329 



Horticultural Society, a discussion arose upon a question of pe- 

 titioning the Legislature to repeal the law concerning the destruc- 

 tion of robins and other birds, the injury to fruit being so extensive 

 ft-om their abundance in the neighborhood of Boston. He hoped 

 the present law, preventing the destruction of birds, would remain 

 in force, as the benefit derived from them, in the consumption of 

 insects injui'ious to vegetation, far surpasses the value of the fruit 

 lost. 



Mr. T. T. Bouve remarked that, in Hingham and its neighbor- 

 hood, he had noticed that the robins' nests are invaded by crows 

 and about half of the young destroyed. The crow exhibits con- 

 siderable instinct in selecting a proper time for the depredation. 



Rev. Theodore Parker inquired if it had been noticed that the 

 crow mates in families of three, generally one male and two 

 females, an arrangement by which the duties of obtaining food 

 and watching its young are better performed than by pairs. This 

 he had observed, but could find"" no notice of it in works on Or- 

 nithology. 



The President stated that he had known a Hornet's Nest, built 

 under the portico of a house in Roxbury, to be occupied three 

 successive years, — a fact contrary to what is commonly sup- 

 posed. 



The Corresponding Secretary read the following letters 

 recently received, viz : — 



From Russell Loring, Esq., and Dr. J. B. Toldervy, in acknowl- 

 edgment of their election as Members ; the Elliott Society of 

 Natural History, Charleston, S. C. ; Royal Society of Edinburgh, 

 December 1, 1856 ; the Naturhistorischer Verein at Bonn, April 

 20, 1857 ; the Societe des Sciences Naturelles de Neuchatel, May 

 7, 1857 ; acknowledging the receipt of the Society's publications ; 

 the Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein, Hamburg, Oct. 4, 1856; the 

 Naturhistorischer Verein, Boim, April 20, 1857 ; Verein fiir 

 Naturkunde, Stuttgart, May 24, 1857, presenting their various 

 publications ; from D. Washburn, Esq., Corresponding Secretary 

 of the Pottsville Scientific Association, presenting a copy of a 

 work entitled " Studies in Organic Morphology." 



