266 [Ski'tember, 



After the death of thp animals, and their bodies and tubes have macerated from 

 the surface of the Polypidom, their bases upon the areola of attachment have an 

 irregular stellate or lobate appearance, which penetrate in a convergent manner 

 to the nuclear twig or branch. The decaying mass has a strong odor in a re- 

 markable degree like that of putrid fish. 



The animal is not so irritable as Plumatella, but is like it capable of entirely 

 retracting within its tube, in which state the stomach appears transversely 

 wrinkled. 



The ova as they are detached from the mass rise near, or to the surface of the 

 water and float. 



There is probably some confusion existing in the distinction of the genera 

 Cristatella and Alcyonella, as characterized by Cuvier, Lamarck, Allman, 

 &c., but if correct then C. raagnitica would belong to a new genus between 

 Cristatella, Ciiv., and Alcyonella, Lam., for while the polyp and its ovum cor- 

 respond to the former, the polypidom corresponds to the latter. Should it prove 

 distinct I propose for it the name Pectinaiella. 



Dr. Leidy further stated as follows : 



The female Gordius which he had mentioned at the last evening, as 

 having extruded from September 25th up to that time a cord of ova 49 

 inches in length, had continued the process until Sunday evening, October 7th, up 

 to which time it had expelled in fragments from a few lines to one foot in length, 

 in all a cord 91 inches long, in which he estimated there were over 6,000,000 ova. 

 Dr. L. exhibited the cord of ova preserved in alcohol, which was long and white 

 and resembled a piece of cotton thread. 



September 23d. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Linnean Society of London, dated June 

 .5th, 1851, acknowledging the receipt of numbers 6 and 7, Vol. 5, of 

 the Proceedings of the Academy. 



Dr. McEuen exhibited a specimen of the fruit of Paullownia im- 

 perialis, from the garden of Mrs. J. B. Smith of this city. 



September SOtk. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



The committee to which was referred the continuation of Dr. 

 Le Conte's paper on the Longicorn Coleoptera of the United States, 

 reported in favor of publication in the Journal. 



The Committee to which was referred Mr. J. D. Dana's paper, read 

 16th inst.^ reported in favour of publication in the Proceedings. 



