14 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



proportionate length. These frequently present a striking resemblance 

 to a turtle, and are known by the name of that animal. 



g. Oblong embankments, with arms or wings extended on either side. 

 These vary from simple crosses to figures of birds and men, the head 

 being usually omitted. 



h. Representations of animals of more definite outlines and better 

 proportions: among these are bears, foxes, otters, &c, and upon the 

 Wisconsin river, buffaloes. It is proved by numerous excavations that 

 the works which resemble animals are destitute of relics ; they are 

 mere relievos or embossments on the surface of the earth, seldom ex- 

 ceeding four feet in height, and in some cases but a few inches. Mr. 

 Lapham disclaims all intention of indulging a disposition to theorize or 

 speculate on the origin or design of these remams, and declares his ob- 

 ject to be merely the faithful performance of the office of surveyor, to 

 study the facts, and to report them in as much detail as may be neces- 

 sary, leaving to others the deductions which, in connexion with other 

 information, may be drawn from them. In the opinion of the commis- 

 sion appointed by the society to examine the memoir, " Mr. Lapham 

 has accomplished his task with great thoroughness and artistic skill ; he 

 seems to have explored the entire field, to have industriously delineated 

 every object of interest, and to have omitted no detail of drawing or 

 description which could conduce to a clear understanding of the matter 

 of which he treats." The publication of this memoir, which will be 

 alike creditable to the author, the Antiquarian Society, and this Institu- 

 tion, will furnish an interesting addition to the antiquities of this country, 

 which cannot fail to be hailed with pleasure by the ethnologist. 



5. Two botanical papers, furnished by Dr. John Torrey, of the New 

 York Medical College, have been published during the past year. The 

 first describes a new plant, to which the author has given the name of 

 Darlingtonia Californica. It is a new pitcher-plant, which was first de- 

 tected by Mr. W. D. Brackenridge, assistant botanist in the United 

 States Exploring Expedition under Captain Wilkes. It has hitherto 

 been found only near the Shasta mountain, on the Upper Sacramento. 

 The specimens brought home by Mr. Brackenridge were without flowers 

 or seed-vessels, so that the genus of the plant could not be determined, 

 but it was taken for a new Sarracencia. After many years, the flowers 

 were discovered by Dr. G. W. Hulse, and brought to Dr. Torrey, who 

 has shown that the plant is an entirely new genus of the same small 

 but very interesting natural order to which the Sarracencia belongs. 

 He has bestowed upon it the name of Darlingtonia, in honor of Dr. 

 William Darlington, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, author of several 

 valuable botanical works. The genus formerly dedicated to this veteran 

 botanist by De Candolle having been reduced to an older one, Dr. 

 Torrey embraced the opportunity of restoring the name, and connect- 

 ing it with one of the most remarkable plants of North America. 



6. The second memoir by Dr. Torrey is an account of a new mari- 

 time shrubby plant, called " Batis Maritima," which grows on the 

 shores of Key West, Jamaica, Cuba, and the neighboring parts of the 

 continent. It has been known to botanists for more than one hundred 

 and fifty years, yet, strange to say, it has not till now been correctly 

 described, nor its place in the natural system determined with any cer- 



