"^ [Putnam. 



the Chub abundant and the Pickerel was not rare. Perch 

 had also been taken there for the first time during this 

 season. 



Mr. Putnam remarked in response, that the fishes of the An- 

 droscoggin River were difierent fi-om those of the Lakes at its 

 head waters, and that but few species passed from the river to 

 the lakes. A species of Lota had been taken in the Androscog- 

 gin, but never in the lakes, so fir as he was aware. The Eel 

 had been occasionally found in the lakes at the " Upper Dam," 

 but never in the lakes above that dam. In regard to the Eel, 

 Mr. Putnam thought it was yet a question whether there was 

 more than one species on our eastern coast, adjacent rivers 

 and inland waters. 



He stated that the Box turtle from Wilmington, Mass., pre- 

 sented by Mr. Holden, was the Cistudo virginica^ which has a 

 wide distribution on our continent east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. There are several varieties which have been named, but 

 these, Mr. Putnam was convinced, were only varieties and not 

 species, as he had seen specimens with characters which ren- 

 dered it impossible to consider them as belonging to one 

 variety more than to another. Even as regards the three-toed 

 variety of the South, he had seen two specimens which had 

 three toes on one hind foot and four on the other. 



The following persons w^ere elected Resident Members : — 

 Mr. Gilbert E. Pierce and the Rev. Wan-en H. Cudworth, of 

 East Boston ; Mr. Joshua T. Piatt, of Cambridge ; Messrs. G. 

 F. H. Markoe and Henry D. Dupee, of this city. 



October 19, 1864. 

 The President in the chair. 



Thirty-five members present. 



Capt. N, E. At wood, of Provincetown, addressed the Society 

 upon the habits of some of our salt water fishes. They might 

 be divided, he said, into two classes : those which changed their 

 homes in the different seasons from somewhat deep to shallow 



PEOCKEDING8 B. 8. N. H.— VOL. X. 5 DECEMBER, 1865. 



