100 



beautiful figure of the animal drawn by Dr. W. T. Parker of South 

 Boston. 



ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. 



Proceedings of the Acad, of Nat. Sciences, Philad. Nov. & Dec. 

 1842. 8vo. pam. From the Academy. 



Twenty-second Annual Report of the Mercantile Library Asso- 

 ciation, New York. 8vo. pam. 1843. From the Association. 



Instructions for collecting and preserving various subjects of 

 Natural History, with a Treatise on Insects, by J. T. Donovan. 8vo. 

 10. Lond. 1794—1801. Courtis Fund. 



February 15, 1843. 



Regular meeting — Mr. Bouve in the Chair. 



Dr. Wyman remarked upon some articles in the num- 

 bers of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History com- 

 mitted to him, particularly a paper on the growth of Fungi 

 in Fruits. 



Fungi attack both vegetable and animal structures, and late ex- 

 periments have shown that healthy fruits may be infected with 

 them by inoculation. Another paper in the same number, in a 

 notice of Agassiz' work on Freshwater Fishes, states, that fungi 

 also infest the ova of that class of animals. They are also found 

 in the cavities caused by certain diseases of ths lungs. To an 

 inquiry from Dr. Wyman whether he had made any observations 

 of their attacks on fruits, Mr. Teschemacher replied that he had, 

 some time since, traced the discoloration of the cuticle of the St. 

 Michaels pear to this source ; also, the mould that infests the 

 Gooseberry. All dark spots and scabs on fruits are probably of 

 the same origin. They destroy the cuticle, and prevent growth. 

 The Spores, diffused through the air, lodge wherever they find a 

 spot favorable to their developement. 



A perfect specimen of the flower of the Cheirostemon. the 

 Arbol de Manitos of Mexico, preserved in alcohol, was pre- 

 sented by Mr. Lawrence. 



