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Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



Donations were received during the month as follows: 

 From Natural History Society, Toronto, Label List of Insects of 

 Canada; from Jos. F. James, Constitution of the Mechanics' Institute 

 of San Francisco; from S. A. Forbes, Normal, 111,, Report on the Nox- 

 ious and Beneficial Insects of Illinois, 1882; from Department of Agri- 

 culture, Illinois, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh 

 Annual Reports of State Entomologist; from Smithsonian Institution, 

 Proceedings of U. S. National Museum, Nos. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20; from 

 J. A. Lintner, Albany, N. Y., 1st Annual Report on Insects of New 

 York, 1882; from Chief Signal Service Officer, Weather Review, Octo- 

 ber, 1883; from Hugo Mulertt, The Gold-fish, and Model of Carp Pond; 

 from U. S. Fish Commission, Bulletin Nos. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32; 

 Society Nat. Sciences, Mexico, La Naturaleza. Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 

 Vol. 6, Nos. 1 to 19; from S. W. Ely, Specimen of Fungus, Polyporus 

 applanatus. 

 Adjourned. 



Tuesday, February 5., 1884. 



SCIENTIFIC MEETING. 



President Hunt in the chair. Twelve members present. 



Mr. W. H. Knight read a paper on " The Motions of the Fixed Stars, 

 and the Number of Dark Stars," with some calculations of the chances 

 of collisions among the stellar bodies. 



Dr. W. A. Dun exhibited a collection of relics of the Swiss lake 

 dwellers, and read a paper describing their houses. The 

 houses of the modern Swiss are often built over the water, to econo- 

 mize ground. The ancient lake dwellers probably built in the water 

 not so much for the advantages of defense against enemies as for 

 convenience in landing from their boats, the low shores and shallow 

 waters making a landing difficult from boats. 



Prof. Jos. F. James gave an account of some observations on a plant 

 oi the common Caladium. A growing and expanded leaf was cut from 

 a healthy plant, and almost immediately a jet of water was expelled 

 with some force from the apex of the unfolding leaf. The movement 

 of the fluid continued with a rhythmical movement of 180 pulsations 

 per minute, decreasing to 90 per minute, during several hours. 



Dr. Dun thought that the phenomenon came under that known as 

 the rhythmical movement of protoplasm, and suggested that the mat- 

 ter be referred to Dr. Burdon Sanderson, of London, whose studies in 

 that direction have been exciting attention. 



Mr. I. H. Harris, of Waynesville, Ohio, was proposed for, and Mr. 

 Harvey Tilden elected to, membership. 



The President said that he had by request appointed a committee, 

 consisting of M. D. Burke, L. M. Hosea, L. S. Cotton, Davis L. James 

 and Dr. R. M. Byrnes to represent the Society on the General Com- 

 mittee of Arrangements for the reception of the American Institute 

 ot Mining Engineers, which holds a meetings in the city, beginning 

 February 19. 



