464 Proctedings of Scientific Societies. (April, 
Kentucky, had fruited; Cephalotaxis fortunii had been proved 
moncecious, and he believed that all conifers were probably so. 
Dr. Leidy described Pyxicola annulata, an infusorian with a chit- 
inous shell, which it can close with a kind of operculum; it lives 
upon plumatella. Professor Heiiprin spoke upon the fossil shells 
of the Claibone beds of Texas. 
Oct. 31.—The Rev. H. C. McCook drew attention to the useof — 
ants as insecticides by Chinese, and stated his belief that as no 
American species lived on trees, the probabilities were against 
their usefulness for a similar purpose. 
Nov. 7.—The following papers were presented: “ Revision of 
Swainson’s genera of fishes,” by Jos. Swain; “ Ants as beneficial 
insecticides,” by the Rev. H. C. McCook, the latter of whom 
advocated the importation of the ant used in China for the pro- 
tection of orange trees. Professor Koenig spoke of the common 
occurrence, in West Philadelphia, of enclosures of biotite m 
muscovite. ; 
Nov. 14.—Mr. Meehan stated that the nest of the wood pewee 
is not held together by any viscid secretion, but by cobwebs. `. 
Nov. 21.—Mr. Wortman declared that the fossil Ursus amphi- 
dens described by Dr. Leidy in 1853, was probably identical with 
the variety of D. ferox now living in the same district, vi2, the 
eastern slope of the Rocky mountains; Dr. Leidy endorsed Mr. 
Wortman’s conclusion. Mr. Townsend called attention to the 
rapidity with which the lost fangs of the rattlesnake were replac H 
and mentioned a case in which they had been extracted an 
re-developed six times. oS f the 
Nov. 28.—Professor Koenig objected to Reinsch’s views © 
microscopic structure of coal. "a 
Dec. 5.—Dr. Horn remarked upon the singular distribution 
the apterous water-beetle Amphizoa, one species 0 which 1 fat 
its California, a second the district northward of that State as s 
as Vancouver’s island, while a third has been found high up 
the mountains of Thibet. Mr. Meehan exhibited a spormi 
Acroclinium rosea, some of the flowers of which were made 
ble by the development of the chaffy scales of the re 
Professor Cope presented a paper upon Uintatherium, 
Seg: e awe 
of 
don and Triisodon, and gave the substance of it ve fishes 
Dec. 12.—Papers upon the identification of the species of 
in Shaw’s ni asioi, by Jos. Swain, and on Er -i 
the Nearctic as a zodlogical region, by Pr ofessor Hei Pr Baul 
presented. Dr. Leidy made some remarks upon ihe for whether 
dz of North America, and said that it was difficult to te bee 
fossilized bones of Equus belonged to the recent species be 
extinct one that so nearly resembled it. Professor Cope this col 
that the coincident existence of man and of the home"? -bearing 
tinent would yet be demonstrated. The California g 
gravels contain the remains of both. The first travelers 
