Garman.] 92 [June 24, 



a fragment of sphagnum was seen in the deposit. I found, however, 

 one fragment of a water plant, possibly a rush, an inch long, every 

 cell of which was as distinct as though growing but yesterday. Pieces 

 of woody tissue and of bark of herbaceous plants, spiral vessels, etc., 

 were abundant. Carapaces of Entomostraca were present, but no 

 trace of coniferous plants could be detected. It hence appears that 

 the animal ate his last meal from the tender mosses and boughs of 

 flowering plants growing on the banks of the streams and margins of 

 the swamps, rather than fed on submerged plants ; and it is probable, 

 moreover, that the pines and cedars, and their allies, formed no part 

 of the mastodon's diet. 



Mr. Stodder also showed some botanical slides prepared by 

 Dr. Hunt, all of which were presented to the collection. 



The following papers were presented : — 



Description of a New Species of North American Ser- 

 pent. By S. W. Garman. 



Genus HELICOPS Wagler. 



Generic Characters. Plates of the top of the head 8, 9 ; rostral 

 not higher than wide; nasals grooved; form of loral varying in differ- 

 ent species, sometimes absent; preoculars 1, sometimes 2; postocu- 

 lars 2, sometimes 3; temporals 4-1 2 ; upper labials 8, sometimes 9; 

 lower 9-11; scales carinate, in 19-25 rows; anal divided; subcaudals 

 in two rows. 



Teeth smooth, the posterior two of the upper jaw longer, and sep- 

 arated from the others. 



Helicops Alleni. 



Specific Characters. Body subcylindrical, retaining its size in the 

 middle and tapering abruptly near the extremities ; head not larger 

 than the neck; nasal plates single, in contact between prefrontal and 

 rostral; one prefrontal; loral and anteorbital present; three post- 

 orbitals, not in contact with the temporals ; two or more rows of 

 carinate scales on the tail ; color in longitudinal bands. 



Description. Body of moderate size, subcylindrical, tapering in 

 the anterior and posterior fifths ; head subcorneal, depressed, continu- 

 ous with the body ; eyes medium, circular, distant from the end of 



