Codgers

aft

on.

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olt

s Wilkes.

E, MASSACHUSETTS.

quarian Society

273

1,522

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t in the subject of natural and showed symptoms of more strongly during the and than in the increase in on, which amounted to 264 e but 124.

pecimens of great interest; spices of the Institution for tinent; others, the spontaxchanges received in return cution. No additions have funds at its command for a given amount of money explorations in particular The results thus obtained ore important, from having with special reference to the t which would be furnished Decimens of natural history lorations, but information is ogical peculiarities of human geology of the country, &c.

-ied on under the auspices of of more or less interest, may

tion was made in the last 2, after an absence of nearly having previously been indi

nerous skulls and skeletons of animals, fi insects, fossils, plants, &c.

Not in any way inferior in interest and colections were those relating to the ethnolog nd different tribes of Indians inhabiting the.

such series is elsewhere to be found of ensils, instruments of war and of the chal Northern America.

The cataloguing and labelling of the spec
ompleted, and Mr. Kennicott will then proced
scientific results of his operations, as well as
Hudson's Bay service who co-operated i

and will serve to fix with precision the
athase of more southern regions, their geo
d manners, and other particulars of intere
irable records presented by Sir John Rid
The Institution has already acknowledged
the Hudson's Bay Company, as well as

-the company itself, through its secret
governors, Sir George Simpson and Mr.
netary at Montreal; the chief factors, Gove
Barston, Mr. John McKenzie, Mr. J. A. G

traders, Mr. B. R. Ross, Mr. W. L. Har
khart, and others, together with Mr. R. W
Jones, Mr. J. S. Onion, the Rev. W. W
Ja Flett, Mr. C. P. Gaudet, Mr. John R
have lent their aid towards the accomplishm
elity was given to Mr. Kennicott, every priv
Company. At all the posts he was an hol
as and outfit were transported from point
a sledges without charge.

In addition to collections from the region tr
years' exploration, some valuable specimen

of British North America. Conspicuous
ggs from Rigolette, in Labrador, gathered
Hisa's Bay Company's service, and brough
J. W. Dodge. This collection embraced

, and others of much interest. A colle
fcatural history, made at Moose Factory, fo
Kenzie, has reached London by ship from
*pected in Washington.

Exploration of Western Mexico by Mr. Xan
d that Mr. John Xantus, so long and so
1ations about Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort T
ds, was about proceeding to a new field of
the 11th of December, 1862, for Manzanillo

out 3,000 pounds. They embraced thousands of eggs of nearly all the birds nesting in the north, of animals, fishes in alcohol and preserved dry,

interest and importance to the natural history to the ethnological peculiarities of the Esquimaux inhabiting the Arctic regions. It is believed that to be found of the dresses, weapons, implements, and of the chase, &c., &c., of the aborigines of

ling of the specimens last received is now nearly t will then proceed to make a detailed report of the tions, as well as those of the various gentlemen of ho co-operated in the work. The materials at his ith precision the relationships of the arctic animals. egions, their geographical distribution, their habits iculars of interest, and to extend very largely the by Sir John Richardson relative to arctic zoology. dy acknowledged, in many ways, its indebtedness pany, as well as to its officers, for their numerous hrough its secretary, Mr. Thos. Fraser, of London; Simpson and Mr. Dallas; Mr. E. M. Hopkins, the chief factors, Governor Wm. McTavish, Mr. George nzie, Mr. J. A. Grahame, Mr. Wm. Sinclair; the ss, Mr. W. L. Hardisty, Mr. R. Campbell, Mr. Jas. her with Mr. R. W. MacFarlane, Mr. L. Clarke, Mr. 1, the Rev. W. W. Kirkby, Messrs. Andrew and udet, Mr. John Reid, Mr. Harriot, and others-all Is the accomplishment of the work-every possible ennicott, every privilege granted within the rules of posts he was an honored guest, and he and his colnsported from point to point in the company's boats

from the region traversed by Mr. Kennicott in his e valuable specimens have been received from other erica. Conspicuous among these is a series of birds 1 Labrador, gathered by Mr. Henry Conolly, of the service, and brought to Boston, without charge, by collection embraced specimens of the rare Labrador h interest. A collection of birds and other objects at Moose Factory, for the Institution, by Mr. John ondon by ship from Hudson's Bay, and may shortly

n.

