253 



mode of impregnation of the ova of the common Bream 

 {Pomotis auritus Raf.) upon the shores of Fresh Pond. The 

 females are seen swimming in a circle around a hollowing in 

 the sand, from which they move only to dart upon some in- 

 truder, and when joined by the male they swim together in 

 a similar manner side by side, the male occasionally turning 

 half way over so as to move with the flat side of the body 

 in a horizontal position, having the abdomen turned toward 

 the female ; the female at the same time executes a similar 

 movement, though not assuming quite so horizontal a posi- 

 tion, and in this attitude, with their abdomens toward one 

 another, the impregnation is eflected. 



Mr. A. E.Verrill, presented, on behalf of Mr. Geo. H. Emer- 

 son, a paper entitled " Observations on Crystals and Precip- 

 itates in Blowpipe Beads ; " and two by himself, namely : 

 " Synopsis of the Halcyonoid Polyps collected during the 

 years 1853-6, by Wm. Stimpson, Naturalist to the North 

 Pacific Exploring Expedition, commanded by Captains King- 

 gold and Rodgers," and the following : — 



Notice of the Eggs and Young of a Salamander, 

 Desmognathus fusca Baird, from Maine. By A. E. 

 Verrill. 

 The eggs of our Salamanders, except those of Plethodon erytJiro- 

 notuSf whicli were observed last year by Mr. Putnam,* are as yet 

 very little known, as well as their habits during the breeding season, 

 and the development of the young. While on a short excursion to 

 Maine during the present season, I was fortunate enough to find the 

 eggs of Desmognathus fusca Baird (Salamandra quadrimaculata 

 Holb.) near the town of Norway, and after communicating the fact 

 to Mr. S. R. Carter of Paris Hill, he also found more of the eggs 

 under precisely the same circumstances, and at the same time caught 

 a large number of the young of previous years, which are of inter- 

 est for illustrating its mode of growth. This salamander occurs 

 quite commonly in Maine in cold, rapid, rocky brooks and springs, 

 or under stones close to their margins, where it is very damp and 

 cool. The eggs were first found on the 20th of May, in a little brook 

 near Norway village, arid appeared then to be freshly laid. They 

 were attached in a cluster to the lower surface of a flat stone cov- 



* These Proceedings, p. 173. 



