1864.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 443 



of Messrs. W. Saunders, W. S. M. D'Urban, John B. Goode, P. 

 Kutzing, C. Foley, R. J. Fowler, and James Ferrier, jun., the 

 Society's colleetion of insects, already somewhat large, has been 

 nearly doubled. Our scattered series have been incorporated into 

 one general collection ; they have been arranged provisionally, and 

 named as far as possible. Thirteen drawers (22 inches by 16f in 

 diameter) are devoted to Canadian insects, and thirteen to British 

 and exotic species. We have more specimens than one cabinet 

 will hold : it would be desirable, at some future time, to get 

 another similar one, to be devoted exclusively to the reception of 

 British and exotic forms. The old specimens have been washed 

 with a solution of corrosive sublimate in alco hoi, as a preservative, 

 and many have been replaced by fresh examples. The Annelida 

 from the Gulf of St. Lawrence have been mounted, named, and 

 classified. The Polyzoa (or Bryozoa), from the same district, 

 have been sent to Dr. Dawson for microscopical investigation. 

 They have just been returned, carefully named; and in a short 

 time it is hoped that they will be available for the use of stud( nts. 

 ■ Several of the exotic birds have been named, but as yet a large 

 number of the species- are still undetermined. Through the kind- 

 ness of several personal friends in New Haven and New York, con- 

 siderable additions have been made to the collections of mollusca, 

 radiata, and fossils. These have had accordingly to be re-arranged 

 and classified. A series of the most critical species of marine 

 shells from the Gulf of St, Lawrence have been sent to Dr. 

 Stimpson, at Washington ; and when they are returned I propose 

 to bring before the Society a paper, in which an attempt will be 

 made to clear up the confused nomenclature of the Canadian 

 marine mollusca. Printed labels have been attached to all the 

 specimens of Canadian reptiles, and the snakes in particular have 

 been carefully studied. J. F. W. 



To this succeeded a paper on the Night Heron [Nyctiardea 

 GarcJeni) by Mr. H. G. Vennor, which was read by the Recording 

 Secretary, in the absence of the author. 



Mr. Braun's paper on the Atlantic Telegraph was also read 

 by the Recording Secretary. It gave a somewhat elaborate account 

 of the history of the whole scheme, with reasons for its failure ; 

 and concluded by a description of some mechanical appliances, the 

 main object of which appeared to be to keep the cable firmly on the 

 sea-bottom. The peculiar mechanism by which this was proposed 

 to be eflfected was described, and illustrated by diagrams; which 



