100 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



that they must all be referred to the same order and group. 

 The new genus has a small quantity of albumen in the seed, 

 but less than Stephanandra ; its sepals are foliaceous and in- 

 cised, more so than those of Rhodotypos ; and it differs from 

 all its allies in being apetalous. The full characters will be 

 published in a memoir upon the genus. 



Four liuudred and Afty-fourth. meeting. 



September 14, 1858. — Monthly Meeting. 



Professor Felton in the chair. 



Dr. A. A. Gould communicated some general scientific in- 

 telligence collected during his recent tour in Europe. 



Colonel Samuel Swett read a paper containing an account 

 of Colonel Mason's studies in electricity in the last century. 



Mr. George P. Bond gave an account of Donati's Comet, 

 and of the observations made upon it at the Cambridge Ob- 

 servatory up to the present time. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson made some statements respecting the 

 invention of the magnetic telegraph, and alleged that he him- 

 self first made known to Mr. Morse the general idea of the 

 invention, and of the principles upon which it depended. 



Mr. Swett presented his views upon the protection of 

 houses from lightning, and argued that the wet exterior of 

 a closed house, during a thunder-storm, was an efficient pro- 

 tection to the interior. 



Mr. George S. Boutwell gave a detailed account of the 

 phenomena of a very severe thunder-storm to which he was 

 exposed in the year 1855. 



Four hundred and fifty-fUTtbi meeting. 



October 12, 1858. — Monthly Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



Professor Lovering made the following communication on 

 Donati's Comet: — 



" The polarization of light may be defined as a change in the ray, 