Mexico by Mr. Xantus.-In my last report I menntus, so long and so well known in connexion with Riley, Kansas, Fort Tejon, California, and Cape St. ling to a new field of operations. He left New York 1862, for Manzanillo, Mexico, the Panama Railroad

hile others throw

animals of Mexico and

much attention has been Osta Rica, a region which, fauna quite different from rly sought after owing to ellers. It was, therefore, ade by Dr. A. Von FrantCosta Rica, aided by the . Carniol, was received a nation of these specimens not been overestimated, a or but recently described. Von Frantzius, will, it is ies.

years past a highly valued Charles Sartorius, of Miraural history of his vicinity.

m him of much interest and eer, recently described, and -n, Mr. Florentin Sartorius, als of eastern Mexico, with gratification to us to have it om his specimens, which his ents him from doing for himle valuable contributions of ew these whenever the con- of the transmission of his cupied in a similar manner

of Central America.-Mr. ho has spent many years in the Institution a second colain specimens of most of his ed, as far as practicable, with s furnishing standards for the

e to be sent to the Institution Company, so frequently menand fishes collected by him

of birds of Trinidad was preigua, embracing many species nstitution has already received ain made an important contri

Ecuador.-The

United States minister, resident at Ecuador, mad
f the birds of that country, which he has latel
Nearly all of the species thus obtained were nev
No collections of magnitude, from regions or
have been received during the year. It is not
the Institution to make general collections of th
ther its space nor available funds warranting
by limiting its labor to America, a hope may

a complete series of the animals of the co
Exotic collections, as far as they are sponta
3h as are necessary to illustrate the chara
are acceptable, and the specimens gathered
petitions, of which the Smithsonian Instituti
carefully preserved; but any especial effor
may advantageously be confined, as

The most important additions, it will be rea
irls Desirous of extending the observati
erica, as published in the ninth volume of t
r was issued by the Institution, which has
ment to the consular and diplomatic offic

portions of America, asking aid in com
and important additions are expected from th
aerials received will be used, in connexion w
the Institution, in the preparation of catalog
American ornithology.

Among the specimens received by the Inst cially be mentioned the great Ainsa or Tuc This meteorite was first discovered by the J it was considered a great curiosity, exci

In 1735 the "Gran Capitan de las Pro ista Anza, was induced to visit the ærolite La Machaches," in the Sierra Madre, and, st

transport it to San Blas, then the near carrying it to Spain. With this object it wa Tucson, in Arizona, and left there on acco y further. After the withdrawal of the S town of Tucson, set up vertically, and use h it bears marks at the present time. In ed upon by various travellers; among o tt, July 18, 1852, at the time Commissi ican Boundary Survey. Mr. Bartlett gives Narrative, volume II, p. 297,) accompanied by

where it is represented as resting upo of the ring, of which it consists, being buri s hundred pounds as its weight falls far wi

.. Buckalew, now United States senator, while at at Ecuador, made quite an extensive collection which he has lately presented to the Institution. obtained were new to the cabinet.

e, from regions or localities other than American, e year. It is not the intention or expectation of al collections of the natural history of the globe, e funds warranting so broad a field of operations. erica, a hope may be entertained of possessing, in animals of the continent.

is they are spontaneously offered, and especially lustrate the characters of American species, are specimens gathered by the government exploring ithsonian Institution is the custodian, will always any especial efforts towards the increase of the y be confined, as a general policy, to the New

tions, it will be readily scen, relate to the class of ing the observations upon the birds of North e ninth volume of the Pacific railroad report, a cirstitution, which has been distributed by the State and diplomatic officers of the United States in the , asking aid in completing the collection of birds; e expected from the request thus extended. The sed, in connexion with those already in possession eparation of catalogues and monographs relative to

eceived by the Institution during the year should great Ainsa or Tucson meteorite.

