974.401 ^' Es7es V. 27-28 , 1425147 GENEALOGY COLLECTION ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01 1266 BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. VOLUME XXVII. 189^. SALEM, MASS. PRINTED BY THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 1897. O^- ) ^ 11251/17 CONTENTS The Retrospect of the year, 1 The Lumbar Curve in Some American Races, by George A. DORSEY, 53 The Flora of Colonial Days, by Miss Mary T. Saunders, 74 Pre-historic Relics from Beverly, by John Robinson, , . 89 Botanical Notes, by William P. Alcott, 92 On a New Genus and Two New Species of Macrurous Crustacea, by J. S. KiNGSLEY, 95 The Nasal Organs of Pipa Americana, by Irving Rked Baj^croft, 101 Supplementary Report on the Mineralogy and Geology of Essex County, by John H. Sears, 109 Sandstone Dikes accompanying the Great Fault of Ute Pass, Colorado, by W. 0. Crosby, 113 (ill) BULLETIN ESSEX IlsrSTITTJTE Vol. 27. Salkm : January,—June, 1895. Nos. 1-6. ANNUAL MKETING. MAY 21, 1895. TuK annual meeting was held in Pluninier Hall, this evening, at 7.4.5 o'clock. President Edmund 15. AVillson, in the chair. The reports of the Secretary, Treasuier and Auditor, Secretary of tlu^ Women's T^ocal History class, T^ihrarian, Committee on Publications and Library, were read, ac- cepted and ordered to be placed on file. The report of the Connnittee on Nominations was j>re- sented by Mr. (reo. H. Allen, and it was ]^ofed, to proceed to the election of officers by ballot, and the Society voted that the Secretary be authorized to cast one ballot for the whole list of names that had been nominated. This was done and the following persons were declared to be unanimously elected : (1) : : THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. PRESIDENT : EDMUND B. WILLSON. VICE-PilESIDENTS Abner C. Goodkll, Jk. Edward S. Morse. Danikx B. Hagau. Robert S. Rantoul. SECRETARY : TREASURER : Henry M. Brooks. AVilliam 0. Chapman. AUDITOR LIBRARIAN : Henry M. Batchelder. Charlks S. Osgood. COUNCIL : William H. Govk. George D. Phippen. Thomas F. Hunt. David Pingree. Francis H. Lee. Frederic W. Putnam. Richard C. Manning. George M. Whipple. 8. Endicott Peabody. Alden P. White. Report of the Secretary, May 20, 1895. It will perhaps he remembered that last year 1 spoke to you on the great lack of interest, by people in general, in society or corporation reports. This year I have a few words to say on another suliject. Annual meetings, to a large majority of people, are a horef Some may think this is rather a strong expression. I 8upi)ose it is, but it is the way such meetings are gen- erally regarded and spoken of. Bank officers have to " scratch round " and get a sufficient number of proxies to elect themselves, and so do the officers of many other corporations. I am telling you nothing new, for this is well known. But, some will say, how is it with those societies, where they soinefi)nes have /)/// meetings? My answer to this is, that steps have to be taken to enliven the meeting with something besides the regular business. There must be — THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 6 speeches, literary exercises or iiutsic, or there would he but a slim attendance even at those meetings. When the time comes round to i)rei)are for out' annual meeting, I always feel as Ailemas AVard said he felt when he was surrounded by the Indians. He wished he had happened to be somewhere else, just at that time ; or, like General Butler, when he was out of favor with the Com- mander-in-chief, ordered to report at Lowell. Of course, when I come to the meeting, I like to see a good attendance of handsome, well dressed [)eople, of both sexes—like those here to-night—but I have no words of censure for those members who do not care to come, for I might myself, under certain circumstances, stay away. One very rainy Sunday afternoon, many years ago, the worthy old sexton of the North church was pacing the broad aisle, when the minister. Dr. Brazer, arrived. They were the onl}' persons in the house. The Doctor said "It doesn't look, Mr. Sexton, as if there would be many here this afternoon." "No, sir," answered the sexton, with his usual rapid and pointed speech, "and you and I. sir. wouldn't be here if we weren't })aid for it.'" But in sjnte of what I have had to say on this subject, it is, I suppose, incumbent on the Secretary to sacrifice his own feelings and present for your consideration some statistics, thought to be applical)le to the occasion. The year just closed has been one of ccmiparative i)ros- perity to the society. We have not, it is true, any of those large legacies