1865.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 73 



plates represent the Moss of the natural size, as magnified, and with 

 an ample series of exquisite analyses ; for the most part there are 

 as many as twenty figures to each plate. The drawings are placed 

 to the credit of Mr. August Schrader, who has had a long train- 

 ing for such work under Mr. Sullivant's direction. They were 

 engraved by Mr. Wm. Dougal, of Washington, who executed the 

 plates of Musci of Wilke's Pacific Expedition. Probably upon no 

 work of the kind has an equal amount of labor, knowledge, and 

 expense been lavished. Only a small edition has been printed, 

 and it is published at a price ($10 in gold) which, however con- 

 siderable at present, will, it is understood, be very far from cover- 

 ing the cost." 



NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Society took place on 

 Monday evening, Jan. 30, and was fairly attended. It was deter- 

 mined that the Society's annual Conversazione should take place 

 towards the latter end of February, and a committee was ap. 

 pointed to make the necessary arrangements. Various donations 

 were announced, the following being the more important : 



TO THE MUSEUM. 



Specimen of the mottled owl (Scops asio, Bonaparte), from Mr. 

 W. Boa ; the Cape-May warbler (Dendroica tigrina, Baird), 

 from Mr. P. Kutzing; twenty-three species of beetles (named), 

 from Washington, South Carolina, and California, from Mr. W. 

 Couper, Quebec ; fine crystal of amethyst, from the north shore of 

 Lake Superior, presented by the Literary and Historical Society, 

 Quebec; specimen of Cooper's hawk (Accipiter Cooperil, Bona- 

 parte), and thirty species of Canadian insects, from Mr. W. 

 Hunter. 



NEW MEMBERS. 



Messrs. D. R. McCord and T. Reynolds were elected members 

 of the Society. 



PROCEEDINGS. 



Mr. D. R. McCord read a paper on the well-known Canadian 

 fern, Cystopteris bulbifera of Swartz. This little " bladder 

 fern " has the peculiarity of bearing small bulbs, usually near the 

 angles formed by the junction of the mid-rib of the frond, and 

 those of some of the pinnae. The microscopic character of these 



