parasitic habits make it, to us very remarkable, though it is 

 far from useful, one species injuring the flax-fields in 

 Europe. 



Mr. WILLIAM R. PEANE. of Brookline made some re- 

 marks pertinent to the occasion, in which he praised the 

 custom ol ladies joining in scientific and historical excursions 

 like the present, and expressed delight with this pursuit of 

 the knowledge of nature, where 



"Some pensive creep along the shelly shore, 

 Unfold the silken texture of a flov.vr : 

 With sharpened eyes inspect a hornet's stin.fr, 

 And all the wonder of an insect's win\ 

 Others trace, with curious' search, the hidden CHUM- 

 Of nature's changes, and her various laws : 

 Untwist her beauteous web, disrobe her churms, . 

 And hunt her to her elemental forms' 5 



Mr. HORATIO GATES JONES, of Philadelphia, after a few 

 general remarks, alluded to some of the botanists of Penn- 

 sylvania, among whom were Dr. William Darlington of West 

 Chester, recently deceased, author of several works on bota- 

 ny, and William Bartram, of Philadelphia, who may be con- 

 sidered one of the pioneers of American botany. He then 

 alluded to some investigations that had lately been made by 

 him in the early history and statistics of paper-making, al- 

 luding to the Rittenhouse Paper Mill in Philadelphia, which 

 is presumed to be the first of its kind established in this coun- 

 try.. It was built in 1690. He alluded to the fact that the 

 fibre of the poplar, after being converted by chemical means 

 into a pulp, is largely used in the manufacture of paper. 



Rev. Dr. J. C. STOCKBRIDGE, of Chelsea, made some pleas- 

 ant remarks of a general character. 



A lobster just in the process of casting off its shell was 

 placed upon the table, and Mr. EBEN BLATCHPORD of Rock- 

 port, made some interesting remarks descriptive of this inter- 

 esting feature in this class of animals. 



