dinate gratifications of the table. His ciesto did not consist in indulgence upon the bed or in the armed chair, to recover those powers which had been paralyzed or suspended by an excessive meal, or the intemperate use of vinous or spirituous drinks.

were the riches of his mind; such was south."* He knew not that "letharthe active employment of all its facul- gy of indolence" that follows the inorties; so constant was his habit of giving expression to his thoughts in an extensive correspondence, in the preparation of his public discourses, and in his daily intercourse with the world, that few persons ever left his society without receiving instruction, and expressing their astonishment at the perpetual stream of eloquence in which his thoughts were communicated.

"It has frequently been the subject of surprise, that amidst the numerous avocations of Dr. Rush, as a practitioner and a teacher of medicine, that he found leisure for the composition and the publication of the numerous medical and literary works which have been the production of his pen.

Dr. Johnson, during his tour to the Hebrides, when fatigued by his journey, retired to his chamber and wrote his celebrated Latin ode addressed to Mrs. Thrale. Dr. Rusb, in like manner, after the fatigues of professional duty, refreshed his mind by the perusal of some favourite poet, some work of taste, some volume of travels, biogra phy, or history. These were the pillows on which he sought repose.

Although Dr. Rush possessed by na- But the virtues of the heart, like the ture an active and discriminating mind, faculties of his mind, were also in conin which were blended great quickness tinual exercise for the benefit of his fe!of perception, and a retentive memory; low men; while the numerous humane, although he enjoyed the benefits of an charitable, and religious associations, excellent preliminary and professional which do honour to the city of Philaeducation, it was only habits of un- delphia, bear testimony to the philan common industry, punctuality in the thropy and piety which animated the performance of all his engagements, the bosom of their departed benefactor, let strictest temperance and regularity in his mode of life, that enabled him to accomplish so much in his profession, and to contribute so largely to the medical literature of his country. Dr. Rush, like most men who have extended the boundaries of any department of human knowledge; who have contributed to the improvement of any art or science, was in habits of early rising, by which he always secured what Gibbon has well denominated "the sacred portion of the day."

The great moralist* justly observes, that "to temperance every day is bright, and every hour is propitious to diligence." The extreme temperance of Dr. Rush, in like manner, enabled him to keep his mind in continual employment, thereby "setting at defiance the morning mist and evening damp-the blasts of the east, and the clouds of the * Dr. Johnson.

it also be remembered, that, as with the good Samaritan, the poor were the objects of his peculiar care; and that in the latter, and more prosperous years of his life, one seventh of his income was expended upon the children of affliction and want. Dr. Boerbaave said of the poor, that they were his best patients, because God was their paymaster.

Let it also be recorded, that the last act of Dr. Rush was an act of charity, and that the last expression which fell from his lips was an injunction to his son, "Be indulgent to the poor.'

"Vale egregium academiæ decus! tuum nomen mecum semper durabit; et laudes et honores tui in æternum manebrnt."

* Boswell, vol. I. p. 260.
↑ Boswell.

These words were addressed by Dr. Rush, to his particular friend and preceptor, Dr. Cullen.

ART. 5. TRANSACTIONS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES.

tion should be solicited, in behalf of the Society, to have a new series of observations made, for the purpose of determining with precision the latitude of this city, and to cause an appropriate column and monument to be erected, with suitable inscriptions to perpetuate the same.

The President of the United States being expected to arrive in this city on the ensuing day, it was moved by Col. Gibbs, and secondby J. G. Bogert, Esq. that the ordinary forms be dispensed with, and that, as a tribute of respect, JAMES MONROE, President of the United States, be elected an honorary member of this Society, which was unanimously agreed to.

In the absence of his excellency, De Witt Clinton, L. L. D. president of the Society, David Hosack, F. R. S. one of the vice presidents, was deputed in behalf of the Society to wait on the President of the United States, nd present, in their name, the certificate of his election.

Sitting of June 13. The ceremony of inducting the President of the United States as an honorary member of this Society, took place this day, at an extraordinary meeting held for that purpose.

tuber has weighed thirty or forty pounds. The common opinion entertained of this substance is, that it is the root of the erythrina herbacea, or convolvulus panduratus. The usual Indian name for it is tuckahoe, or Indian potato. It was used by the Indians as an article of food, as their name for it is said to imply.

Dr. Mac Bride considers this fungus as pa rasitic. Like other fungi, it may emanate, be thinks, from dead wood; but the smallest spe cimens which he has seen were attached to living roots. Dr. M. in his interesting memoir noticed at some length its peculiar structure: from chemical and other experiments he is led to conclude that the inner part is wholly, or in a great measure, composed of gluten, but differently modified from that which we obtain from the cerealia. He has not procured from it any starch or fibrous matter. The communication was accompanied with numerous specimens of this singu lar vegetable, which were exhibited to the members; and the thanks of the society were voted to its author.

Dr. Mitchill read an extensive memoir on organic remains, an abstract of which was given in our last Magazine.

Sitting of June 12.

