liv 



hardy, and the pistillate trees were really beautiful, without mate- 

 rial odor, and were more elegant in growth than the staminate 

 trees. It was very free from insects, only two species, viz. : a 

 brown worm, the larva of a pretty little moth, described and fig- 

 ured in his first annual report as CEta compta, and the imported 

 Japanese silk-worm {Attacus cynthta). He attributed the failure 

 of tree growth in the city of St. Louis, in a great measure, to 

 insect depredation, severe heat, drouth, smoke and gas. 



Dr. Engelmann observed that while the Black Locusts all died, 

 the White Elm, Silver-leaf Maple, and Sycamore, seemed to 

 thrive well. 



Dr. Curtman had noticed that the Osage Orange did well, and 

 was not affected by insects, and he thought it deserved more atten- 

 tion than it had received. 



Dr. Engelmann gave an abstract of his observations on the 

 freezing of the Mississippi River at St. Louis ; it had been frozen 

 over 13 times in 40 years, and four times two years in succession. 

 In the winter of 1845-6 it closed on the same day as this year, and 

 this was the earliest date. It had been closed, during his obser- 

 vation, six times in December, five times in January, and twice in 

 February. Longest time closed, about one month. 



Mr. William Lucas was elected an associate member. 



yanuary 4, 1872. 



Dr. L. C. BoiSLiNiERK, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Twenty members present. 



The Corresponding Secretary submitted circulars from the 

 American Museum of Natural History of New York, from the 

 President of Harvard College, and from the University of Stras- 

 bourg, in relation to exchanges, publications, and specimens. 



On motion of Dr. Briggs, the Secretary was instructed to send 

 a full set of the Transactions to the University of Strasbourg. 



On motion of Albert Todd, Esq., the following resolution was 

 adopted : 



" Whereas^ It is reported that the Managers of the St. Louis 

 Public School Library offer to bind the unbound books of the 

 Society without expense to it ; 



