NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 153 



October G. 

 The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 

 Twentj^-nine members present. 



Wheat and Chess. Mr. Thomas Meehan introdnccd a subject 

 which he said had never before, to his knowledge, been brought 

 directly' to the attention of a scientific bod3' the popular belief 

 that wheat will turn to chess. The scientific world niitrht well be 

 pardoned for deriding such an idea, for if so distinct a genus as 

 Triticum can be found to produce a Bromu.-i, the most exaggerated 

 notion of the "leaping" power of nature must be enlarged in con- 

 sidering theories of evolution. Yet he might sa}'^ he had seen 

 many popular impressions, derided b^' men of science, prove true. 

 When a boy his agricultural friends insisted that the same toad 

 which would deposit its eggs in water when convenient, would 

 bring forth its young alive when deprived of the water privilege. 

 He had proved the fact b}' keeping toads in breeding condition in 

 confinement, and counting the toadlets when certainly not more 

 than a few da_ys old. The idea was once derided by intelligent 

 men, but he believed most zoologists now admit that the common 

 toad is oviparous or viviparous according to circumstances. In 

 like manner in his youth lie saw five young snakes, one after 

 another, enter the mouth of the parent when alarmed. 'J'his was 

 a universal belief of countrj'- people ; yet only last year, on over- 

 whelming evidence before the American Association, was it 

 admitted as scientific truth. Again, during the past year we had 

 seen how a popular belief in regard to an apparent elongation of 

 tree trunks had proved to be true, though the popular reasoning 

 was wrong. We now know that trees may sometimes be lifted 

 from year to ^-ear Iw the gradual thickening of roots growing 

 over a rocky base, so that a side branch, which in a young tree 

 is opposite to a mark, may, in time, be as much as a foot above 

 it, as popular observation contends it sometimes will. With these 

 things in mind he had held himself open to give even some trouble 

 to get reputed facts with reference to tliis question of chess. He 

 now exhil)ited one of several specimens sent him by Mr. Levette 

 of the Indiana Geological Survey, and proceeded to point out 

 that there could be no mistake about the branch from the wheat 

 ear being Bromus secalinus.^ the common chess, so far as the palea 

 and glumes were concerned. In the flowers he had dissected he 

 found no perfect grain to compare with wheat. In instances pre- 

 viously' recorded there seems never to have been an}^ dispute about 

 the appearance from the wheat head being the real Bromus. But 

 it had been contended that in these cases an examination had 

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