1887.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 281 



the male plants are more abundant, and come more readily to hand. 



C^^^ Of eleven he had out in a swamp to bear seed, before being 

 ' '^^^ aware of its bi-sexual character, only three are berry- 

 bearing, and have the capitate stigma that characterizes 

 the female flowers. On his lawn there is a large plant, 

 isolated from others, with capitate stigmas, that has 



Fig 2. never borne a seed. He had an impression that he had 

 seen single specimens in cultivation, in years gone by, with seed, 

 so it is not improbable, under rare exceptions, a plant may have 

 actually perfect flowers. 



An interesting fiict is that the usual description of "anthers, 

 sometimes 3 or 4" is correct only as applicable to the male plant; 

 this increase in the normal number is there frequent. He had not 

 been able to find more than two in the female. 



Although the white flowers are consi)icous, and the males have a 

 delicate fragrance, he had not known them to be visited by bees or 

 other insect, except the minute pollen eating thrips found, in most 

 flowers. 



This may be from the abundance of other flowers on his 

 grounds, at the time wlien these plants are in blossom. Industrious 

 as bees are, they visit those flowers first that have nectar and pollen 

 in profusion, in prefei*ence to gleaning in scant fields, taking to 

 these only when abundant crops are scarce. The pollen is granulous, 

 and fertilization is evidently effected through the wind. The 

 flowers are therefore anemophilous. 



June 28. 



Mr. Charles Roberts, in the chair. 



Fourteen persons present. 



A paper entitled "On the Structure and Classification of the 

 Mesozoic Mammalia," by Henry F. Osborn, was presented for 

 publication, 



Mr. Theo. Wernwag, was elected a member. 



The following was ordered to be printed : 



19 



