PROCEEDINGS OF THE Boston Society of Natural History. VOL. III. 1848 TO 1851. CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY, BY BOLLES AND HOUGHTON. 1851. PATRONS OF THE SOCIETY. John R. Adan. J. M. Forbes. P. T. Jackson. P. T. Jackson, Jr. John Welles. Thomas Wigglesworth. John D. Williams. J. H. Wolcott. NOTE. By the Constitution of the Society any person contributing to its funds a sum not less than fifty dollars, becomes a Patron. PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. 1 JAN. 1848. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. TAKEN FROM THE SOCIETY'S RECORDS. January 5, 1848. The President in the Chair. THE Society met for the first time in their new Hall, in Mason Street. A large number of members was present. The President congratulated the members on the agreeable circumstances under which the first meeting of the new year was held. He remarked, that the Society had struggled long under the difficulties imposed by narrow means and limited accommodations, yet it had in past years proved itself active and energetic, and had labored well, and contributed its share towards the advancement of Natural History. He hoped it would go on with renewed zeal and vigor for the future, and, under more favorable circumstances and increased means of usefulness, would not permit the achievements of its maturity to contrast unfavorably with those of its youth. Dr. Storer corrected the record of the last meeting. His statement that the Carcharias obscurus was the only Shark of our waters with serrated teeth arose, not from any doubt that the teeth of C. ceruleus were serrated, but from a doubt whether that species was an inhabitant of our waters. He has not known of any individual of that species having been |