'1881.] Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 263 
Flora of Middlesex county. Published by the Middlesex Insti- 
— Professor E. T. Cox, formerly director of the Geological 
Survey of Indiana, is engaged in examinations of the antimony 
mines in Sonora. 
— Dr. C. Parona, of Pavia, has recently published an essay on 
the Acinetz in general, and described a new Italian form. 
— The triennial meeting of the American Institute of Mining 
Engineers was held in Philadelphia, Feb. 15, 1881. 
4 8 5 
PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
Boston Society oF Natura-History, Jan. 19.—The meeting 
was devoted to archeological topics. Dr. C. C. Abbott, of Tren- 
ton, N. J., discussed the evidences of palzolithic man in the val- 
ley of the Delaware. Professor Henry W. Haynes compared the 
argillite implements found by Mr. Abbott with those of the pale- 
olithic age in Europe. The Rev. G. Fred. Wright considered 
the age of the Delaware gravels. Remarks on these subjects 
were made by Mr. F. W. Putnam and others. 
Feb. 2.—Mr. William Trelease spoke of the fertilization of 
Salvia splendens by birds. Mr. F. C. Bowditch remarked on the 
economy of the beehive. Mr. F. W. Putnam exhibited an Indian 
relic from the peat ; and Mr. Lucien Carr spoke of the raising of 
corn by the Indians east of the Mississippi. 
Troy Screntiric Association, Jan. 17, 1881—Mr. Wm. E. 
ean read a paper on the intellectual development of the United 
tates. 
New York Acapemy oF Sciences, Jan. 3.—Mr. Thomas Bland 
read a paper on the relations of the flora and fauna of Santa 
Cruz, West Indies. 
Jan. 10.—Dr. George M. Beard lectured on trance, or so-called 
hypnotism or somnambulism, its nature symptoms and varieties, 
with especial reference to mesmeric trance. His experiments 
were conducted on a class of human objects that have been under 
Dr. Beard’s training, and with especial reference to the errors of 
Prominent European observers. 
. Appacacuian Mountain Cuus, Jan. 12.—President Cross de- 
livered the annual address on the subject of barometric measure- 
ment of heights; and Professor J. R. Edmands read a paper on 
schemes for Appalachian maps. ) 
Mipptesex Insrirure, Jan. §—Frank S. Collins read a paper 
on “ Darwinism.” Twelve new names were added to the list of 
members. The first publication of Ze /ustitute was issued in the 
form of a catalogue of the plants of Malden, Medford and vicin- 
ity, with blank pages for notes preparatory to the final compilation 
of a complete catalogue of the counties’ flora. 
