19 



and adduced instances of the destructive nature of species 

 of fungi, which had attacked iiis grapes, by destroying the 

 tissue of the sldn, and leaving an indeUble mark on the 

 surface of the berry, similar to the crack on the fruit of 

 the pear. 



The discussion was continued by the President, by Dr. 

 A. L. Pierson, Mr. James Upton and others. 



B'lr. Russell presented Ilex Opaca^ freshly gathered at 

 Hingham, and recommended its culture as a deserving 

 shrub for ornamental planting. 



Dr. Geo. A. Perkins offered for inspection a live Coati 

 (Nasua fusca) from Para, Brazil. Its singular and inter- 

 esting habits were much admired. 



Biarch 18, _ S52. 

 Evening Meeting. 



Dr. Andrew Nichols exhibited to the meeting Z)r«Ja 

 verna in bud from his original locality, where he had dis- 

 covered it growing many years ago. 



A specimen of the PAysaZia J i;/a«^ica was presented by 

 Dr. Wheatland. This little creature is frequently noticed 

 by our navigators and known to them under the name of 

 the Portuguese man-of-iva?'. The specimen was captured 

 a few weeks ago, on the Atlantic ocean and given to the 

 Institute by Mr. William H. Jelly. The Physalia belongs 

 to the class Acalephce or sea nettles. To the same class 

 belongs the Porpita^ of which specimens, dried upon paper, 

 were shown, and which had been presented to the Institute 

 by Capt. S. Benson, and taken by him from the Indian 

 ocean. 



Mr. Thomas Cole illustrated by his microscope several 

 of the urinary salts, particularly the prisms of the triple 

 phosphates. By polarized light these presented, under the 

 instrument, a beautiful series of colors. 



Dr. A. L. Peirson made some remarks on the subject. 



Dr. A. Nichols made some remarks on the peculiar 

 sienitic formation in South Danvers. He supposes that 

 this intruded rock was of a later date than the sienites 

 and greenstones in its neighborhood, its bowlders for the 



