180 Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 



Dr. Taylor would not venture to separate irom Dior anum Dillenii, and 

 yet its densely aggregated and shorter stems, its shining lustre and 

 its less patent leaves, would demand the greatest attention, and 

 would indicate it as at least a very remarkable variety ; but when 

 we consider its leaves shorter, wider in the lower half, and their 

 points more canaliculate, with their nerve serrated at the back, it 

 must be confessed its claims to be separated are very strong. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



This Society held its last meeting for the season on Thursday, 

 July 1843. President, Dr. Neill, in the Chair. 

 The following papers were then read : — 



1. " On the genera Gomphonema and Meridion," by Mr. John 

 Ralfs, Penzance*. 



2. ** On four new species of British JungermannicB '*," by Thomas 

 Taylor, M.D., Dunkerron. 



3. *• On a species of Fungus found imbedded in Peat, near Stir- 

 ling." Communicated by Mr. Peter Mackenzie, West Plean. 



The attention of botanists has recently been directed to the im- 

 portance of studying the vegetable remains imbedded in peat-mosses, 

 as calculated to throw light on the early vegetation of the country, 

 and the successive changes it has undergone. For this object, com- 

 munications like that from Mr. Mackenzie are much to be desired. 



A letter was also read from Dr. Joseph Dickson, St. Helier's, Jer- 

 sey, mentioning some interesting additions to the flora of that island 

 which he had lately discovered, and remarking, that he felt con- 

 vinced it contains many other species still unknown to botanists. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



October 11, 1842.— R. H. Solly, Esq., in the Chair. 



A paper, " On the Blood- corpuscles of some of the Struthionidce' 

 by George Gulliver, Esq., was read. 



I had lately an opportunity of examining the blood of a young 

 Ostrich, killed by accident in the Society's menagerie. The follow- 

 ing measurements of the corpuscles are expressed in vulgar fractions 

 of an English inch : — The average length of the discs = 1-1649 inch, 

 average breadth of the discs = 1-3000 inch, thickness of the discs 

 = 1-9166 inch : dimensions of the nuclei, exposed by dilute acetic 

 acid — length = 1-3200 inch, breadth = 1-9166 inch, diameter of 

 the pale globules of the blood = 1-3329 inch. 



I have given several measurements of the blood-discs of the Emu 

 and of the Rhea in the * Appendix to Gerber's Anatomy,' p. 77, from 

 which the following averages are taken : — 



Emu (Dromaius Nova-Hollandice, Vieill.). 

 Length. Breadth. 



1-1690 1-3031 



* These papers will be subsequently given at full length in this Journal. 



