186 



December 17, 1862. 



The President in the chair. 



Mr. A. Agassiz gave an account of the changes in size of 

 the yolk in the eggs of starfishes before segmentation com- 

 mences. 



Dr. J. Wyman stated that since the last meeting he had been able, 

 through the kindness of Prof. Agassiz, to examine another specimen 

 of Python Sebse, and had found a single individual each of the male 

 and female Pentastoma in the lungs. 



He also stated that soon after a recent snow-storm, while the ground 

 was entirely covered, he had made some microscopic examinations of 

 the dust of the outer air, collected on plates of glass covered with 

 glycerine. In addition to particles of mineral dust, probably that of 

 coal ashes and of soot, he had detected spores of cryptogams, starch 

 granules and pollen. Fragments of coniferous and other woods were 

 also found. The objects most unexpected at this season of the year 

 were the grains of pollen. It was suggested whether these might not 

 have been derived from the trees, where they may have been lodged 

 in the crevices of the bark, or other irregularities of the surface, and 

 from time to time detached by the wind. 



The Librarian called attention to the very valuable series 

 of works upon Fungi recently purchased from the Library of 

 Mr. C. J. Sprague. 



The following persons were elected Resident Members: — 

 Messrs. T. B. Wales, N. C. Munson, N. A. Thompson, S. P. 

 Ruggles, Samuel Johnson, Jr., Joshua Stetson, John Simmons, 

 Nathaniel Cummings, C. Berkley Johnson, Charles C. Little, 

 Augustus Flagg, N. B. Gibbs, J. D. Ba^es, E. Dale, Benjamin 

 S. Rotch, J. C. Cooper, Amos A. Lawrence. 



DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM. 



Nov. 5. Cast of the Megatherium in the British Museum, by Joshua 

 Bates, Esq. A small box of Insects from Beaufort, N. C. ; nest of a Ptlopcsus ; 

 specimens of fossil coral; shell-conglomerate from Newbern, N. C. ; a shell of 

 Glyptemys insculpta from Littleton, Mass., by Dr. S. Kneeland; a specimen of 

 Aluterus from the coast of North Carolina, by Dr. J Curtis. 



Dec. 3. Didelplds from South America, by Dr. C. F. Winslow; Anobium in 

 safflower from Brazil, by Mr. Chas. A. Andrews. 



Dec. 17. Portions of the skeleton of a Porpoise from the coast of North Car- 

 olina, by Dr. S. Kneeland. 



