1866.] 7 [WUder. 



Charles Waclismutli, showed that the formation should be 

 divided into two. This division was indicated by a bed of 

 chert two or three feet in thickness, above which no species 

 of Crinoids from the lower beds passed. All the species in 

 the upper were specifically distinct from those in the lower 

 bed, being themselves larger and provided with larger nodes 

 and spines. The Molluscan fauna of these beds was very 

 scanty, though distinct in the two beds. He had found that 

 the Crinoids were most largely developed in the Keokuk 

 Limestone, which overlies the Burlington Limestone. This 

 ordor of Echinoderms seemed to culminate in the Keokuk 

 rocks. 



Dr. J. C. White, on behalf of a Committee appointed to 

 convey the thanks of the Society to Dr. H. Bryant for the 

 donation of the Lafresnaye collection of birds, read a copy 

 of the letter which had been sent to Dr. Bryant, communi- 

 cating the action of the Society. 



Dr. B. G. Wilder exhibited a yellow band of silk of the 

 NepMla plumipes^ a geometrical spider, which had been 

 woven into the middle of a ribbon by a power loom. The 

 thread consisted of many threads reeled directly from sev- 

 eral living spiders at the same time, and doubled and twisted. 

 The exact number of threads is not known, and the speci- 

 men was prepared and exhibited simply to show the entire 

 jiracticability of reeling and weaving it. 



He had found the bite of this spider to be entirely harm- 

 less, it having bitten a young kitten severely six times, 

 drawing blood quite profusely. No ill effects were noticed 

 after the immediate i^ain of the bite had passed away. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson presented, in the name of the donor, 

 two photograjDhs, a front and a profile view, of M. Elie de 

 Beaumont. 



The following gentlemen were elected Resident Members : 

 Prof William Denton, Messrs. George Higginson, F. R. Stur- 

 gis, and John T. Jackson, of Boston. 



