASSIZ..

The Association, having thus far transacted its business as a single body, now resolved to adjourn till to-morrow at 12 o'clock, to allow time for the organization of the Sections, and the transaction of such business as might be found appropriate to each Section.

WALTER R. JOHNSON, Sec'ry.

September 21, 1818.

SECTION OF NATURAL HISTORY, GEOLOGY, &c. The Section was called to order by W. C. REDFIELD, Esq., Chairman of the Association, when Prof. LOUIS AGASSIZ was selected to preside, and Dr. R. W. GIBBES chosen Secretary.

Prof. AGASSIZ, on taking the Chair, suggested the propriety of electing on each day a chairman for the succeeding day, in order to

allow freedom of action in attending either Section, which was una. nimously agreed to.

The Chairman reported the recommendation of the Standing Committee, as to the order of business for the day, which was adopted, and the Section proceeded to take up the first paper submitted, which

was upon

THE THEORY of the GeoloGICAL ACTION OF THE TIDES. BY LIEUT. C. H. DAVIS, U. S. N.

It was presented and read by Prof. PEIRCE, of Cambridge University, who prefaced it by a few remarks on the general principles of the theory, the object of the paper being to exhibit the action of the moon, as tending to alter the figure of the earth.

By a study of the tidal currents on the north-eastern coast of the United States, Lieut. Davis has been led to the discovery of a connexion between the ocean tides and currents, and the alluvial deposits on its borders and in its depths. The connexion is thus traced:-the direction and velocity of the tides at any place where these deposits exist, that is where the ocean is freighted with matter held in suspension, decides the form, amount and locality of the deposits. The direction of the tides is different at different places, but the result of their action is to produce certain uniform or similar formations; and it was the observation of this which led Lieut. Davis to the introduction of a tidal theory into Geology, the object of which is to develop the laws by which aqueous deposits (of the sea), made during periods of quiet action, have been regulated, and to show that such laws must always have operated, except when suspended or controlled by the violent changes that mark certain geological epochs. Lieut. Davis applies these principles of tidal action, to explain the cause of those great sandy deposits on the north-eastern borders of this continent, as well as those at the bottom of the Bay of Biscay (the Landes of France), and in the North Sea (Holland, &c.).

Following in the steps of that theory, which aims at accounting for the changes of previous ages by causes now in operation, and recognising the controlling influence of the ocean in producing some of these changes, Lieut. Davis calls the attention of geologists to the fact, that the ocean has been subject to dynamical laws as permanent as its existence, and in their action no less regular than permanent. He traces the results of these laws first in the local features of the New England coast, where they are exemplified upon a small scale;

and afterwards applies his reasoning to those vast alluvial deposits, which form conspicuous features in the geography of the world.

Going behind the actual geological period, Lieut. Davis believes that he can discover satisfactory proofs in the geological maps of the United States, by Mr. Lyell, that the successive deposits of the cretaceous, tertiary, and post pliocene periods (including in this last the stratified drift only), have been made in obedience to the tidal laws. He hopes, by these laws, to explain the geological peculiarities of the great plains of North and South America, and the deserts of other countries. And reasoning back from a principle of conformation discoverable in the banks, shoals, hooks, bars, &c., &c., of the present time, he thinks it not improbable that the character of the tidal and other currents of the earlier ages may be developed.

Although Lieut. Davis has given to his views the name of a "Tidal Theory in Geology," yet he does not limit his inquiries to tide currents alone, but embraces in his theory all those oceanic currents which produce similar effects. Thus the sandy formations on the coast of the gulf of Mexico, and the geographical distribution of the coralline detritus in the China sea, and elsewhere, in connexion with the tides and currents of the particular region under notice, do not escape his attention.

Lieut. Davis announces as one of the discoveries resulting from his investigations, that there is an intimate relation between tides and deltas. River deltas are only formed where there is little or no tide. Where there is a tide of a positive and regular character and action, the conflict between tidal and river currents gives birth to estuaries, and it is expected that the limit of the bay form will be found to depend upon the limit of action of the tides.

Lieut. Davis is employed in preparing a paper, in which the dynamical action of the tides is explained, and the facts and observations upon which his theory is founded, are stated in detail. This paper will be accompanied with the necessary illustrations.

It would occupy too much space to enter here into these details. The attempt would leave them necessarily incomplete.

An interesting discussion ensued on Lieut. Davis' views, in which Prof. PEIRCE, W. C. REDFIELD, Esq., and Dr. A. A. GOULD, participated.

Mr. REDFIELD said he was gratified in finding this inquiry entered upon by the able officer connected with the Coast Survey. The subject had attracted his own attention at times, and particularly during a