86 



was called to order at 2 1-2 o'clock. Rev. John L. Russell, 

 Vice-President, in the chair. 



Previous to the reading of the records, the Secretary, H. 

 Wheatland, read a report, detailing in brief the history and 

 progress of the Essex Institute — and also an account of the 

 origin of these Field Meetings, the first of -which was held at 

 North Danvers, in June, 1849, when the interesting localities 

 of the Vaccinium vitis idsea, in that place, and of the Andro- 

 meda polifolia near Cedar Pond, in Wenham, were visited. 

 The programme of this meeting was taken from the perusal of 

 an account of the Berwickshire Naturalist Club in Scotland, 

 which Avas composed of gentlemen who were interested in nat- 

 ural history, and were anxious to aid each other in their pur- 

 suits, and to diffuse a taste for natural science among others. 

 This club met four times a year, the members coming together 

 early in the morning, spending the forenoon in excursions, and 

 meeting again at dinner, after which any papers which might 

 be laid before them were read and discussed. "With some mod- 

 ifications, meetings similar to these had been held by the Insti- 

 tute some two or three years, until death had thinned its ranks 

 of some of its most distinguished members, when they were dis- 

 continued. Among the departed Avere Dr. Andrew Nichols, of 

 Danvers, a fine naturalist, to whom allusion was made at a pre- 

 vious meeting, and Mr. Thomas Cole, of Salem, for upwards of 

 thirty years a celebrated instructor of youth in the higher stu- 

 dies, and who, in the later years of his life, became quite dis- 

 tinguished in microscopic researches. He died suddenly in 

 June, 1852. The meetings have been resumed by request of 

 many enthusiastic young men who have recently become mem- 

 bers of the Society. 



In rambling through these woods to-day, the report "contin- 

 ed, we are forcibly reminded of two persons who had for many 

 years been adopted citizens of neighboring towns, and who have 

 long since been numbered among the dead. They were both dis- 

 tinguished as botanists, and contributed much, in their respec- 

 tive spheres, to advance that science and to make us better ac- 

 quainted with our native Flora — referring to Rev. Dr. Cut- 

 ler and William Oakes — the former a minister in that part of 



