15 [Agassiz. 



left the bottom during the day, merely rising a few inches and then 

 falling down again to the bottom of the jar. After dark, however, 

 they could all be seen in great activity, moving near the surface of 

 the water as fast as their appendages enabled them. During the day 

 they often remain suspended for hours in the water simply by spread- 

 ino- their wing-like appendages, and then suddenly drop to the bot- 

 tom on folding them. This habit of remaining at or near the bottom, 

 which they have in common with so many of our marine animals, 

 explains undoubtedly their sudden appearance and disappearance, as 

 they probably only come to the surface in search of food at certain 

 hours. When the animal is in motion, beating ihe water like a but- 

 terfly to propel itself forwards or upwards, the shell is carried at right 

 angles, hanging somewhat obliquely to the direction of the movement. 

 To counterbalance this weight, an exceedingly long and powerful 

 siphon extends on the opposite side of the animal, which is used as a 

 kind of balance wheel ; the shell, while the animal is in motion, assum- 

 ing a totally different position when it is not thus counterbalanced. 

 Mr. Agassiz exhibited at the same time drawings of the animal in 

 different attitudes. 



Dr. J. C. White exhibited a skeleton of the Hottentot 

 mounted upon an improved plan, which exhibited all the 

 bones occupying their relative position, while the skeleton is 

 disjointed, each bone being fastened to a board by a hook, 

 thus allowing any bone at pleasure to be taken off and ex- 

 amined ; the hands and feet only have their parts connected. 



The President added a few remarks in further explanation 

 of what he said at a previous meeting upon the elevation of 

 the orbit in the Hottentot, and its encroachment upon the 

 cerebral cavity. 



In reply to a question by Dr. Wyman, Dr. Pickering said 

 that he had seen but live or six living Hottentots, and that 

 he had seen this individual while living ; he considered him 

 the least characteristic Hottentot he had known in his lack ot 

 departure from other tyi^es. 



Mr. T. T. Bouve, in behalf of the Committee appointed to 

 consider and suggest the best mode of operation to raise the 

 120,000 needed to meet the requirements of Dr. Walker's 

 donations, reported the names of the following persons as a 

 Committee of Subscription : — Prof. Jeffries Wyman, Dr. A. 

 A. Gould, Dr. C. T. Jackson, Prof. W. B. Rogci-s, Rev. R. C. 

 Waterston, Dr. Samuel Cabot, F. W. Lincoln, Dr. Henry 



