1891.] Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 403 
Some years ago Mr. Hollick collected a plant of the New England 
aster (Aster nove-angli@) at West New Brighton, which, instead of 
having the ordinary purple rays, had them rose-colored. This h 
been described by Dr. Gray as var. roseus, but it manifestly falls into 
the rank here alluded to as “forms,” and I should propose to call it 
A. nove-anglie forma roseus Gray. 
Mr. Hollick exhibited specimens of lignite and pyrite from the 
recently opened fire-clay beds at Green Ridge. This clay has been 
mined in this locality to a depth of about thirty feet. It is covered 
by from six to ten feet of drift, and is undoubtedly of Cretaceous age, 
the same as the Kreischerville clays, the two no doubt being continuous. 
About three-fourths of a mile to the eastward, at Fresh Kills, drift clay 
is being mined to as great a depth, but there is as yet no indication of 
the Cretaceous clay being near at hand. Both these localities were 
visited on election day on the occasion of the annual field day with 
the Torrey Botanical Club and Brooklyn Institute, at which time the 
specimens were collected. Mr. Hollick also reported that on the same 
day a new locality was discovered for wintergreen ( Gaultheria procum- 
bens), near Giffords, where there was a large patch full of berries. 
March 14th, 1891.—A paper was read by Mr. Charles W. Leng, 
“Notes on Some Species of Donacia,” as follows : 
It has been my task during the past few months to make a 
revision of the genus Donacia, in the prosecution of which I have, 
with the assistance of my fellow coleopterists, Messrs. Davis and 
Thompson, collected considerable numbers of those species inhabit- 
ing Staten Island. Their specific identity has thus become known 
to me, and certain facts respecting their habits which have not 
been elsewhere definitely recorded seem to be proper matter for these 
proceedings. : 
There are about twenty species inhabiting the United States and 
Canada, of which five only are known to occur here. It is possible, 
however, that additional species may be found by sweeping damp 
meadows with a net in June and July, a method not adopted by us last 
year. 
The genus is quite homogeneous, and the species are indeed so much 
alike that most collections are in some confusion. The body beneath 
is more or less flattened and densely clothed with decumbent hairs, 
; Tous and resembling silk or satin, according to the fancy of the 
describer. These hairs serve as a protection against the moisture to 
which their pond-frequenting habits expose the insects. The color 
i varies from coppery bronze to testaceous, more or less mottled 
