231 



Mr. Sprague exhibited a very large Fungus, a foot and a half 

 in diameter, the Polyporus giganteus, from Roxbury ; a species 

 not common in this neighborhood. 



Dr. Kneeland exhibited a curious parasitic growth from the 

 gills of a codfish. 



Septembei^ 5, 1855. 

 Dr. C. T. Jackson, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Dr. H. K. Oliver, Jr., notifying 

 the Society of his resignation of the Curatorship of the 

 department of Entomology. 



Mr. Stodder and Dr. Abbot were appointed a Committee 

 to nominate a candidate to fill the vacancy thus created. 



Mr. Stodder called attention to a fact of considerable 

 interest. It is well known, that there has been a disease 

 among the Sycamore trees, in this vicinity, for several 

 years. The only Sycamore now remaining upon Boston 

 Common, is at present in full foliage. This disease, he 

 thought, commenced about the same time with the potato 

 disease in this neighborhood, and is now ceasing at the 

 same time with the disease of that vegetable. The ques- 

 tion naturally arises, whether there can have been any 

 direct or exciting causes common to both diseases. 



Mr. Thomas A. Greene, of New Bedford, stated that he 

 had observed the same fact in his vicinity ; the Sycamores 

 were all recovering. He had never seen any satisfactory 

 account for the disease. 



