162 



seashore and through the grounds surrounding the elegant mansions 

 in that beautiful locality. 



A party of about half a dozen of the officers of the Institute left 

 Salem early in the morning in a sail-boat, and, spending the forenoon 

 dredging, landed at the beach in time for the meeting, to which they 

 exhibited many of their trophies of the deep. At one o'clock the vari- 

 ous parties rendezvoused at the village school-house, and partook of 

 refreshments drawn from a multitude of baskets. At two o'clock the 

 whole company gathered in the Second Baptist Church, to hear reports 

 from the several exploring parties, and discuss the subjects of interest 

 which might be introduced. 



The meeting was called to order by 



Vice-president GOODELL. 



The records of the last meeting were read, and donations to the 

 Museum and Library were announced. 



Letters were announced from, J. A. Allen, Denison, Iowa (July 

 25); Rev. E. C. Bolles, Portland, Me. (July 18); R. Damon, Wey- 

 mouth, England (July 17) ; Henry Davis, Decorah, Iowa (July 23) ; 

 Rev. A. B. Kendig, Davenport, Iowa (July 23) ; Dr. G. B. Loring, Sa- 

 lem (July 29) ; T. T. Richards, St. Louis, Mo. (July 18, 31) ; W. H. 

 Roberts, New York (July 17); Prof. D. S. Sheldon, Davenport, Iowa 

 (July 26) ; Rev. J. L. Sibley, Libr. Harvard University (July 30) ; 

 Prof. A. E. Verrill, Yale College (July 19) ; Hon. A. D. White, Glou- 

 cester (July 31) ; W. H. Whitmore, Boston (July 31) ; Rev. G. D. 

 Wildes, Salem (July 31) ; Charles Wright, Wethersfield, Ct. (July 30). 



The Secretary read the following extract from a letter from Pro- 

 fessor Agassiz, who had stated that he should attend the meeting if 

 possible, but who was unavoidably prevented from being present : 



" Should I not make my appearance you may tell them, as my con- 

 tribution for the meeting, that Raja erinacea Mitchill, not seen by any 

 naturalist since it was first described, is quite common in our bay. It 

 is no doubt generally overlooked owing to its small size. I begin to 

 receive specimens, frequently, since I have been inquiring into the 

 growth of our Skates, and requested the fishermen to bring me the 

 smallest that they could catch. I got the first specimen from Capt. 

 Atwood. Another interesting fact concerning the natural history of 

 the Skates, which I have recently ascertained, is the frequency of sterile 

 males and females among them, the appearance of which is so differ- 

 ent from the normal specimens, that, in several instances, they have 

 been described as distinct species. The most prominent differences 

 exist in the claspers of the males. The internal sexual organs retain 

 their embryonic condition through life, even in the largest specimens, 

 which may equal the size of the largest fertile individuals. The char- 

 acteristic spines of the males, upon the upper surface of pectoral fins, 

 are either wanting or greatly reduced in number in the sterile males." 



Mr. C. M. Tracy, of Lynn, who accompanied the party which visited 

 the Beverly Commons, spoke of the peculiar flora of this section of 



