71 



and a bilaterally syiiimctrical t)'pe, which may be purely physi- 

 ological due to a twisting of leaves or stems or to the develop- 

 ment of dimorphism in the leaves. Many interesting features 

 were brought out with the aid of blackboard drawings. 



Professor Underwood spoke of the number of new species 

 brought to light by recent exploration and comparative study of 

 material from the American tropics. The Lycopods, which in 

 our latitude are inconspicuous and comparatively infrequent, in 

 the tropics occasionally become weeds of large size and great 

 beauty, growing especially in high altitudes ; in fact most of the 

 more interesting tropical Pteridophyta are found above the 5,000- 

 foot level. Many specimens were exhibited, some of which 

 admirably contrasted the old and the new methods of collecting 

 herbarium material. 



After considerable discussion, adjournment followed. 



Edward W. Bekrv, 



Sec re I dry. 

 Tuesday, March 14, 1905 



The meeting was held at the American Museum of Natural 

 History, President Rusby in the chair and twenty-five additional 

 members present. 



The Field Committee presented a formal report for 1904, which 

 was received and filed. 



Miss Helen L. Palliser, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was elected an 

 active member. 



The first paper on the scientific program was by Dr. N. L. 

 Britton, and was entitled " A Botanical Cruise in the Bahamas." 



The speaker had just returned from several weeks' exploration 

 in the Bahamas and gave a general account of the trip. 



The numerous islands — there are over 2,700 islands, keys, 

 and projecting rocks — are all of the same general type in that 

 they consist of coral limestone. The group is so scattered, ex- 

 tending for more than four degrees of latitude and somewhat 

 farther from east to west, that there is considerable variation in 

 temperature and rainfall. 



A remarkable feature of the islands is the abundant and almost 

 impenetrable thickets growing directly out of the rock ; in fact, 