His excellency De Witt Clinton, governor elect of this state, and president of the Society, delivered a pertinent address on the occasion, to which the President of the United States made an appropriate and eloquent reply. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SO- modern travellers respecting this portion of

CIETY OF NEW-YORK.

Silling of May 8.

A memoir on the Geography of Africa, by Mr. John H. Eddy, was read. In this paper the author attempted to reconcile some of the more apparently variant statements of

the globe, and took particular notice of the interesting narratives of Riley and Adams in connexion with the publications some time before the public from the pens of Rennell, Park, and Barrow. The author evinced research and ingenuity, and the greater confi. dence was placed in his views, from his well known accuracy and excellence as a geogra pher.

A letter, addressed to Dr. D. Hosack by Dr. Mac Bride of South Carolina, was read. In this communication Dr. Mac Bride gave an account of the Lycoperdon tuber of Clayton, a subterranean fungus, found in the southern States. According to Dr. M. this vegetable is most frequently dug up in lands, which have Information being received that the Execu not been cleared of their original wood more tive of the Union, now in this city on a tour than three or four years, in the preparation through the country, intended to visit the for planting. It is found at various depths, apartments of the New-York Institution, on from a few inches to two feet, and it is some- motion of Dr. Francis, it was resolved, in times met with partly above ground. Dr. testimony of the high respect entertained by Mac Bride has seen it in every variety of soil this Society for the talents, virtues, and pubexcept the swamps; it seems to attain its lic services of JAMES MONROE, President greatest size in loose rich lands, the forest of the United States of America, that he be trees of which were the different species of forthwith admitted an honorary member of oak, the juglans alba of Linn: and pinus tæda. this Association, and that the usual forms of It is very common in the southern states, but balloting be dispensed with. Whereupon rarely found farther north than Maryland. Dr. Hosack and Dr. Mitchill were appointed Its shape is irregular; the largest specimens a Committee to wait upon the President, and approach the globular form: or the cylindri- communicate to him the intentions of the cal with globular ends. Dr. Mac Bride has Society; and further, it was determined, that seen a specimen which weighed fifteen an extra meeting be held on the following pounds, and has been informed that a single day.

Silling of June 13.

An extra meeting of the Literary and Philosophical Society being convened this day at 12 o'clock, upon the Chief Magistrate of the Nation's being conducted into the Philosophical Hall, the following Address was made to him by his Excellency De Witt Clinton, LL.D. the President of the Institution.

"SIR,

"As it has been the usage of this Society to eurol among its members, such characters as are distinguished for their virtues, their intellectual powers, and their literary attainments, it affords me great pleasure to inform you that you have been unanimously admitted an honorary member-the highest honour in our power to bestow-and it is peculiarly gratifying to find that on this occasion the honour which is conferred is reflected on the institution.

"It was the good fortune of the commissioners to find another skeleton of that huge creature the Elephas Mastodon, which though apparently extinct, was formerly an inhabitant of New-York. This happened on the 27th and 29th of May, upon the farm of Mr. Yelverton, near Chester, a village in the town of Goshen. The soil is a black peat or turf, sufficiently inflammable to be employed for fuel. Its surface is overgrown with grass, forming a luxuriant meadow for grazing.The herbage and the bottom in which it grows, have a near resemblance to the turf meadow of Newton, in Queen's County, Long Island. The sward and turf covering the skeleton are about four feet deep. Beneath these is a stratum of coarse vegetable stems and films, resembling chopped straw or drift stuff, along the sea-shore, about a foot and a half thick; and under this is a stratum of fine bluish and soft clay. Specimens of these are brought away, and are herewith presented. The bones raised were parts of a lower jaw with its teeth, of a scapula, of a humerus, of an ulna and radius, of the bones of the feet, of ribs, and of vertebræ. The upper maxillary bone was found, with its grinders and tusks, in their natural situation. Dr. Townsend and Dr. Seely, who had from To which Mr. Monroe replied immediately the beginning aided-with their own hands in substance,That he was highly gratified the acquisition of these curious remains, now by the honour which had been conferred on laboured with the greatest assiduity in the him by a society distinguished for the learn- pit to uncover completely, and elevate coning and patriotism of its members, and that nectedly, these important parts of the animal. he had also a due sensibility to its favourable The unparalleled association of bones, teeth, anticipations of his future conduct, which and ivory prongs, were, after much exertion, had been announced in such kind and Cat- denuded of their mud and developed to view. tering terms by its president.-That with They lay upside down, or, in other words, them he thought that the honour, glory, and their natural position was inverted, as if the prosperity of our country were intimately connected with its literature and science; and taking, as he did, a deep interest in the success of our Republican Government, he begged to assure them that the promotion of knowledge to the utmost of his feeble abilities, would always be an object of his attention and solicitude.

