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November 18, 1854. 



The President in the Chair. 



Dr. Diirkee read a paper on the structure and habits of 

 the Culex pipiens, or Mosquito. Speaking of the mandibu- 

 lar apparatus, he remarked : 



" Upon the two mandibles, as described by Westwood, I have 

 succeeded in bringing out the teeth at the tip. There are ten on 

 each mandible or jaw. The jaws have also transverse lines, ex- 

 tending from one edge to the other, throughout their who'le length. 

 These markings are extremely delicate, and look not unlike the 

 teeth of a sickle, and are not found on any of the other pieces, 

 which appear to be perfectly smooth, and terminate in an ex- 

 tremely sharp point. The two flat, button-like bodies, at the 

 extremity of the lower lip, are united to the latter by means of 

 a joint." 



Dr. Durkee had verified the observation of Cuvier and 

 other naturalists, that the male Mosquito does not suck 

 blood, not being furnished with an apparatus for the pur- 

 pose. He had also followed out the process of reproduc- 

 tion in these insects, in all its details, confirming the obser- 

 vations heretofore made. The unusual abundance of these 

 insects in the city of Boston, during the past summer, and 

 their unusual scarcity in the surrounding country, he ascribed 

 to the better opportunity afforded in the city for their multi- 

 plication, in the numerous wells and cisterns in disuse from 

 the supply of Cochituate water, while in the open country 

 the prolonged drought had dried up their usual breeding 

 places. 



Mr. James A. Dupee presented a large and handsome 

 specimen of Native Copper, from Huron Mine, Portage 

 Lake, Lake Superior, in the name of Messrs. Dupee and 

 Perkins. He observed, that it had been a question whether 

 the deposits in this place were in veins or pockets. The 



