LVI. 



belonged to two closely allied families. He stated that the 

 three species under consideration had a wide geographical 

 range, only equalled by one or two other North Amer- 

 ican fishes, being found in almost all the ponds and lakes 

 east of the Rocky mountains and south of the Arctic regions. 

 He also made some brief statements as to the nature and 

 habits of the several kinds of batrachians such as frogs, 

 toads, and salamanders. 



C. M. Tracy, of Lynn, made some explanation of the 

 plants collected by the explorers, particularly of the 

 composite family, which make ten per cent, of the world's 

 vegetation, and were well represented to-day, by a pro- 

 digious thistle, some six feet high. A few moments were 

 spent in considering a variety of plants reputed to cure 

 the bite of snakes and other venomous animals. Some of 

 them, it was stated, probably possessed a degree of virtue, 

 while others would be but idly employed for such a 

 purpose. 



Rev. Joseph Banvard, of Worcester, said that he had 

 seen to-day, fresh evidences of that grand principle of 

 Nature, that all life is nourished by decay. Death and 

 dissolution are everywhere before us. The animal dies, 

 the plant perishes, and both are turned to mould. The rock 

 weathers and disintegrates. Ship Rock itself is crumbling. 

 From the dust of all decaying structures, a new order and 

 generation of things, sentient and otherwise, springs con- 

 stantly up, to fill a place and enjoy a time in the universal 

 history. So in all things. In a sense wholly legitimate, 

 we have lived for years on the blood and bones of our 

 Revolutionary Fathers. To-day we are called to fertilize 

 the soil anew with sacrificial blood, that life and enjoy- 

 ment may arise for future generations. These things are 

 often more literal than we think. When, some time ago, 

 there was opened the grave of good old Roger Williams, 

 the root of an apple tree was found to have travelled to 



