New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-09-04
Geologists' and Naturalists' Convention.

A full attendance of Members. The Secretary.
B. srLLIMAH Jr Esq read the minutes OF yesterdays
meeting and paper Oh the appearances OF the Sur
face of the Moon was read by the author JAMES D. DA
Ma ESQ The surface of the Moon has been ninutely
studied in physical point Of view and already many
interesting geological discoveries have been made 1923
lunar nights have been measured by Beer and Nader
Drawings several OF these mountains were exhibited
by Mr Dana One important subject IN regard TO the
Moon vet remains unexpained-vz. the immense mag
nitude of One OF them has been aSctriained
TO be $50 or 200 miles in diameter, and 25O0 feet deep
The crater Baily is li9: statute miles IN diameer-lt
stated in the Report that twothrds OF al the lunar
hemi. phcre in vew-conposng It's Southern quarter
are covered with volcanic mountains. The names,
nights depths and pecuerites OF the various craters
and mountains OF the Moon parpcularlzed IN the
paper of Mr.. Dana, and numerous drawings-pians OF
these elevations and the inside OF their craters-were
shown. The walls of the craters frequently reg
ulnr as TO appear Amos. artificial One very singular cir
cumstance observable IN them Is that the sides appear
more Illuminated brilliant, than the bottoms May
not this be accounted for by the existence OF nebulous
light apparently in the lower portion We are not
sure that we caught the exact idea OF the speaker. II
not, Will he please correct US 4
The absence OF water in the Noon and the principal
volcanoes elsewhere observed then treated of al
ter which taken up the subjects Of the Geology OF
the volcanic regions and the distribution OF land and
water our globe, AS compared with the Moon In the
ocean all the islands exccptthc cora!s are oi TN eneou5
formation
When Mr. Dana closed, Prof SILLIMAS inquired
how Mr. D would account for the volcanic action OF the
Moon without the agency OF water TO produce the
pors always accompanying volcanot 10 which Mr..
Dana replied that il not absolutely decided that
there Is no in the Moon but that none had yet
been perceived. Before he had time 10 answer Prot
SILLfMAS's special interrogation, the President DR..
JACKSON remarked that the presence OF chlorine in the
Moon not inprobable-as this substance had been
found in meteorc stones-and might not this be the
OF the yapors OF lunar volcanoes sulphur has
also been found in neieor!tes.
Mr. SHAFER I'VE believe this is the name was
Of opinion that the Moon possesses an anosphe-tacts
allow OF this supposition
| Mr. HALL OF Albany here rose and read Report
on the Fossil Orthocerata They found this State
from 10 10 feet in length MI II had specimens OF
several The shape OF This animal 10 Ike large tube
the outside shell covered with bands through
the interior passes rreguary contracted tube termed
the siphon, and rihia This often discovered sui
other rbes, supposed 10 De embryo Orthocerata Frag
of these found cs!ciierous sand rock and
Limestone OF Black River they are Wen developed
They also found in the Limestone OF Lake Huron
and Tennessee
The Convention here took Recess OF IS min
utes after which Prof C. L. SHEPARD made Report
Meteoric Stones
He enumerated in the hrst place the mineral species
ne had been able detect in uneeors generally n al.
they amounted 20 thiryslx, which IS one.tenth the
whole number OF mineral species found belonging 20
earth He suggested that the Natural History
sheraton OF the n1e,eoric species should constitute
science for which he proposed the name OF Astro
hthology OF the 80 raeteoric species about onenai
are common also 70 the crust OF our globe
The Professor next gave the chemical composition OF
They contain one-third of the elements
found In terrestrial minerals and the twenryone ele
OF found among the most frequently
ret-yrih halt OF terrestrial elements be nest gave
table illustrative OF tie manner II whcn 1eteorlc eie
mems are united and presented what might be termed
the geological facts connected with IN
der the new science o.; AsroPerraogy Ist oesc.PuFe
asuopetralogy; and, IDLY. Thecreuca! AsUopetraogy
Finally ne concluded oy giving tabular OF
the American u,e:eor-rasses % In number Inc en-
nurnber-ot which specimens are pfeserTeC-ron
I.fl-o ~--aat aHrr.~
Prof Sr1L1MAy asked if Prot Shepard had OBJ
served larnelaron OF Plubsyo N TIE niaesbe meteor
&c iron The answer wss-Yes. frequently Prof
STrII,fN delivered few remarks rceteor!,es,
mig that r~o instances bad been known II Europe
where the rnalesble iron not De found IN the
reteortes-out probably these merely fragments
OF TIE and did rot necessarily contain all the
principles o. ;e EEole As regards the o1ir Of
sse stones Two negatives established said The Pro-
;essoT-tnat they are neither Of terrestrial nor ao.-
pheric derivation. Whence, then, do they GOMEZ
Prot. SHEPARD related an instance of the ieposi.
ION Of stesidrst &C the surface OF the earth This
n Canaca lew years since. soon after heavy snow
Storm d. DIcKEzsoS made an observation regard
weighL
It wss here moved and seconded that Commit
zee oe appointed 70 examine and report OF the Coal OF
oanaan, CT This was agreed 10, and Dr. REED and
Prot sHEPAsp appointed
The meeting adjourned until halfpast in the
sfernoon-
= Il our report Of yesterday. proceedings uan-
teraoray made some the photography OF the
names of two Members of the Convention. For Mr.
Dfckrsos resd DR. DICKSON; and for Mr. e 4 Brorn
substitute P 4 Bro--ae Those gentlemen VIII please
accept our thanks the correction. We hate to com.
nit batba1isns proper almost much as we
aborninare the Mexican War
4tttereoon Session,
Mr.. HALL read a paper on the subjec: ofthe Sup
position OF The Psla oza After the termination
I ..,t. =