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special interest was the new iron bridge connecting the 

 town with Haverhill. The new academy building, which 

 was the rendezvous of the day, is also deserving of hon- 

 orable mention. It was recently built, (mainly through 

 the efforts of Dr. Spofford), on the site of the former 

 building destroyed by fire a few years since. At the 

 meeting Dr. Spofford gave a very interesting sketch of 

 the history of the academy ; Prof. E. S. Morse spoke on 

 the "Frog Spittle" Ptyelus lineatus, and described the 

 habits of this curious insect ; James H. Emerton men- 

 tioned several cases of protective colors and habits in 

 spiders which he had seen during the morning walk ; 

 Messrs. Abner J. Phipps, agent of the State Board of 

 Education, D. B. Hagar of the State Normal School, 

 Salem, S. C. Beane, E. C. Bolies, LeRoy F. Griffin and 

 others, made interesting remarks. 



The third, at Annisquam, on Thursday, Aug. 8, 1872. 

 The pleasant summer's day so congenial and appropriate 

 for a visit to the seashore induced many to accompany 

 the Institute on this excursion to the rock-bound coast of 

 Cape Ann. In the afternoon F. W. Putnam spoke of the 

 shell heaps which he had visited ; also gave an account of 

 the development of the skate's egg, the cases which con- 

 tained the embryo being frequently found cast upon the 

 beaches ; Rev. W. E. Coffin of Orange, formerly a pas- 

 tor of this church, and J. J. Babson, gave interesting 

 historical sketches of this parish ; remarks were made by 

 Messrs. A. W. Dodge, L. J. Livermore, James Davis, 

 C. E. Barnes, Addison Davis, and others. 



Evening meetings have been held at the rooms, usu- 

 ally on the first and third Monday evenings of each month 

 except on those in June, July, August and September. At 

 these meetings many valuable communications have been 



