1851.] 351 



Length 3-4ths to 1 inch ; breadth l-5th to l-4th of a line. Length of pro- 

 boscis l-20th inch. 



Remarks upon the habits. When at rest the worm lies with the anterior 

 four-fifths of the body upon the surface of the mud at the bottom of the water, 

 with the tail fifth buried. It is very active in its movements. It also con- 

 structs tubes of mud. It is hermaphrodite, and copulates in the same manner 

 as the earth worms. 



In a number of individuals I observed bunches of spermatozoa, and in several 

 of the same from three to five nearly completely formed ova placed just poste- 

 rior to the girdle. 



The eggs when extruded were attached to the inside of the vessel in which 

 the worms were kept. They consisted of an oblong quadrilateral translucent, 

 whitish, papyraceous web, enclosing a light amber colored, bottle-like case, 

 with an open neck, and the body containing an opaque white globular mass 

 the true egg. 



The perfect worm after living about two months died. Some of the ova 

 several weeks after their extrusion were observed to have the young almost 

 perfected, and these a few days after their escape presented the following cha- 

 racters : 



Body cylindroid, divided into 35 annulations, each with a pair of fasciculi of 

 4 or 5 hooks ; posterior to the first three also provided on each side with one or 

 two setas. Tail bilobed. Head as in the parent. No girdle ; no indication of 

 division ; and no apparent developing annuli at the tail end. Length 2 lines. 



The Committee on Dr. Le Conte's paper, concluding his descriptions 

 of the Longicorn Coleoptera of the United States, reported in favor of 

 publication in the Journal. 



The Committee, consisting of Dr. J. C. Fisher, Wm. S. Vaux and 

 Dr. Bridges, appointed at a late meeting " to inquire into the expedi- 

 ency of enlarging the Hall of the Academy, so as to furnish greater 

 accommodation for the Museum and Library, and to report a plan, with 

 an estimate of the expense," offered a report, which was adopted, 

 recommending the raising of the roof of the building sixteen feet higher, 

 the division of the interior of the Hall into two compartments, by a 

 floor thrown across from the second main gallery, and the opening of 

 two windows into each hall on the north and south sides. 



The entire expense of the improvement, as estimated by a contractor, 

 was $6,500, to meet which the Committee proposed that subscriptions 

 be solicited, both from members and from the citizens of Philadelphia. 



Two resolutions appended to the report, one that it was expedient to 

 enlarge the Hall according to the plan submitted, and to appoint a 

 Committee for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions; and the second 

 giving the form of the subscription, were also adopted. Action on a 

 third resolution was postponed for the present. 



