210 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1879. 



ago, showing that the plant known in gardens as Thuja ericoides 

 \v:is but a form of arbor vitse that had carried its juvenescent con- 

 dition through life, instead of changing its character for the " adult" 

 condition after its first three months of existence, as arbor vitaes 

 generally do. Out of a large number of trees of this form that 

 had been growing on his grounds for fifteen years, one had as- 

 sumed the normal adult condition. Since he had first recorded 

 his observations, most of the leading botanists had come to regard 

 these plants as he did, and there seemed no need of further evi- 

 dence ; but this changed plant had now produced fruit for the first 

 time, specimens of which he exhibited. It w T as exactly Thuja oc- 

 cidentalis. These juvenescent forms after fifteen years' growth had 

 shown only this single disposition to assume the final or adult con- 

 dition or to flower. He also exhibited a similar juvenescent form 

 known as Betinospora squarrosa, one plant of which out of some 

 hundreds had developed to Betinospora obtusa. In the case of the 

 arbor vitse the change from the juvenescent to the adult form was 

 gradual ; in Betinospora it was by a single leap. Each condi- 

 tion had its separate color, and separate chemical principles, the 

 latter point having been called to Meehan's observation by Dr. 

 Sterry Hunt j but this was characteristic of all such morphologi- 

 cal changes. There was a difference in the rind of orange and in 

 its pulp, in the flesh of the peach and in its kernel, though all 

 were morphologically the same. It was, however, worth remem- 

 bering that with morphological changes there was often change 

 in cell structure, as well as in sensible properties. Mr. Meehan 

 further called attention to the almost identical characters of the 

 two juvenescent forms exhibited while in the adult they were so 

 widely divided for there were in all Coniferre probably no two 

 genera better marked in the characters derived from their fructifi- 

 cation than Betinospora and Thuja. 



Russell S. Hill was elected a member. 



November 4. 



The President, Dr. Rusohenberger, in the chair. 



Thirty-four persons present. 



A paper entitled "On. the Pacific Species of Caulolatilus," by 

 W. N. Lockington, was presented for publication. 



The following were ordered to be printed: 



