estimate the relative age of mounds in different parts of the 

 country. 



The amendment to the Constitution, offered October 16, was 

 unanimously adopted. 



G.J. Engelmann, F.F. Hilder, W. H. Pulsifer, F. E. Nipher, 

 J. J. R. Patrick, and W. B. Potter, offered a petition for the forma- 

 tion of an Archaeological Section. 



Charles Heissler and Dr. C. A. Todd were elected Associate 

 Members. 



December 4, 1876. 



C. V. Riley, President, in the chair. 



Fifteen members present. 



The Corresponding Secretary presented a number of scientific 

 papers which he had received, and devoted a considerable time 

 to a discussion of the results accomplished by the late Arctic ex- 

 pedition, stating that, in his opinion, it had been far more valua- 

 ble to science, in the discoveries relative to the Arctic regions, 

 than was generally accredited. It had demonstrated that what 

 had previously been called " President's Land," had really no 

 existence whatever. It has also demonstrated that there was no 

 open sea around the north pole, as had so long been supposed. 



The official report to which Judge Holmes referred is to be 

 found in Nature, Nov. 2. 



Dr. G. Engelmann exhibited specimens of seed-bearing leaves 

 of the Sago palm, Cycas revoluta, and spoke about the physio- 

 gical and anatomical character of the Gymnosperms, which 

 order comprises the Cycadacece and the Conifer ce. The former 

 in our country are represented by the Zamia integrifolia of 

 South Florida, which also, like many of its allies, contains an 

 abundance of amylaceous substance in its trunk, and for this is 

 now highly prized by the settlers, as it was formerly an im- 

 portant article of food for the aborigines. The second and much 

 better known family of Gymnosperms are the Coniferce, to 

 which our Pines and Junipers belong. The Gymnosperms must 

 be considered as the lowest type of flowering plants, only a 



