60 



Mr. Marcou stated that he had seen an account, in an English 

 journal, of a living bright red starfish drawn up from a depth of nearly 

 two miles, on a sounding-line, and he argued from this that the 

 generally accepted views as to the depth at which oceanic animals 

 live might require some modifications. 



Professor Agassiz and Dr. Gould doubted tliat this animal had been 

 taken from the depth stated, and suggested that it might have 

 attached itself to the line at a depth much less than this. 



Professor Agassiz made some remarks on the circumscription of 

 animals in the ocean, where valleys are as truly limited as the basins 

 of inland lakes ; on account of the varying pressure species living at 

 great depths could not as a general rule ascend the sides of a valley 

 and enter a contiguous one ; the difference of temperature would 

 also prevent this change. Some fishes and invertebrates have the 

 power of adapting themselves to great changes of ocean pressure ; 

 such fish as have an extensive series of water pores on the lateral 

 line or on the head, like the cod, possess this power to the greatest 

 perfection, enabling them at will to introduce into or eject water from 

 the circulation ; there is also a great difference in this respect in 

 echinoderms. 



Dr. AVhite presented, in the name of Mr. Henry Morse, two speci- 

 mens of the siluroid genus CalUckthys, a fish from Surinam, which is 

 said to climb trees. Professor Agassiz and Dr. Pickering mentioned 

 the genera Periophthalmus^ Anahas, and Gohiesox, which have the 

 property of existing a considerable time out of water, and might 

 ascend the trunks of trees inclining into the water. Dr. Pickering 

 observed that he had found Gobiesox in Peru forty feet above the 

 water on shore, and had seen Periophihalmus hopping about over the 

 mud in the manner of frogs. 



Professor W. B. Rogers presented, in the name of R. B. Forbes, 

 Esq., a magnificent and very large specimen of amethystine quartz 

 crystals, the half of a geode from Salto, Uruguay. The thanks of 

 the Society were voted for this donation. 



Dr. H. A. Warrener of Antioch College was elected a correspond- 

 ing member, and Messrs. Samuel N. Wigglesworth, Arthur Codman, 

 and Dr. Hall Curtis, of Boston ; and Charles W. Folsom, of Cam- 

 bridge, resident members. 



