1851.] 237 



tion apparently from West to East. The meteor was remarkable for 

 its bright green color. 



August \2th. 

 Vice-President Wetherill in the Chair. 



Dr. Leidy read a paper, entitled " Contributions to Helminthology, 

 No. 3," which was referred to Drs. Bridges, Watson, and Hallowell. 



Dr. Fisher, in adverting to a suggestion made at a late meeting of 

 the Academy, that it was probable that many of the insects which are 

 destructive to various trees of this country, were periodical in their 

 recurrence, resembling, in this respect, the Cicada septendecim, 

 remarked that six or seven years since the black caterpiller, or canker 

 worm, had been very destructive to the Elm trees at New Haven, but 

 that since then they were comparatively rare. On a visit to New 

 Haven this summer he found them again very numerous, and doing 

 great injury. 



August I9th. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



Dr. Leidy presented a paper entitled ''Conspectus Crustaceorum 

 quae in Orbis Terrarum circumnavigatione Carolo Wilkes e Classe Rei- 

 publicae Foederatae duce lexitet descripsit J. D. Dana ;" which, on mo- 

 tion was referred to the following Committee, Dr. Leidy, Dr. Bridges, 

 and Dr. J. C. Fisher. 



A letter was read from the "Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Wien," 

 dated April 30th, 18.51, in reference to the publications of that insti- 

 tution, announced this evening. 



Dr. Fisher read a paper describing a new species of Cicada, named 

 by him C. Cassinii, which being intended for publication in the Pro- 

 ceedings, was referred to Dr. Ruschenberger, Mr. C. E. Smith, and Dr. 

 Zantzinger. 



Mr. Cassin read a paper intended for publication in the Proceedings, 

 " Notes on the Cicada Cassinii, and on C. septendecim. Referred to 

 the above Committee. 



Mr. Cassin read a paper entitled "Descriptions of Laniadae," intended 

 for publication in the Proceedings. Referred to Col. G. A. McCall, 

 Mr. Harris, and Dr. Watson. 



Dr. Leidy called the attention of the members, to several fragments of fossil 

 ruminant ungulates, from Nebraska Territory. 



One of these is the greater portion of a cranium, which, in its perfect condi- 

 tion, had been about 7 inches in length. For the examination of this he expressed 

 his indebtedness to Dr. Hiram A. Prout, of St. Louis, who first pointed out the 

 remains of a gigantic species of Palaeotherium, from the same region in which the 

 present fossil was obtained. 



The teeth in the specimen are in a very much mutilated condition, but with 



