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MEETING, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1877. 



MEETING this evening. The PRESIDENT in the chair. 

 Records read. Correspondence and donations announced. 



Mr. E. W. Jacobs, of Peabody, was elected a resident 

 member. 



The PRESIDENT called upon Prof. E. S. MORSE, who 

 gave, in a familiar manner, a brief account of his recent 

 visit to Japan. He left for Japan on the 19th of last 

 May, and returned on Friday, the 30th of November. 

 The main object of this visit was to study the Brachio- 

 pods, which are found plentifully in Japanese waters. In 

 addition thereto he noticed many of the inside views of 

 Japanese life, from that of the peasant, in the little fishing 

 town, to the highest educated people in the empire. On 

 arrival at Tokio, formerly Yeddo, he was urged to become 

 a professor in the university, and a most liberal offer was ac- 

 cepted. The Government gave extended aid in establish- 

 ing a zoological station fct the mouth of the Bay of Yeddo, 

 and, excellent work was done in dredging. Six weeks 

 were thus spent, two Japanese assistants engaging in the 

 researches. He found ample materials and his studies in 

 this direction had been most interesting. He also made 

 careful observations of the Lingula and exhibited some 

 living specimens which he had brought from Japan. 



He spoke of the shell-heaps which he examined, and 

 said that the discoveries there will attract attention. He 

 found one or two parts of a human jaw, a few stone im- 

 plements, and a large quantity of pottery. Some fine 

 photographs of the specimens found were exhibited. 



He presented to the cabinet some one hundred and 

 thirty or more specimens of the paper of Japan, iuclud- 



KSSEX INST. BULLETIN. IX 13 



