“I showed your sandy fungus to my class at the college yesterday.  Our medical school was never so flourishing, there being nearly two hundred students.  In the evening, I showed it to the lyceum.  All the members regretted your determination to stay the residue of the winter in Albany.

“The little tortoise is referred, with a new and singular bird, to a zoological committee for examination.  The sulphate of strontian is elegant.

“I am forming a parcel for Professor Schreibers, curator of the Austrian emperor’s cabinet at Vienna; the opportunity will be excellent to send a few.”

Report on the Copper of Lake Superior.—­Professor Silliman, in announcing a notice of my work on the mines, for the next number of the Journal of Science, Feb. 5th, says:  “I have written to the Secretary of War, and he has given his consent to have your report appear in the Journal of Science.”

Governor Cass, of Michigan (Feb. 20th), expresses his thanks for a manuscript copy of the MS. report.  “I trust,” he adds, “the report will be published by the government.  It would be no less useful and satisfactory to the public than honorable to yourself.” Geology of Western New York.—­Mr. Andrew McNabb, of Geneva (Feb. 26th), sends me two separate memoirs on the mineralogy and geology of the country, to be employed as materials in my contemplated memoir.  The zeal and intelligence of this gentleman have led him to outstrip every observer who has entered into this field of local knowledge.  Its importance to the value of the lands, their mines, ores, resources, water power, and general character, has led him to take the most enlarged views of the subject.

“Pursue,” he says, “my dear sir, your career, for it is an honorable one.  The world, bad as it is, has been much worse than now for authors; and through the great reading public, there are many generous souls, whose views are not confined to sordidness and self.  May all your laudable exertions be crowned with ample success—­with pleasure and profit to yourself and fellow-citizens!”

Boulder of Copper.—­A large specimen of native copper from Lake Superior, procured by me, forwarded to Mr. Calhoun, by General Stephen Van Rensselaer, representative in Congress, was cut up by his directions, and presented to the foreign ministers and gentlemen from abroad; and thus the resources of the country made known.  In a letter of Feb. 27th, Mr. Calhoun acknowledges the receipt of it.

Theoretical Geology.—­Mr. McNabb, in forwarding additional papers relative to western geology, observes:  “Have you seen Greenough’s Essays on Geology? The reviewers speak of it as well as critics usually do on such occasions.  President Greenough has given a shock to the ‘Wernerian system;’ his battery is pretty powerful, but he seems more intent on leveling than on building.  The Wernerian system is very beautiful, ingenious, and plausible, and I would almost regret its demolition, unless it should be found to stand in the way of truth.