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History (May 13) ; New York Mercantile Lib. Assoc. (June 20) ; Dr. 

 J. R. Nichols, Haverhill (June 6, 24, 28) ; Gen. Albert Ordway, Kich- 

 mond, Va. (June G) ; S. P. Pinel, Salem (June 20) ; Saint Louis Acad- 

 emy of Science (May 25) ; Smithsonian Institution (June 5, 7) ; F. 

 Snyder, Le Claire, Iowa (May 28) ; Frank Stratton, Natick (June 15) ; 

 Prof. S. Tenney, Vassar Female College, N. Y. (June 2) ; Prof. A. E. 

 Verrill, Yale College (May 26, June 9, 18) ; Judge J. G. Waters, Sa- 

 lem (May 8) ; J. K. Wiggin, Boston (June 12) ; Dr. B. G. Wilder, Cam- 

 bridge (June 25) ; Prof. H. C. Wood, Philadelphia, Pa. (June 21). 



Donations to the Museum and Library were announced. 



Mr. C. W. Felt, of Salem, presented a copy of his book on the " com- 

 bined letter system," explaining briefly the objects of the same. 



Dr. James R. Nichols, of Haverhill, after some complimentary allu- 

 sions to the visit of the Institute to Haverhill, spoke of the donation 

 of Mr. Peabody and the cooperation of the trustees of that gift with 

 the Essex Institute, for the advancement of science and useful know- 

 ledge in this county. He then referred with high commendation to 

 the enthusiastic and successful efforts to this end of the several young 

 men who are connected with the Institute. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam, of Salem, in response to a call, spoke of the 

 plant lice found on the leaves of the currant and the rose, and also of 

 the habits and development of the red-backed salamander, specimens 

 of which he exhibited to the meeting. 



Dr. Nichols mentioned in this connection that a chemical combina- 

 tion, carbolic acid, was antagonistic to animal life, and a dilution of 

 one half of one per cent, of this acid in water would destroy the red 

 spider and other insects on plants. Carbolate of lime, sprinkled about 

 on squash vines, would free them from insects. 



Mr. Edward S. Morse, of Salem, drew a very fine comparison of 

 the studies of the naturalist residing near the sea with those of one in 

 the interior, and alluded to the families of animals found in those re- 

 spective localities, all of which were worthy of study. He then illus- 

 trated the anatomy of the unio, or fresh-water clam, and compared 

 it with the common clam of our shores. 



Rev. Dr. Seeley. of Haverhill, gave some account of the " coquina," 

 or shell formation of Florida, which had come under his observation, 

 and then spoke of the probable effects of the work of the Institute in 

 developing the latent genius of the people, and awakening a zeal for 

 further researches into the strange realities of nature. 



Mr. Alpheus Hyatt, of Salem, asked the question, Where do the 

 rocks come from, vhich compose our stone-walls? The answer to 

 this question takes as to the glacier formations as observed in the 

 Alps. He then remarked that a similar process had been undergone 

 in the valley of the Merrimac, as noticed by him during a visit to the 



