96 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP [1883. 



minute monads, whicli were swallowed in the same manner as 

 in Actinophrys. After some hours, a few individuals appear to 

 have separated from the surface of one of the groups, but they 

 were as stationary' and sluggish as when in association with others. 

 The species is apparent!}^ distinct from others which have been 

 previous^ noticed, and may be named Baphidiophrys socialis. 



Daniel E. Hughes, M. D., and Edwin S. Balch were elected 

 members. 



May 1. 



The President, Dr. Leidy, in the chair. 

 Tliirty persons present. 



May 8. 

 The President, Dr. Leidy, in the chair. 

 Thirty-five persons present. 



Canadian Notes. — Mr. Jos. Willcox remarked that a noticeable 

 feature in the Canadian landscape is the scarcity of springs of 

 water and running streams. The latter, when they exist, are 

 almost exclusively the outlets of lakes, which are very numerous 

 in that country. The abundance of lakes there is a fortunate 

 occurrence, as they store a large amount of water for use in sup- 

 plying power to mills and drink for live stock during the dry 

 summer and early autumn. By the action of the ancient glaciers 

 a large portion of the soil of Canada has been carried away, the 

 underlying rocks being usually near the surface, and in many 

 cases visible above the ground. It is reasonable to conclude that 

 the absence of springs of water is due to the prevailing scarcity 

 of deep soil, the material necessary to soak up a large amount of 

 rain and melting snow, from which springs are supplied, being 

 deficient. His observations were confined to the country which 

 lies north of Kingston and Brockville, in the Province of Ontario. 

 In Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, in New York, small 

 isolated areas of Potsdam sandstone occur, overlying the 

 Laurentian granite and limestone. Sometimes they cover a space 

 of only a few square yards. North of the St. Lawrence River, for 

 a distance of more than one hundred miles, the Laurentian rocks 

 are frequently covered with disconnected patches of calciferous 

 sandstone and Trenton limestone. These remnants undoubtedly 

 indicate the former existence of those rocks of great extent, 

 OA'erlying the Laurentian granite and limestone, the former having 

 been subsequently removed by erosion. The ancient glaciers 

 have probably performed a large share of this work, as their 

 erosive action, which has torn and worn away the granite rocks 

 to a considerable extent, would operate more rapidly on the softer 

 limestones and sandstones. 



Tlie following were ordered to be printed: — 



