The following papers and discussions have been circulated to 

 some extent in the form of slips reprinted from the reports made 

 by the Secretary of the Society in the Boston Transcript. As here 

 presented, the papers are printed in full, and the discussions are 

 not only much fuller than in the weekly reports, but, where it 

 appeared necessary, have been carefulh' revised b}' the speakers. 



The Committee on Publication and Discussion take this oppor- 

 tunity to repeat what they have before stated, that the Society 

 is not to be held responsible for the certainty of the statements, 

 the correctness of the opinions, or the accuracy of the nomemcla- 

 ture in the papers and discussions now or heretofore published, all 

 of which must rest on the credit or judgment of the respective 

 writers or speakers, the Society undertaking only to present these 

 papers and discussions, or the substance of them, correctly. 



O. B. Had WEN, '\ Committee on 



William H. Hunt, V Puhlication and 



Fran'cis H. Appletox, J Discussion. 



