270 



ingly curious, and compared them with those iu force at the 

 present day. 



Dr. Hough remarked in regard to many curious records 

 which he had met with in his researches in several counties 

 in the state. 



Mr. Minor exhibited his dissections of the mud-fish, and 

 pointed out its relations to the reptiles. In his opinion it 

 furnished the connecting link between the fishes and reptiles. 



Mr. Murray read a paper upon the head-dress of men in 

 all ages. He gave an historical account of the various 

 modifications through which the hat had. passed from the 

 earliest times to the present. He illustrated his paper by 

 sketches of the head-dress in its various stages. 



Dr. Hough exhibited to the Institute a copper hatchet, 

 evidently of Indian workmanship, found on the shores of 

 Lake Ontario. 



Mr. Redfield mentioned a curious instance of unnatural 

 affection, which had come under his personal observation, 

 between a cat and a brood of chickens. The chickens had 

 lost their mother, and when he first noticed the strange 

 connection between them, they were sitting under the cat 

 at night as they had been accustomed to do under their 

 mother. During the day the cat showed them constant at- 

 tention, going round with them, and apparently solicitous 

 for their safety. The cat was not a domestic cat, but so 

 wild that he never had been able to catch her. 



Dr. Hough added some other instances of like character 

 which had fallen under his observation, when the Institute 

 adjourned. 



April 12, 1859. 



The preident, Hon. J. Y. L. Pruyn, occupied the chair. 



Mr. Pruyn presented to the Institute an Indian hammer, 

 found in the neighborhood of Lake Superior copper mines, 

 and which bore marks of having been used in breaking up 

 the ore. It consisted of a small green stone boulder, weigh- 

 ing about 15 or 20 pounds, and has a groove cut entirely 



