44 



pared to give an account of their doings. Many gentlemen from Haverhill, 

 Boston, and other places were on the ground, who would, if opportunity had 

 permitted, have furnished much useful and valuable information in regard to 

 the civil and natural history of this section of the county. 



The attentions of Dr. Nichols continued to the moment of departure, 

 and to him the members of the Institute are under especial obligations for 

 the pleasures and comforts of the day. 



To Hon. Alfred Kittredge, James Gale, Esq., formerly of Salem, and 

 many other citizens of Haverhill, thanks are due for kind attentions and 

 agreeable hospitality. 



The party returned by way of North Andover, Middleton, &c., at 5..30 

 P. M., greatly delighted with their days experience, and the meeting was ad- 

 journed to Friday noon at the rooms of the Institute. 



The following letter i-eceived from Mr. John Bartlett, the well known 

 and reliable collector of North American Naiades, is inserted here as being 

 most appropriate in connection with this meeting, especially as Mr. Bartlett 

 was present at the meeting, and would have been called upon for remarks if 

 the rain had not caused so speedy an adjournment. It is to be hoped that 

 similar lists and remarks, as these furnished by Mr. Bartlett, will be received 

 from all parts of the county. — Editor. ^^ 



Haverhill, July 2d, 1866. 

 F. W. Pctnam; 



Dear Sir: I advised you by mail that you might 

 look out for a box of shells from me, for the Institute. I now forward it ; 

 but of course, from this quarter, you will not expect rare and beautiful speci- 

 mens ; the contents of the box will merely show you wliat exists in the wa- 

 ters of this neighborhood^ and I send just what I could find, not the best 

 ppecimop^ however, for these now se^ were all dead shells when picked up, 

 brought out by the musk-rats. ■ No others could be found without dredging, 

 and I was not prepared for that. 



We have three ponds within one mile from the Town Hall, and not 

 more than a quarter of a mile from each other. The largest is "Kenoza 

 Lake," covering, it is said, three hundred acres ; sandy bottom, with small 

 stones and pebbles. The next in size is " Round Pond," fed by springs, a 

 beautiful pond which supplies tlie toWn with water, and said to contain 

 eighty acres ; sandy and pebbly bottom. The smallest of 'the three is 

 " Plug Pond," said to contain seventy acres ; the eastern part is deep, sandy 

 and stony ; the western end shallow and muddy. Besides the above, in the 

 West Parish, about four miles from the Town Hall, is another pond called 

 " Creek Pond." I have not examined this thoroughly, but a short time 

 since I traversed the N. E. side; not many shells were found; I collected, I 

 suppose, a fall assortment of such specimens as the pond affoi'ds. Creek 

 Pond is rather shallow, and, where I examined, much grass on the bottom 

 was found. In all the ponds I found the Unio comp/unatus Solander, perhaps 

 forty times more numerous than all other species put together. A few Unio 

 nidiatm Barnes are found. The Unio nasntag Say is very rare ; I never 

 picked up a half dozen specimens here in my life. I am able, however, to 

 send you one young shell, quite perfect, and a few odd valves; this shell 

 (nasutus ) is not found in Plug Pond, but in all the others. Anodons are found 



