47 



Grass of Parnassus. That so singular a name should have been 

 given to a beautiful plant -with large greenish white flowers, 

 not unlike in shape to a butter-cup, and having near the ground 

 one or two thickish ovate or rounded leaves, may not appear so 

 strange when -we recall its classic origin, being identified in the 

 European form with a plant described by Dioscorides, and at- 

 tributed to mount Parnassus, whose SAvampy summit and ele- 

 vated position may be favorable to its presence. The use of 

 the word grass is only in conformity with vegetation ; similar 

 to the expression of scripture in " grass of the field." Some 

 years since this species was growing near Burley's farm in 

 Danvers ; its occurrence in Lynnfield is interesting to our flora. 

 Mr. Chute finds here also Epigsea repens or the May flower of 

 Plymouth woods, Asclepias obtusifolia, Bartonia tenella, Good- 

 yera pubescens, Gymnadenia tridentata, Platanthera flava. 

 PI : ciliaris PI : blephariglottis, Liparis Loeselii. Arethusa 

 bulbosa. Vaccinium oxycoccus, Dianthug armeria, Silene inflata. 

 Stellaria borealis, Polygala verticillata, P. cruciata, Potentilla 

 fruticosa, Eupatorium teucrifolium, Coreopsis trichosperma, 

 Clematis Virginiana. 



Of minerals, the town of Lynnfield cannot be considered as a 

 rich location, yet as worthy of his private cabinet Mr. C. ex-^ 

 hibited specimens of Chlorite, Epidote, Smoky Quartz (crystals) 

 Graphite Granite, Fluor Spar (white and purple) Flesh-colored 

 Felspar, Albite, Iron Pyfites, Crystals of Felspar, Magnetic 

 oxide of Iron, Carbonate of Iron, Magncsite, Serpentine, Man- 

 ganese. 



Mr. C. had found very fine specimens of the shells of Lynn- 

 field, such as very beautiful varieties of A nodon fluviatilis, Unio 

 complanatus, Unio radiatus, Planorbis Campaunlatus, PI : lentus 

 PI. bicarinatus, Physa heterostropha, Limnsea columella, Cyclaa 

 similis, Helix arborea, H. chersina (a single specimen) Succinea 

 ovalis. 



F. W. Putnam, proxjured, in his researches, a lively speci- 

 men of the striped Snake (Tropidonotus sirtalis,) a cultivation 

 of the acquaintance of which, caused some little consternation 

 among the gentler sex ; also some fishes were among his spoils, 

 such as Perca flavesccna, and Catastomus Bostoniensis. 



