xliii 



Mr. Riley undertook to account for it on the Darwinian 

 theory, that from the greater competition and struggle for exist- 

 ence that had gone on in Europe under the civilized conditions 

 of man, their species were, many of them, better able to thrive 

 under similar conditions here than our own indigenous species. 



Dr. Engelmann feared such theories would lead us astray. 



Dr. Wislizenus attributed the greatest increase of European 

 plants when introduced into this country to the fact they had 

 more room here than in their native soil. 



Dr. Engelmann exhibited cones and bunches of Pinus jlexilis 

 from Montana, first discovered by Dr. James of Long's Expedi- 

 tion in 1820. The seeds were used as food by the Indians. 



Messrs. Wm. N. Symington, John H. Tice, and S. A. Bailey, 

 were elected associate members. 



March 20, 1871. 



Vice-President, Dr. Boisliniere, in the chair. 



Thirteen members present. 



Publications and letters received were reported by the Corres- 

 ponding Secretary. 



A letter from Mr. Charles Becke, of Ems, Austria, asking for 

 an exchange of botanical specimens, was referred to Dr. Engel- 

 mann for an answer. 



A paper from Dr. A. Hager, of Fort Snelling, Minn., was 

 read, entitled " Tables for Reducing Barometrical Observations 

 to the Freezing Point," and referred to the Committee on Publi- 

 cation. 



Dr. Engelmann exhibited ears of common corn, which con- 

 tained some grains of sugar-corn, though none such had grown 

 in the neighborhood of the stalk. There had been sugar-corn, 

 however, in the vicinity of the corn from which the seed was 

 taken, and it was presumable that the impregnation had taken 

 place in the mother plant. 



Specimens of cinnabar ore from the New Almaden Mines of 

 Santa Clara County, California, wei-e exhibited by Dr. Briggs. 



Messrs. A. J. Conant and Daniel P. Potter, and Alexander J. 

 P. Garesche, Esq., were elected associate members. 