liscovered by the Jesuit missionaries in Sonora, by great curiosity, exciting much speculation as to its - Capitan de las Provincias del Occidente, Don Juan I to visit the ærolite," and found it at a place called Sierra Madre, and, struck with its appearance, underBlas, then the nearest port of entry, with the view With this object it was brought as far as the Presidio, nd left there on account of the difficulty of carrying withdrawal of the Spanish garrison it was taken into o vertically, and used as a kind of public anvil, of e present time. In this condition it was seen and travellers; among others it was visited by John R. the time Commissioner of the United States and 7. Mr. Bartlett gives a short account of it, (Personal 97,) accompanied by a figure, (the lower one on the nted as resting upon two legs, owing to the lower t consists, being buried in the ground. His estimate ts weight falls far within the actual amount.

56

APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.

In 1857, Dr. B. J. D. Irwin, United States army, then stationed at Fort Buchanan, south of Tucson, found this meteorite lying in one of the by streets of the village, half buried in the earth. As no one claimed it, he publicly announced his intention to take possession of it and forward it to the Smithsonian Institution, whenever an opportunity offered. Some time after, assisted by Mr. Palatine Robinson, of Tucson. (near to whose house the meteorite lay,) he succeeded in having it sent, by the agency of Mr. Augustine Ainza, to Hermosillo, where it remained for some time at the hacienda of Don Manuel Ynigo, father-in-law of Mr. Ainza.

In May, 1863, Mr. Jesus Ainza, brother of Mr. Augustine Ainza, and grandson of Doña Ana Ainza de Iglas, the daughter of Don Juan Bautista Ainza, visited Sonora, and on his return brought the meteorite with him to San Francisco, where it was delivered by his brother, M. Santiago Ainza, to the agent of the Smithsonian Institution, Mr. A. B. Forbes, of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and forwarded by him, ria the Isthmus, to Washington, where it arrived in November, and is now on exhibition, and the great object of attraction to visitors in the Smithsonian hall. It is proper to state that, although Dr. Irwin was authorized to expend whatever was necessary to secure the transmission of the meteorite to San Francisco, beyond some small expenses paid by him for placing it upon the truck in Tucson, no charge was made by the Ainza family for the cost of transportation to Guaymas and delivery to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, performed partly with their own wagons and partly by other means of conveyance. It was brought free of charge from Guaymas to San Francisco by the Flint and Haliday line of steamers. While on the route to New York the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and the Panama Railroad Company, with that liberality which has ever characterized their intercourse with the Smithsonian Institution, transported it without expense to Aspinwall, and thence to New York.

The meteorite is in the shape of an immense signet ring, much heavier on one side, where it is nearly flat on its outer surface, and presents the face used as an anvil. The greatest exterior diameter is 49 inches; width of thickest part of the ring 9 inches, the least 38 inches; the greatest width of the central opening, 23 inches; width of thickest part of the ring, 174 inches. The weight is now 1,400 pounds, but some portions have been removed from time to time, probably reducing it considerably. Its composition is principally of iron, with small specks of a whitish silicious mineral diffused through it.

A careful chemical and physical examination of the meteorite will be made by Professor G. J. Brush, of New Haven, to whom the Smithsonian Institution has committed the subject for a detailed report.

As the ærolite was first brought from the mountains north of Tucson by the great grandfather of the gentleman to whose exertions in transporting it to Washington the Institution owes so much, it is proposed to call it the "Ainsa meteorite." To Dr. Irwin, of the United States medical department, the Institution is also under great obligations for his agency in securing this specimen. Dr. Irwin states that the inhabitants of Tacson have a tradition that a shower of these meteorites took place in the Santa Catarina mountains about two hundred years ago, and that there are many other masses of a similar character yet remaining in those mountains.

This meteorite is among the largest known, and in this country is only exceeded a little in weight by the Cribbs meteorite in the cabinet of Yale College, New Haven, while it surpasses the latter in size, being disposed in the form of a ring instead of a solid mass.

The Smithsonian Institution also possesses the third largest meteorite in the country in the “Couch meteorite weighing 252 pounds, and brought from Northeastern Mexico by Major General D. N. Couch, and by him presented

to the Institution.