160 



Prof. Wyman stated that in a skull of a Troglodytes Gorilla^ 

 which he had examined some time since, there was a supernu- 

 merary tooth behind the third molar or wisdom tooth. This 

 fourth molar had not quite pierced the bone, but was on the 

 point of doing so. He also stated that he had in his possession 

 a cat's skull, with ^ supernumerary permanent molar in the 

 lower jaw. 



There are instances on record of all the teeth being united by 

 the roots. Plutarch says, that Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, had a set 

 of teeth in this condition. 



Dr. J. N. Borland remarked, that he had been acquainted with 

 two brothers, one of whom had never cut a tooth, and the other 

 only three, imperfectly developed. They were scrofulous, and 

 one of them died at the age of 25 or 26. 



The Curator of Conchology stated, that he had recently 

 prepared and labelled for the Cabinet, 22 species of shells, 

 from Southwick and Westfield, Mass. ; 20 species of Fresh 

 Water American Shells ; 256 species of Land and Fresh 

 Water Shells, from Europe. 



A flask of water from a well in Dorchester, containing a 

 variety of animalcules and worms, was referred to Drs. 

 Durkee and Bacon for report. 



March 7, 1855. 



The President in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Mr. Roswell Field, of Greenfield, 

 addressed to the President, giving some description of the 

 sandstone slab recently discovered by him. The letter was 

 accompanied with a plan of the slab, and the impressions 

 upon it. Mr. Field states, that there are about 130 sets of 

 tracks, or 260 impressions, generally very perfect, but in 



