60 



spoke of the advantages enjoyed by members of the In- 

 stitute, and said he doubted if they were aware of the 

 high reputation which the society had gained in the esti- 

 mation of educated and scientific men away from its 

 immediate location. 



Mr. D, M. Balch gave an account of the few minerals 

 he had been able to find during the morning's ramble. 

 They consisted principally of the several varieties of por- 

 phery ; the specimens were exhibited and* elicited some 

 remarks. 



Mr. Dixon spoke of the plants he had found in the vi- 

 cinity, and remarked on a plant which he stated should be 

 emblematic of America, the Epigea repens, as he thought 

 there should be a flower as well as a bird. Mr. Dixon 

 also discussed the question of what the shamrock was. 



Mr. S. C. Bancroft asked for further information in 

 regard to the shamrock, whether or not it was the same 

 as the clover. Prof. Morse, in answer to the question, 

 believed that the word shamrock was known before clover 

 was introduced, but that afterwards clover took the name 

 of shamrock. 



Mr. Bancroft asked if our common plants, weeds for 

 instance, were as common in foreign lands as here. Mr. 

 Dixon answered that many flowers, weeds, etc., come 

 with civilization, as for instance the wood- wax. He fur- 

 ther alluded to the trouble we should probably experience 

 from the introduced sparrow. 



Mr. Putnam mentioned that the ornithologists gave 

 timely warning against the introduction of the sparrow, 

 and in regard to an emblematic plant he thought that 

 while the Epigea as a flower would be appropriate, its 

 present want of a popular name would be against its 

 general adoption. 



