183 



flower of the season in which it is found. It reminds one of the early 

 summer flowers. A New England Aster, which grows in little bunch- 

 es as a wild flower, he had cultivated and obtained a composite flower 

 the size of an old fashioned parasol. A branch of Winter-berry, 

 he said, bore the nearest resemblance to. the English holly of any 

 plant that grows in this climate. The above are only examples of 

 the manner in which a large number of specimens were treated. 



Mr. E. S. MORSE, who was one of the party, that visited the "neck" 

 and examined the ancient shell-heaps found there, gave an account of 

 the results of the morning's exploration. Only one shell-heap was dug 

 into. It was composed principally of the common Clam, though a 

 few Oysters, Quahogs, and Mussels, were found scattered in the heap. 

 The Clam-shells were noticed to be much thicker than those found at 

 present on the flats from which these ancient ones were probably col- 

 lected. Bones of the deer, dog, beaver, cod, and of birds, were 

 also found. Those of the deer being the most abundant of the Mam- 

 malian bones. Two pointed implements of bone were also discovered, 

 and one or two fragments of pottery. Mr. Morse alluded to the explo- 

 ration of the shell-heaps on Goose Island in Casco Bay, where quite a 

 similar condition of things existed, and in which the bones of the 

 Great Auk, a bird now extinct, except in extreme northern localities, 

 were found in considerable numbers. In both localities distinct evi- 

 dence of fire-places were shown by the charcoal found in the heaps, 

 showing that the food was probably cooked on the spot.* Mr. Morse 

 then made some entertaining remarks upon the manner in which 

 certain of the lower animals eat, illustrating the process on the 

 blackboard. 



Voted, That the thanks of the Essex Institute are hereby ten- 

 dered to Abram D. Waite, Stephen Baker, Wesley K. Bell, Frederic 

 Wilcomb, N. A. Dickinson, llev. L. Dodge, and others, for their ser- 

 vices and attentions during the day ; to the Selectmen of the town for 

 the use of the Town Hall, and to the Methodist Episcopal Society for 

 the use of their vestry to hold this meeting. 



MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1867. Eegular Meeting. 



Hon. J. G. WATERS in the chair. 



Sir William E. Logan, of Montreal, was elected a Corresponding 

 Member. 



John Henry Silsbee, of Salem ; J. C. Fletcher, Joseph Wassail, of 

 Newburyport ; C. W. Hose, of Marblehead ; John P. Cowles, Abram 

 D. Waite, of Ipswich, were elected Resident Members. 



*For an account of a more extensive exploration of the Shell-heaps in Ipswich, 

 and also of those of other localities, see the article by Prof. Wymau iu the Ameri- 

 can Naturalist, Vol. I. p. 501, Jan. 1868. 



