132 



idolatry of the Indians, of which there is abundant proof, 

 but which has been often overlooked or misstated by writers 

 upon the character of the Indians. 



A. C. Goodell, Esq., and Rev. Mr. Felt, continued a dis- 

 cussion of the paper read by Rev. Mr. Beaman, more par- 

 ticularly in relation to the early pirates that infested these 

 shores, such as Capt. Kidd and John Quelch, and of the 

 thorough manner in which the Earl of Bellamont suppressed 

 this nefarious outlawry. 



After a vote of thanks for the paper which had afforded so 

 much information, the President concluded the discussion 

 of the evening by remarks tending to clear the skirts of 

 Massachusetts from the implication of interest or connivance 

 with the buccaneers. He also alluded to prominent men 

 who first saw the light of day on that barren Cape, if barren 

 it could be considered while so fruitful in the sterling patri- 

 otism of itfc sons. 



Adjourned. 



Monday, March 10, 1862 



Meeting this evening, A. Huntington, President, in the 

 chair. 



Records of preceding meeting read. 



A. E. Verrill, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at 

 Cambridge, being introduced to the meeting, spoke of the 

 structure of corals and of the polyps producing them, and 

 gave a history of our knowledge of them. 



The class of polyps is now divided by naturalists into two 

 principal groups or orders. The first of these orders, called 

 Actinoid Polyps or Zoantharia, may be distinguished by hav- 

 ing a varying number of simple cylindrical tentacles. The 

 number varies from twelve to several hundred, but is almost 



