300 



subscribing to this work, in order to aid in defraying the 

 expenses incident thereto. 



Several new members being balloted received the requisite 

 number of votes and were elected. 



It being found that the school-room was too small to ac- 

 commodate the company, by the suggestion of the local 

 committee of arrangements and through their aid, it was 

 unanimously moved and carried that the remainder of the 

 afternoon session be held in the grove, to which the party 

 adjourned. 



On re-asscm])ling, the Chair called upon Mr. C. M. Tracy, 

 to offer some remarks upon the flowers and plants, which he 

 had found in his excursion to-day. His observations upon 

 several species were listened to with great interest and atten- 

 tion. He exhibited several species of Gerardia, the Clema- 

 tis, Cusciita, Clethra, Lobelia, &c., &g. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam made some excellent remarks upon the 

 geographical distribution of fishes, specifying several districts 

 to which the species were limited and are not found widely 

 distributed, forming as it were islands, so circumscribed 

 were the habitats of some particular species : and that ex- 

 cept in one or two instances perhaps, the fishes of the Amer- 

 ican coast were not identical with those of the European. 

 He also alluded to the so-called " w^ater system of fishes and 

 showed the way in which this was carried out in several 

 genera. He instanced the genus HoplostethnSy Cuv. belong- 

 ing to the family of Berycidce as having a system of canals 

 leading over the head to the sinus of the heart, developed to 

 a very great extent. The so-called lateral line in fishes be- 

 longs to this water system. He gave the different views 

 entertained by several anatomists, and concluded by saying 

 that, as yet, very little was known in regard to this water 

 system. 



