The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-06
por,,,ud society of NATURAL ui,tory.

At the regular uuotuOoS tuc6bluR Q6iu NULL
day evening, some matters relating to the
building of the new hall were discussed and
letters from various sources read, among them
one from the Smithsonian Institution notifying
Us of change 10 the system of exchanges that
they have so literally conducted from its ORR
gin. One fourth of their revenues was re-
quired for this and in the future they would be
ubder the necessity OF reserving a right to
make moderate charge for these invaluable
services. A letter was also read from r. K.
Sewall, E'q., of Wiscasset, directed to e. W.
Richardson, editor of the Advertiser and by
him sent to our society. Mr.. Sewall is dis
tinguished member of the Maine Historical
Society. After correcting the error In regard
70 the locality of the great oyster b,ds, subsu-
tuting Damariseotta for Marlborough as writ
ten, he says, that Il have sundry specimens of
pottery taken from the shell heaps of Damar-
lscotta and also from Indiantown Island with q
fragment of what may have been potter's
wheel, which with a full and detailed account
of the great oyster deposits and habitats on
the head waters of Sheepscot and Damariscotts,
I would like at some convenient time to exhibit
with some specimens of chronological remains
for examination discussion and preservation
in the Natural History Society" The Secre-
tary was directed to thank Mr.. Sswall for this
communication and to express its great desire
to hear him upon these topic, at any time that
would suit his convenience. Of this due notice
will be given and the meeting held either in
the Council or Reception Room. The reading
OF this letter renewed the discussion upon the
subject OF these famous oyster deposits. In
the course of it Mr.. Longfellow reminded the
President of visit they had made about 1864,
to the she'll heaps on Bowman Island, where
oyster shells were found with great quantities
OF beads made from the thick parts of Shells
This increases the number of the localities
where oyster shells are found, but the
problem still remains why they are not
found in all lying between such extern
sive deposits of them as once existed at
Portland and Damariscotta. But at Indian
town Island where exist very large and nu-
merous shell heaps not single oyster shell
was found in the extended explorations made
last summer. Again the question arose wheth-
er any ancient submerged beds of oyster shells
like those found in Portland harbor, are now
to be found in the Damariscotta river. The
AA4AAoAoo 4uoAupioo VI SuollS plleu upon us
banks would seem to imply that extensive
beds at some former period must have lived 10
it, but if so there must. in all probability be
traces left of these ancient beds
Some of the gentlemen present were not
aware that any living oysters existed in the
waters of Maine. In proof of it a fine and
large specimen of the shell with tue contained
animal preserved in alcohol, which with others
had been obtained and presented BY Gen. J.
M. Brown, was placed upon the table.
A drawing, made by the president, of whale
that was lying at wharf in tue Pool in Saco,
Nov IL, 1888, was exhibited and compared with
one made by Mr.. Faller of the whale brought
into our harbor last fall. They were found to
be OF the same species, the RorQualus rostratus
the one at Saco being over sixty feet in length.
A list of bids observed at Coosada, Central
Alabama, by Mr. Nathan Clifford Blown, was
placed upon the table. The list embraces the
results Of his observations at Coosada between
the dates of Jan. 81 and April 30 1875 Tue
migration appe srs to have been remarkably
late, and additional species were detected up
to the very day of his departure Ia all it en-
braces a catalogue of 119 species of birds, with
interesting observations upon their habits. 1t
was suggested that it would be very desirable
to learn how many of these birds are known to
make their summer residence in this State
Since the last meeting Mr.. Manning had re-
ceived box containing three grades or SAM
pies OF mineral wool. also portion of the
Stag apparently CONCEALED at the point when
ready to bs converted into wool by the Jet of
steam or air. These he had placed upon the
table for examination. The samples were
numbered one, two and three, the last being
the whtest and finest, and that portion of the
Stag being the lighsest falls upon the upper
floor, whilst the other two Inferior grades fall
upon the lower floor of the house into which
the molten stream is directed, as described in
the PRESS of January 3d. 1t appears, however,
that the house for this purpose is one hum
dred feet from the furnace, and thu molten
Stag is carried in a car to the front of the
wool house, the chilled Stag knocked out of
the tap hole and small stream only allowed
to fall to the runner, over which it travels and
again falling 81 inches is met by the jet Of
steam by which it is projected in great
cloud into the house and falls upon the upper
or lower floors according to its gravity.
The sudden impact of steam or air under pres
sure against thinly flowing stag immedi-
ately scasters the stream, forming spray Of
small globules or shot, which on becoming
detached from the large macs, ssick, as it were,
and thus give beginning to the vitreous
thread. These threads are not, however, tubu
lar, as at first supposed to be, but are really
solid in their structure, though frequently
monillform, Or broken into beads, soma of
which do contain air. La England this Stag
wool appears to have been woven into strips
or sheets which it is claimed do very well for
wrapping steam pipes, but IN any shape it ap-
pears to be vast improg ment upon all other
known appliances for protection against fire
and for keeping out heat or cold as desired, to
say nothing of its security in the walls of houses
as barrier to the inroads of rats, mice and
other vermiu who do not relish its siliceous
properties.
Some very fine specimens of gold and silver
ore, from Idaho were presented with some re.
marks by Hon. JAS. I. McCobb, also block
from Black Hills, containing very good exam
pies of Ammonites and Baculites and other
fossil shells.
very perfect tooth of young fossil ele-
phans from Hong Kong, from Mr.. j. W North
also a large and fine specimen of asbestos from
Canada by Mr.. Oliver Gerrish, and two rather
formidable whips, made from thu braided stems
of Gorgonia americana, from Cuba, presented
by MIR. Wm. Senter. Ths Gorgonia grows at
the bottom of the sea in twig form, but belongs
to the same family with the better known SEA-
Fans. 1t has a central axis of horny matter 10
which spicnla are imbedded in concentric cir.
Giles. These twgs are covered with feshy
crust and the minute depresslons upon the sur
face, always visible, indicate the locality of the
animal Polypes that formed the whole struc
ture
The Discussion On Prohibition,
The discussion on the question of nrahihitinn