26 



Regular Meeting, Monday, March 20, 1876. 



Meeting this evening. The President in the chair. 

 Eecords read. 



Mr. John Robinson gave an interesting and instructive 

 lecture 



ON FERNS. 



Mr. Robinson has made the study of ferns a specialty, 

 and has in his greenhouse an extensive collection, speci- 

 mens from which were exhibited, much to the gratifica- 

 tion of the attentive audience. 



Mr. Robinson commenced by stating in what part of 

 the vegetable kingdom the ferns stood, as compared with 

 other plants, jDarticularly those called flowerless, or Cryp- 

 togams. He said it was difficult to draw the line between 

 the various orders of this great class of plants, and that 

 they can hardly be separated from the flowering plants 

 by any clear line, as the higher orders of the cryptogams 

 approach so nearly the lower orders of flowering plants. 

 Commencing with the spore, or seed, it was followed 

 through all its stages of growth. The root, stem, and 

 fronds were duly considered ; the diflTerent modes of fruit- 

 ing were spoken of and compared ; and in closing an 

 account was given of the natural distribution of ferns and 

 the places most favorable to their production and growth. 



The lecture was illustrated by excellent diagrams, and 

 also by living specimens of tropical ferns. 



Messrs. T. J. Hutchinson and William S. Hutchinson 

 of Salem and M. M. N. Fiske of Ipswich were elected 

 members. 



The new draft of the By-laws having been read at two 



