207 



taking- liis own bent regarding the specimens to be collected. 

 Several hours were tlms pleasantly occupied, until three 

 o'clock, P. M., when the Company were called to order bv 

 the Vice President, John L. Russell, and the formal meeting 

 duly held. The records of the preceding meeting were read 

 by the Secretary and donations announced. 



To the Librarij — from Chas. A. Putnam, James H. Keith, 

 of Cleveland, Ohio. 



To the Cabinet — from Chas. F. Williams. 



Several letters were read ; of these, one from the Hon. A.. 

 B. Johnson, of Utica, N. Y., accompanying a donation of 

 manuscripts and letters presented to the Institute by the 

 late James Macauley, of Herkimer County, N. Y. Many 

 of these letters were considered very interesting and valua- 

 ble, having been written by several of the most eminent 

 citizens of the State of New York. The series makes a 

 desirable contribution to the Historical Department. Anoth- 

 er from John W. Proctor, Esq., treated of the smut of the 

 Onion and of a maggot, which attacks that vegetable, threat- 

 ening serious injury to the onion crops. He considered 

 that at least half the estimated crop of the present season 

 would be lost. This letter was referred to a Committee 

 consisting of Messrs. S. P. Fowler, Geo. D. Phippen, and 

 Henry F. King, in order that it might make the necessary 

 investigation, and report upon the sul)ject at some subse- 

 quent meeting of the Society. 



Some very pretty fishes taken from a mountain Ijrook in 

 Vermont, and the fresh water lobster (^Astaciis flvviatilis) 

 with some Vermont plants collected by John M. Ives, the 

 present season, were offered by the chair and commented 

 upon. The Chair also exhibited the Linnasa Borealis, a 

 lovely native plant found in abundance in the neighboring- 

 woods on the Essex road, and spoke of its wide northern 

 range throughout Europe and N. America, of its being a 



