36 WINTER FIELD MEETING. 



The clay was all that could be desired, the weather 

 mild, the sleighing excellent. The party left Plummer 

 Hall, Salem, in two large boat sleighs driven by veteran 

 whips. A genuine old fashioned New England sleigh 

 ride was enjoyed, and on entering the woods in Essex, 

 there were some fine touches of winter landscape. Shortly 

 after midday the party arrived at the Chebacco House, 

 the place of meeting. The botanists rambled about the 

 borders of the ponds (which were thickly frozen), and 

 collected specimens of various woody plants and branches 

 of trees and shrubs, showing buds, shoots, etc., for ex- 

 amination at the afternoon session which was held in the 

 large hall, soon after partaking of an excellent dinner 

 which was served at one o'clock. 



Vice President F. TV r . Putnam, in the absence of the 

 President, called the meeting to order with a few re- 

 marks on the general character of winter life and the 

 great interest that its study has for those who investigate 

 the many ways in which life, during our cold winter, in 

 its many forms, is protected and continued. He gave a 

 few illustrations from the lower animals, particularly of 

 the humble bees. He then stated that a field meeting in 

 winter was a novel thing, and he believed this was the 

 first one that has been held in this country ; and as the 

 Essex Institute was ever in the advance in all such move- 

 ments, he was glad that the conception of such a meeting, 

 by the members of the Institute, had resulted in this 

 o-atherinsf. Without detaining the members with further 

 general remarks, he said, he should now call on Prof. E. 

 S. Morse to address the meeting on such subjects as the 

 occasion suggested. 



Prof. Morse first alluded to the method of protection 



