10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1879. 



and sincere seeker for truth, whose attainments in knowledge were 

 so broad, and so diversified, as to command our respect and admi- 

 ration, and whose large and loving heart was so manifest in all 

 his deportment and intercourse with us, as to win our esteem and 

 affection. We, therefore, join our sympathies with all those who 

 have been bereft of Ins instruction, his example, and his fellowship, 

 and we direct that these sentiments be placed upon our records, 

 and a copy of the same be transmitted to the familj- of the de- 

 ceased. 



January 21. 



The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 



Thirty-four persons present. 



A paper entitled " Notes on some Pacific Coast Fishes," by W. 

 N. Lockington, was presented for publication. 



Solidago odora as a " Tea 11 Plant. Mr. Thomas Meehan drew 

 attention to some snmples of dried leaves that had been sent for 

 identification, and which are represented to be in extensive use in 

 Berks Co., Pa., as a beverage under the name of "Blue Mountain 

 Tea." Mr. Meehan found the leaves to belong to Solidago odora, 

 The infusion had a slight taste of fennel, by no means disagree- 

 able, but yet with little more attractions than catnip, or any ordi- 

 nary " herb tea," might present. 



January 28. 



The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 



Thirty-two persons present. 



A paper entitled " Further Notes on the Mechanical Genesis of 

 Tooth-forms," by Jno. A. Ryder, was presented for publication. 



On Gordius, and on some Parasites of the Rat. Prof. Leidy 

 exhibited a curious knotted mass of living hair-worms, Gordius 

 ?*obustus? which had been sent to him by Dr. S. T. Roman, of 

 Conowingo, Cecil Co., Md. The mass had been picked up in a 

 gutter at the edge of a forest near Conowingo, on a rainy morning 

 of Dec. 15, 1878. It contained 52 male individuals, and 7 females. 

 The former ranged from 8 to 25 centimetres in length, by \ to 

 of a millimetre in thickness; the latter range from 14 to 19^ cen- 

 timetres in length, by 1 millimetre in thickness. The females are 



