319 



The specimen of the tunny fish, horse mackerel, albicore, 

 &c., of the fishermen (^Tliynnus^ captured last summer and 

 presented to the Institute, had not yet been indentified with 

 any of the described species, but may be found on examina- 

 tion to be the young of Thynnus secundodorsalis. A great 

 many specimens of the same fish are found essential in de- 

 termining species. To obtain these facilities we must rely 

 on the kindness of those under whose notice they may cas- 

 ually come. Dr. Wheatland appealed therefore to the mem- 

 bers to send in all sorts of specimens of every sort of fish. 

 He remarked that species which appear to be most common, 

 will often be found to vary essentually from those described 

 in works upon the subject. In the collections of the Insti- 

 tute were two specimens of the common pickerel, which 

 differ so much from each other that they might easily be 

 considered as distinct species. But it is difficult to determine 

 always, whether such differences are merely those of sex or of 

 age, or such as would be allowed to constitute a distinct 

 species. To determine such a point with accuracy, it would 

 be necessary to have many specimens. At this juncture, the 

 subject was continued in a colloquial manner, Messrs. John 

 M. Ives, Dr. R. H. Wheatland and John L. Russell partici- 

 pating. The importance of possessing a great many speci- 

 mens in any branch of Natural History, before we could 

 arrive at definite results, was urged by the Chair and con- 

 firmatory of Dr. Wheatland's suggestions. 



The subjects of Natural History which had occupied the 

 evening, had been listened to by David Roberts, Esq., who 

 directed the attention of the members to some articles of 

 antiquity which had been presented to the Historical De- 

 partment. At his suggestion, too, a Committee consisting 

 of D. Roberts, Esq., Ira J. Patch, George D. Phippen, Geo. 

 R. Curwen and John H. Stone, was appointed by the Chair 

 to investigate certain subjects of our own local history, and 

 to furnish treatises upon them. Mr. Jacob Batchelder also 



