72 Botanical Society of Edinburgh : — 



cal being, as a rule, subsequeut in the order of development to the 

 symmetrical. 



The speaker then concluded by observing: that a careful considera- 

 tion of the facts of Palaeontology seemed to lead to these results : — 



1. That there is no real parallel between the successive forms 

 assumed in the development of the life of the individual at present, 

 and those which have appeared at different epochs in the past ; and 



2. That the particular argument supposed to be deduced from 

 the heterocercality of the ancient fishes is based on an error, the evi- 

 dence from this source, if worth anything, tending in the opposite 

 direction. 



At the same time, while freely criticising what he considered to be 

 a fallacious doctrine, Mr. Huxley expressly disclaimed the slightest 

 intention of desiring to depreciate the brilliant services which its 

 original propounder had rendered to science. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



April 12, 1855. — Professor Balfour, President, in the Chair. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. "On Placentation," by John Cleland, Esq. See 'Annals,* 

 vol. XV. p. 336 ► 



2. " Notes on the Flora of the neighbourhood of Castle Taylor, in 

 the county of Galway," by A. G. More, Esq., of Trinity College, 

 Cambridge. 



The author enters into a detailed account of the indigenous flora 

 of that part of Ireland, contrasting it vdth that of other parts of the 

 United Kingdom. The district is rendered interesting from its form- 

 ing part of the singular limestone-country of the West of Ireland, the 

 surface broken and rocky, and but slightly elevated above the sea- 

 level ; nevertheless several subalpine species are to be found in it, 

 such as Dryas octopetala^ Saxifraga hypnoidesy Hieracium cerin- 

 thoidesy Arbutus Uva-ursi, Juniperus nana. 



He then arranges the produce of his district and the classes defined 

 by Watson, and enumerates the more interesting or peculiar plants 

 present or absent in each case. He points out the following species 

 as seen by him, but not marked as Irish in *Babington's Manual': — 



Cardamine sylvatica. Hieracium cerinthoides. 



Viola stagnina. Epipactis media. 



Spiraea filipendula. Potamogeton lanceolatus. 



Geum intermedium. Alopecurus agrestis. 



Myriophyllum altemiflorum. Lolium italicum. 



3. " Notes on the Flora of the Bass Rock,*' by Prof. Balfour. 



4. "Notice of Plants collected during a trip to Loch Lomond in 

 July 1854," by Prof. Balfour. 



5 "Register of the Flowering of Spring Plants in the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, as compared with the four previous years," by 

 Mr. M'Nab. 



