CCl 



January is on the average the driest month of the year. I have observed 

 only one January (that of '55) when the quantity of rain was larger than 

 this year, viz., 4.66 inches; in four other years ('49, '62, '63 and '66) it rose 

 to over 4 inches ; those of '49 and '62 were much colder than the average ; 

 those of '55 and '66 were slightly and that of '63 considerably above the 

 mean temperature. In '63 a February and March of nearly average tem- 

 perature followed. In the other four cases, February was from three to 

 five degrees below the average, and in some of those March also. 



The Corresponding Secretary remarked that he had received 

 from the Hon. T. J. C. Fagg, of Louisiana, Pike Co., Mo., for 

 exhibition to the Academy, a remarkable fragment of limestone 

 from the rocks near that place, enclosing what appears to be a 

 fossil of some kind. The fossil has the appearance of a piece of 

 bone or wood 9 inches long, from 1 1^ to li inches wide, J to i of 

 an inch thick in the middle part, gradually thinning to rounded 

 edges, is slightly convex on one side and concave on the other, 

 and tapers gradually towards the smaller end. Both surfaces 

 show a longitudinally striated structure. One end is hollow to 

 the depth of half an inch. The fossil exactly fits the cast of it 

 in the block of limestone. According to Prof. Swallow, the rocks 

 belong to the Oolitic Onondagua limestone (overlaid by three feet 

 of impure arenaceous limestone) of the Devonian period. 



The fossil was referred to Dr. Engelmann for examination un- 

 der the microscope. 



Mr. Holmes further remarked that Mr. Senoner. of Vienna, in 

 a recent letter to him, observed that many did not believe that 

 fly-catching plants derive any material nourishment from the 

 bodies of the dead insects, and that Mr. Riley seemed to be of 

 the same opinion. He refers also to some late researches of Mr. 

 Batolin, of St. Petersburgh, published in the Gartenflora of Sep- 

 tember, 1875, as contradicting that idea. 



Mr. Riley disclaimed the idea here imputed to him, remarking 

 that Mr. Darwin, in his work on " Insectivorous Plants," demon- 

 strates that Drosera and Dioncea^ and some other plants, do actually 

 digest the nitrogenous matters, absorb and appropriate them. It 

 was not yet demonstrated that the Sarracenias possess the requi- 

 site glands for directly appropriating animal food, and Mr. Riley 

 had simply remarked of 5". variolaris, that, apparently, the only 

 benefit it receives from the captured insects is from the liquid 

 manure resulting from their putrescent bodies, and passing per- 