to mention, wliich we are always anx- iously looking for. But wc nuist continue to work with patience, and have faith that there is a good time coming, some day or other, when we shall have the means to en- large our buikling, in order to properly display all our constantly increasing donations. —: 4 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. At the last annual meetino- the fact was referred to, that efforts were making to increase our membership, which was then reported as numbering 391. I have now the pleasure of stating that we have more than doubled the number. To he exact, we have at this time 806 members, and eight have 1)ecome life members. The life members are Calel> Davis Bradlee, Augustus Hemenway, Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., Edward Wiggles- worth, of Boston, James J. Higginson, of New York, Horace Fletcher, of New Orleans, Geo. Peabody Wet- more, of Newport, R. I., C. W. Galloupe, of Swampscott. This is certainly a good showing and proves that the method adopted by the Secretary is a good one, whatever any chronic fault-finders may have to say to the contrary, I mean if we have any such characters about. I hope we haven't. We must continue this work until we have obtained at least 1,000 members, then we can take a short vacation. The question has been asked how many members we have outside of Salem. About 300, in 65 different cities and towns throughout tlio country, and one member in Birmingham, England. The following members have died during the year Lincoln F. Brigham, Caleb Foote, John W. Masury, of New York, Daniel Needham, of Groton, Fitz W. Per- kins, George W. Pousland, of Boston, Thomas E. Proc- tor, of Boston, Henry Saltonstall, of Boston, A. A. Scott, of Saugus, Leverett Saltonstall, of Newton, Joseph W. Lefavour, of Beverly, Matthew A. Stickney, Dr. George A. Perkins; and of Honorary Members, Robert C. Win- throp, of Boston, Prof. James D. Dana, of New Haven, Oliver Wendell Holmes, of Boston, E. Rockwood Hoar, of Concord. The free course of lectures the past season in Phinnner TFIE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. Hall was apparently (juite satisfactory to the audiences, which were aenerally nmch larger than in previous years. The lectures have been hy Prof. T. C. Mendcnhall, of Worcester, Richard Ilodgdon of Boston, Dr. George A. Dorsey, of Cambridge, Howard Walker, of Boston, (la- nialiel Bradford, of Boston, Goorgo S. Hale, of Boston, Gharles Carleton Coffin, of Boston, Rev. Dr. Pulhnan, of Lynn, Miss Lucia T. Ames, of Boston. There have been twenty-three regular meetings of the Society held this year ; a larger num])er, I think, than has ever l)een held in any year previous. The evening meet- ings in the Library room have been well attended. Papers have been read by the following ])crsons : Herl)ert E. Valentine, of Somervillc, Jolni Rol)inson, Prof. E. 8. Morse, John H. Sears, Hon. R. vS. Rantoul, Frank Cous- ins, Mrs. H. W. Edwards, Mrs. E. A. Kilham, of Bev- erly, Miss Helen D. Lander for Miss Lucy Perry, Mrs. R. C. Manning, Miss Mary S. Cleveland, Miss Abljy L. Read, Miss Irene Weir, of Boston, and three i^ajjers by the Secretary. These papers were discussed by various members of the Society. There is a great interest taken in these meet- ings, which is very encouraging to those who planned them. The only drawl)ack seems to be that some of our members, who would gladly take i)art, have engagements elsewhere on Monday evenings. But it might be the same if we had the meetings upon any other evening. Our regular meetings, in accordance with the by-laws, occ ur on the first and third Monday in every month. They have been held this season in tiie evening, from the first Monday in December until the first Monday in May. Dur- ing the summer months they are usually held on Monday mornings, for business only, and notice is given in the newspai)('i-s of the city on Frid;iy and Saturday previous. I mention this here because members sometimes say they b THE EETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. do not know Avhen we have our meetings, or they would be present. At the last annual meeting it was stated that some of the women connected with the Society proposed to form a class for the study of local history. Such a class was begun earl}^ in June last, and has continued during the year. Miss Helen D. Lander, the Secretary, will read to the meeting a most excellent report of the doings of that very successful class. With regard to this matter, 1 have only to say that, in my judgment, this is the most impor- tant movement made in the Institute for years.