163 



the county, citing several examples to show that certain plants are not 

 found in the porphyritic region of which Lynn appears to be the cen- 

 tre, but frequently found outside of that limit both at the north and 

 the west. The question arises whether the underlying rocks have any 

 influence on the vegetation growing in those localities, or whether 

 it is owing to other causes ; such are the facts. Taking up at random 

 the several specimens lying on the table, he remai'ked upon their pecu- 

 liar characteristics, in his usual pleasing manner, which held the close 

 attention of the audience. Before closing, his attention was called 

 to a beautiful specimen in flower of the Yvcca filamentosa, brought 

 to the meeting by Capt. Joseph Hammond, of Salem, from the cel- 

 ebrated nursery of Mr. J. W. Manning, of Reading. This plant is a 

 native of the Southern States, and is sometimes known as the Adam's 

 Needle, and will grow in Northern gardens with slight protection 

 during winter. 



Mr. Geo. D. Phippen, of Salem, spoke on the general subject of 

 botany. He observed that all plants were in some sense wild plants, 

 since those cultivated in one country grew spontaneously in others. 

 More than a century ago many of our wild flowers were carried to Eu- 

 rope, and are now cultivated there with great success. He then spoke 

 of the great changes in the varieties of plants produced by cultiva- 

 tion. 



Mr. Edward S. Morse, of the dredging party, described and deline- 

 ated on a blackboard the shells which the party had brought up in five 

 fathoms of water, as well as the more common moUusks found be- 

 tween high and low-water mark. The habits and structure of the 

 various species on the table were described by Mr. Morse with consid- 

 erable minuteness. 



Mr. Alpheus Hyatt made some remarks on the object of the inves- 

 tigations of naturalists. He spoke of the distribution of shells at dif- 

 ferent depths, in the same manner as certain altitudes upon the land 

 are characterized by their peculiar plants. There was, he observed, 

 comparatively little life in the lowest depths of water, or on the high- 

 est points of land, and the living organisms found at both extremes 

 were generally microscopic. He closed with an interesting account 

 of the anatomy of the common sponge. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam exhibited a live salamander, which had been 

 found by some of the party. This species was often, he said, con- 

 founded with the lizard, from which, however, it widely difi"ered, al- 

 though a casual observer might fancy a resemblance. 



Mr. Putnam also exhibited living specimens of the young "lump- 

 sucker" or " sucking-flsh," and a live specimen of a species of Liparis 

 which had not before been found in the waters of our bay. This speci- 



