Boston Society of Natural History. 391 



Dr. H. had recently found a Silene growing on earth thrown out from 

 a newly dug drain, and had since observed it on the corn-fields, near by. 

 It proves to be Silene noctiflora, Sowerby. It flowers in the evening, and 

 Mr. Sowerby says the same flowers open for several successive evenings 

 until they are impregnated. Do H. nds this to be not true. Eaton says 

 the teeth of the calyx tube are equal ; but they were alternately longer and 

 shorter. This plant may be considered as naturalized among us. 



Beck pronounces the Lathyrus maritimus, Bigelow, to be Pisum mari- 

 timuin ; but Dr. H. is confident that Dr. Bigelow is correct. 



Mr. A. A. Hayes, presented a specimen of native nitrate of soda from 

 Tamarugal in Peru. It contains sulphate of soda, chloride of sodium, lo- 

 date of soda, and chloriodide of sodium. In presenting this specimen 

 with its analysis, Mr. Hayes makes the first public announcement of the 

 discovery of Todate of soda, as a new chemical species. 



Mr. C. B. Adams, enumerated the minerals in the collections from Cal- 

 ifornia by Mr. Kelly, and from Nova Scotia by Rev. Mr. Prior, and made 

 various remarks respecting them, to designate their peculiarities and value. 



August 15, 1838. — Dr. T. W. Harris, in the chair. 



Dr. Jeffries Wyman, exhibited a fcetal kitten contained in its mem- 

 branes, showing the peculiar manner in which the placenta encircles the 

 foetus like a zone. Also the uterus of a mouse, showing its bead-like ap- 

 pearance when impregnated. Also the egg of the snapping turtle near 

 the close of incubation, showing the passage of the umbilical vessels 

 through a hole in the sternum. These are finally cut off and the aperture 

 closed by a peculiar muscle. 



Mr. T. M. Brewer, remarked further on the goldfinch alluded to at a 

 preceding meeting; — that on 22d July he again observed the bird at its 

 nest, where there were four eggs. This was three weeks earlier than 

 usual, and the cow-bunting leaves us three weeks earlier still. 



Mr. E. Tuckerman, Jr., presented some plants not yet catalogued, as 

 belonging to this country, they were Cladonia vcrmicularis, Cdraria ni- 

 valis, and a Parmdia, all from the White Mountains. 



Dr. T. W. Harris read a paper entitled " Remarks on the N. Ameri- 

 can insects belonging to the genus Cyvhrus of Fabricius, with descrip- 

 tions of some newly detected species." He proceeded to show that the ge- 

 nus Scapkinotus, Dejean, is established on very insufficient characters. 

 Those of SphcBrodf.rus are somewhat better. The same also with Mr. 

 Newman's genus Irichroa. He concludes that the insects placed in Cy- 

 chrus, Sphoerode.rus, Irichroa and Sraphiiiotus, are more closely related 

 to each than to any other genus, and can constitute merely subgenera. 



The following are the new species : 



Cvi'MRus Andrewsh. Black; thorax deep greenish blue, heart-shap- 

 ed, narrowed behind, and slightly margined at the sides; elytra deep blue, 



