February 13th, 1886, where the follow- 
ing paragraph may be found included: 
“*There are also little masses of a yel- 
low substance here and there, which I 
take to be a fossil gum or amber.’’ 
These were only about the size of pin 
heads, but the few that were found were 
carefully preserved. 
Again, at our meeting of March 12th, 
1882, Mr. Wm: T. Davis exhibited 
specimens of amber and lignite from 
Kreischerville and a further discovery 
of fossil plants at the original locality 
was noted by me, 
Since our last meeting another de- 
posit of fossil leaves, lignite and amber 
has been uncovered, in the Androyette 
clay pit and alarge amount of material 
has been brought to light. The leaves 
will be subjected to critical study and 
description later on. It is the amber 
to which I wish to call special attention 
tonight. 
It was found associated with frag- 
ments of lignite, charred wood, leaves 
and vegetable debris of all kinds and 
masses of pyrite, in a somewhat len- 
ticular shaped bed of limited extent, 
which, where exposed, showed a maxi- 
mum thickness of about 3 feet and a 
lateral extent of about 18 feet. Only a 
small amount of the matrix was excay- 
ated and subjected to examination, but 
a relatively large amount of amber was 
obtained. Some of this is in the form 
of small drops or ‘‘tears’’, but the bulk 
of it is in irregularly shaped fragments 
or masses, varying in size from a large 
pin’s head toa hickory nut In color 
it varies from opaquegrayish white to 
transparent yellow or red. The best 
specimen is clear yellow and is the 
largest in size. 
Further search would without doubt 
yield further and probably more valu- 
able and interesting results and as 
much time as possible will be devoted 
to it before the weather becomes too 
cold for field work. 
Mr. Wm. T. Davis exhibited speci- 
mens and read the following paper on 
THE RIPENING OF THE FRUIT OF 
CHOKE BERRIES, 
The Purple-fruited Chokeberry, Aronia 
atropurpurea Britton, was originally 
described by Dr. N. L. Britton, on p. 517 
of his ‘‘Manudl wf;the Flora of the 
Go 
bo 
Northern States and Canada,’’ in 1903, 
from specimens found at Arlington, 
Staten Island. The type specimen is 
in the herbarium of the New York 
Botanical Garden. 
In September and later in the Fall, 
bushes of Aronia atropurpurea resemble 
considerably those of Aronia arbutifolia 
(L) Medic., except in the color of the 
fruit, but earlier in the season the dif- 
ferences between the two species is more 
marked. Both species grow together at 
Arlington and Mariners’ Harbor, and 
if the bushes are examined during 
early August it may be found that 
while the berries of afropurpurea have 
already turned purple, those of arduti— 
folia are far from ripe. The berries of 
the last named species do not attain 
their bright red color until the latter 
part of the month. Dr. Britton informs 
me that this difference in the time of 
the ripening of the fruit of these choke- 
berries has lately been obseryed in 
specimens under cultivation in the N. Y. 
Botanical Garden. 
Associated with the above mentioned 
two species is a third form, with black 
fruit, which shrivel earlier in the Fall 
than either the berries of atropurpurea 
or arbutifolia. It is presumably Aroma 
nigva (Wilid.) Britton, from the glab- 
rous pedicels and nearly glabrous 
leaves, but its fruit, though shriveled, 
persists for a long time and cannot be 
said to be ‘‘early deciduous.’’ 
During the first part of November, 
all of the three forms may be identitied 
at Arlington by aid of their mature 
fruit and few remaining leaves. Aronia 
atropurpureahas not been heretofore list- 
ed as an addition to our local flora. 
SPECIMENS KHXHIBITED. 
Mr. Davis exhibited specimens of 
Antennaria neodtoica Greene, as an ad- 
dition to our local flora, and specimens 
A. neglecta Greene and A plantagini- 
folia (L.) Richards, for purposes of 
comparison. 
Mr. Davis also exhibited a large 
piece of vari-colored jasperoid agate, 
tound as a constituent of the Drift, near 
Rossville. 
Dr. Hollick exhibited a large mass 
of silicified coral, weighing about 4 
lbs., from the Yellow Gravel for- 
mation near Matawan, N. J., and com- 
pared it with a similar smaller piece 
troin the Prince’s Bay bluff, shown at 
the previous meeting. 
