LXXX1V 



field, but had never been able to secure a specimen be- 

 fore. The only notice of this snake having been found 

 in New England is by Dr. Storer who states, in his 

 " Report on the Reptiles of Massachusetts," that a single 

 specimen was collected by Professor Adams in Amherst, 

 Massachusetts. Several authors having doubted the iden- 

 tification of Storer's specimen, the present one from Mr. 

 Allen places the species beyond doubt in the Massachu- 

 setts fauna. Several specimens of Heterodon platyrhinos 

 Latr. (Hog-nosed Snake, or Blowing Viper) were also in 

 the collection received from Mr. Allen. 



Mr. Putnam made some remarks upon the nest of a 

 mouse found in a barberry bush, near Swampscott, and 

 presented by Edward J. Porter. 



A. C. Groodell Jr. mentioned that the course of Lectures 

 on Insects, their habits and structure, by F. W. Putnam, 

 would be delivered under the auspices of the Institute as 

 soon as the necessary number of tickets were subscribed 

 for. 



Donations to the museum and library were announced. 



W. P. Martin, W. R. Cloutman and E. S. Attwood, of 

 Salem, were duly elected Resident Members. 



MONDAY, DECEMBER 24. Evening meeting. 



The President in the chair. 

 Letters were read from: 



Messrs. Silliman & Dana, of New Haven, Conn.; T. A. Cheney, of Havana, 

 N. Y., relating to an exchange of publications : Asst. Surgeon A. S. Packard, 

 jr., 1st Maine Infantry ; Alpheus Hyatt, jr., of Cambridge; James G.Ar- 

 nold, Librarian, Worcester Nat. Hist. Soc., in relation to the publications : 

 Edwin Harrison, of Irondale, Mo.; Albert G. Browne, Treasury Department, 

 Beaufort, S. C., relating to the transmission of specimens; G. F. Matthew, of 

 St John, N. B.; G. W. Tryon, jr., of Philadelphia, relating to the Natural- 

 ists' Directory : Prof. L. Agassiz, Director of Museum, Comp. Zoology; W. Bar- 

 ry, Sect'y Chicago Historical Society, acknowledging the receipt of publica- 

 tions: Rev. E. C Bolles, of Portland, Me.; W. A. Nason, of Chicago, 111.; W. 