"Viewing, in the course of your past life, the certain pledge of an able and patriotic administration, we are fully persuaded that you will always keep steadily in view the great interests of literature and science, as inseparably identified with the honour, the glory, and the prosperity of our country."

creature had died in a supine posture. The palate bones were perfectly in sight, with the huge molares on each side. From the point forward where the palate joins the upper maxillary bone in other animals, two ivory tusks proceeded. These were not inserted in sockets; at least no such holes or sockets could be found; but they seemed to be formed by a gradual change of bone to ivory, or of osseous to eburneous matter. In this respect the conversion resembled - the jaw and tooth of the Saurian reptile of Nevesink, already in the cabinet of the Professor of Natural History; in which organiTheir direction was forward, with a bold zation the jaw is converted gradually to tooth. curvature outward and upward. Between the tusks could be seen and felt the nasal processes to which the proboscis had formerly been attached. They were short and ungular. On attempting to loosen the left tusk from its clayey bed, it broke across, though touched in the most delicate manner. Though approached with the gentlest touch, it flaked off in considerable portions, and cracked

through in several other places. Finding it wholly impossible to preserve its entirety, recourse was had to measuring the relics as they lay, and of making drawings from them as accurately as possible. And as the fragments of the tusk were handed up, Dr. Mitchill measured them by a rule, and found their amount, reckoning within bounds, to be eight feet and nine inches; or taking into cal culation the space of connexion with the jaw as being three inches, or perhaps more, the length of the tusk was nine feet, or upwards, of solid ivory.* The circumference at the base was two feet and two inches, making a diameter of eight inches and two-thirds! The taper was easy, gradual, and smooth, like the tusks of other elephants. Dr. Townsend made a sketch of the parts in silu, before they were removed; by which it will be seen how the grinders are situated in relation to the tusks, and how tusks are to be considered as holding a middle place, in their anatomical structure and use, between teeth and horns. The various parts of the animal which were disinterred, and the drawings and illustrations, are herewith submitted to the society.

ed in a leaden box, which had been sent to
New-York for an experiment.
The eggs
were laid on the 21st Feb. at Antwerp, and
were put under a sitting hen of Mr. Cie-
ments of New-York on the 29th April. They
did not hatch. They were evidently, on their
arrival, in a living state, that is, their vitality
was not extinct, but the animating principle
was nevertheless too much enfeebled and
exhausted to be stimulated to growth and
evolution. This experiment, though unsuc-
cessful, was, nevertheless, he observed, full
of physiological instruction. It had a great
analogy to the Penguin's eggs, presented to
Dr. M. lately, by Capt. Fanning; unfit, in-
deed, for hatching, but yet sound and good
for eating.

Dr. Mitchill also presented a letter which he hadr eceived from H. A. S. Dearborn, Esq. of Boston,accompanying two perfect specimens of the fresh water Kusk, as it is called, taken in Sebago pond, in the district of Maine; on examining them, Doctor M. found reason to believe, that these individuais belonged to a species of fresh water cod; that this was not the gadus lota, or eel-pout of Europe, but another species not known to "Although the fragile and friable nature of trans-atlantic naturalists. He also stated, these bones might render it impossible ever to connect them into a complete skeleton, the commissioners state it as a matter of the highest probability, that at the aforesaid place, the remainder of a mammoth, as huge perbaps as ever walked the earth, reposes in the swamp, not more than fifty-four miles from the site of this institution.-He has already heard the resuscitating voice of the Lyceum." Sitting of June 9. Dr. Mitchill reported, that he had written an answer to Professor Sommè of Antwerp, concerning the incubation of the hen's eggs, dipped in mucilage of gum arabic, packed in powdered charcoal, and hermetically seal

that he had observed, in this fish, an ap pearance of an external organ of hearing, in the form of concave and pointed appendices to the anterior pair of orifices, commonly called nostrils, and actually having a resemblance to outward ears.

On motion of Mr. Francis, resolved, unanimously,-That the members of this Society, wear the usual badge of mourning, for one month, in testimony of their respect for their late fellow member, JAMES S. WATKINS, M. D. deceased.

Sitting of June 16. A letter was received from Sylvanus Miller, Esq. member of the Lyceum, giving information that another skeleton of the Mammoth had been discovered in Ulster County, and offering facilities in procuring it for the society, for which purpose measures were accordingly taken.

ART. 6. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE.

GREAT BRITAIN.

HE following very extraordinary account

bones of the

and to send up to him any fossil bones that might be found. The fossil bones described in this paper occurred in a cavern in a lime-stone rock of the south side of the Catwater.

Rhinoceros in a lime stone cavern near Ply- lime-stone is decidedly transition. This camouth, in England, by Me Whitby, was com-vern was found afier they houd quarried 160 feet municated to the Royal Society, by Sir Everard Home, on the 27th of February,

1817.

"Sir Joseph Banks had requested Mr. Whitby, when he went to superintend the breakwater constructing at Plymouth, to inspect all the caverns that should be met with in the lime-stone rocks during the quarrying,

into the solid rock. It was 45 feet long, and filled with clay, and had no communication whatever with the external furnace. The bones were remarkably perfect specimens. They were all decidedly bones of the Rhinoceros; but they belonged to three different animals. They consisted of teeth, bones of the spine, of the scapula, of the fore legs, and