6 Bulletin of Wisconsin Natural History Society. Vol. 1, No. 1. 
this language were described in detail. Among these are the ex- 
ceedingly long words, ten or more syllables in length, the large 
proportion of . verbs, comprising about nine-tenths of all the 
words in the language, the lack of any distinction for sex, and the 
great regularity of its grammar, there being only two irregular 
verbs in it. 
The Dakotah tongue was also considered, and the statement 
made that the origin of all Indian languages was wrapt in com- 
plete mystery. 
yiv. Paul H. Dcrnehl then read a paper relating his observa- 
tions on the recent migrations of the milkweed butterfly {A)iosia 
pJcxippus. ) The main flight appears to have taken place on the 
night of Sept. 6th, as on the evening of that day the trees at Lake 
Park were weighted down by immense numbers of the insects,, 
while on the following morning but few were to be seen. 
In discussing this paper. ^Ir. Chas. E. Brown mentioned flights 
of this butterfly that had been reported from Pewaukee. \\'is., and 
from Chicago, and also as having been seen crossing an arm of 
Lake ^Michigan near the ]^lichigan shore. 
Mr. E. Bruncken read a paper entitled. "Some Remarkable 
Trees in the \'icinity of Milwaukee." The largest tree in this 
locality was stated to be a soft maple twenty-one feet, eleven inches 
in circunfference, growing on the west bank of the Menomonee 
River near the Soldiers" Home grounds. This was also, as far as 
he could discover, the largest soft maple on record. 
E. E. Teller informed the society of the finding of an almost 
complete jaw of the fossil fish Dinichthys pustulosus. at the cement 
quarry, by Chas. E. Monroe. 
The resignation of Chas. H. Doerflinger as director of the 
ethnolog}- section was reluctantly accepted, and L. C. Whitney 
elected to succeed him. 
A report from the treasurer. Mr. F. ]\Ieinicke. showed that 
there were $189.63 in the treasury. 
Messrs. Geo. A. West. Otto Habhegger and Richard Raasch 
v. ere elected to membership in the society. 
Thursday, October. 12. 1899. 
This was a joint meeting of the Botany and Ornitholog}' sec- 
tions, held for the purpose of deciding upon a program for the 
winter's work. Chas. E. Brown occupied the chair. 
The object of the meeting was quite thoroughly discussed by 
those present, and it was the general opinion that, in addition to 
the special lines of research in which individual members were in- 
terested, considerable attention should be given to our local flora 
and avifauna. 
