166 Transactions of the Society. 



such as cherries and apples ; nor those with parachutes, such as 

 Dandelions and John (io-to-bed-at-noon. Of course it must be 

 admitted that very small seeds, even if they existed in the fossil 

 state, would easily be overlooked. On the other hand, they gene- 

 rally occur in very specialised and no doubt comparatively recent 

 groups, such as Orchids ; or in those of a parasitic character, which 

 also may be regarded as a comparatively late habit. 



Seeds and fruits with, hooks are evidently adapted for dispersal 

 by sticking to hairs or fur. They would be almost useless in 

 the absence of Mammalia, which were not in existence in Pre- 

 carboniferous, Carboniferous, and even the earlier Secondary strata. 

 They are not suited to the scaly covering of Eeptilia. 



Fleshy fruits again are specially adapted to birds, which also 

 only commenced in the later Secondary times. 



The cases in which seeds are wafted by parachutes again are 

 generally those of highly specialised families. The Composites 

 Onagracete, etc., are families dependent on highly organised insects, 

 such as Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera, which also made 

 their appearance only in the later Secondary strata. 



It only remains for me in conclusion once more to thank the 

 Society for the honour they have conferred on me in electing me to 

 the Presidency. I must particularly thank the Council for their 

 courtesy and support. Above all I am grateful to the Treasurer 

 and Secretaries, and especially to Dr. Hebb, for their valuable 

 assistance. 



I congratulate the Society on having secured Sir E. Ray 

 Lankester as my successor. He is, I need not say, one of the most 

 distinguished naturalists not only of Britain, but in the whole 

 world; and under his able leadership I sincerely trust that the 

 Society will be as useful and as prosperous in the future as it has 

 been in the past. 



