94 



Mr. H. R. Storer stated, that he had recently seen the 

 common Toad, Bufo Americanns, in an uncommon locality, 

 namely, at Race Point, near Provincetown, where the soil 

 was nothing but sand, covered with beach grass. In another 

 place he noticed specimens "\\hich he thought must have 

 crossed the sand flat at low tide, a distance of two or three 

 miles. The Snapping Turtle, (Emysaurus serpentina,) was 

 also seen at the same place. Such facts he thought were 

 new in the history of these reptiles. 



Dr. Cabot said, that he several years since found a Snap- 

 ping Turtle on the Island known as the Outer Gooseberry, 

 in Beverly Harbor, some miles from the main land. It had 

 fed on the eggs and young of the Terns, which the year 

 before were quite numerous on the Island, and had nearly 

 depopulated it. Dr. Cabot was informed, by the fishermen 

 of the vicinity, that every year the Snapping Turtles swim 

 off from the main land to the islands ; but he was inclined 

 to doubt the fact. 



Mr. Storer presented, in the name of Dr. W. I. Burnett, 

 a jar of Fishes and Reptiles from New Hampshire. The 

 colors of the specimens were remarkably bright. Dr. Bur- 

 nett stated, that this was owing to the presence of a small 

 quantity of saltpetre in the alcohol in which they were 

 preserved. 



Dr. Kneeland presented several specimens of Annelids, 

 of the genus Aphrodita. 



Prof. Hall remarked, that it would be of great value to 

 geological science if Naturalists in collecting such speci- 

 mens were to observe attentively the tracks left by them on 

 the sand and mud where they were found. It would 

 throw much light on the question of the origin of certain 

 marks observable on the beaches and flats of past geolo- 

 gical epochs. In reference to the shells exhibited by Dr. 



