1-28 



[August, 



August '22d. 

 Wm. Parker Foulke, Esq., in the Chair. 



Letters were read 



From the Royal Imperial Geological Institute of Vienna, dated 19th 

 May, 1854, accompanying the donation of its publication, announced 

 this evening. 



From the K. L. C. Acad, der Naturforseher, dated Breslau, 28th 

 April, 185-4, transmitting the last volume of its Nova Acta. 



A paper was presented from Prof. Baird and Mr. Charles Girard, in- 

 tended for publication in the Proceedings, entitled, " Notice of a new 

 genus of Cjprioidse ;" which was referred to Dr. Ilallowell, Mr. Cassin, 

 and Dr. Leidy. 



Also, a paper from Mr. Girard, containing " Observations on a col- 

 lection of Fishes made on the Pacific Coast of the United States, by 

 Lieut. W. B. Trowbridge, U. S. A., for the Museum of the Smithsonian 

 Institution." lleferred to Dr. Hallowell, Prof. Baird, and Dr. Leidy. 



Dr. Le Conte presented a paper for publication in the Proceedings, 

 entitled, " Synopsis of the Erotylida3 of the United States." lleferred 

 to Dr. Ilallowell, Dr. McEuen, and Dr. Leidy. 



Dr. Leidy made the following remarks. 



My friend, Mr. Hanson, has called my attention to a review of the work 

 entitled, " A Flora and Fauna within Living Animals,' 5 in the Gardener's 

 Chronicle, London, April 8, 18-'54, edited by Prof. Lindley. The language in 

 several passages of this review, would imply that the entophyta, described in 

 the "Flora and Fauna," had not been discovered by its author. This, though 

 no doubt unintentional on the part of the editor, is ypt so apt to mislead the 

 judgment of the readers of the Gardener's Chroniclp, in estimating the value of 

 the work, that I have considered it, in justice to myself, worthy of notice. 



Prof. Lindley remarks in reference to the work, " It may be true, that it dops 

 not contain much, which may not be found in Robin's second edition of his ad- 

 mirable work on animals;" and further on, says, " We would point out more 

 especially the plates, which represent the curious parasites which infest the 

 intestines of different species of Julus, for though the principal of them are not 

 overlooked by Robin, etc." 



Thus it is made to appear, as if Robin had been the discoverer of most of 

 the entophytes, described in the " Floia and Fauna," when on referring to pages 

 358, 395 and 403 of Robin's Histoire Naturelle des Vegetaux Parasites, it will 

 be found that all the vegetable parasites of the former work are duly accredited 

 to its author. 



The " Flora and Fauna " was presented for publication to the Smithsonian 

 Institute in December, 1851, and appeared in printed form in April, 1853, the 

 same year in which the second edition of Robin's work was issued from the 

 press. The descriptions in the latter of those entophyta discovered by me, were 

 taken from communications, published in the Proceedings of this Society in 1849. 



1 take this occasion to make a few remarks on a question in the same review, 

 which Prof. Lindley proposes, in reference to the nature of the entophytes above 

 indicated, whether they are to be considered as fungi or algae. Prof. Lindley 

 observes, " for our own part, we have little doubt that they are all true fungals, 

 as also are such productions as Saprolegnia, etc." In presenting an opinion 

 with so little doubt, Prof. Lindley appears not to be " an coura>it >> with a work 

 entitled, "The Vegetable Kingdom. By John Lindley, Ph. D., &c," in which 

 the diagnoses of the two families mentioned are as follows : 



