Botanical Society of Edinburgh, ls53 



Mr. Gould exhibited two skulls of a large species of Kangaroo, 

 from North Australia, which are remarkable for the large size of the 

 nasal cavity, and differ likewise in some other parts of their struc- 

 ture from the more typical species of Macropus. Mr. Gould also 

 laid before the Meeting some species of Fishes collected in North 

 Australia. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, 



Feb. 10, 1842. — Professor Graham in the Chair. 

 The following papers were read : — 



1. Notices of several Vegetable Monstrosities, with Specimens. 

 Transmitted by Mr. H. C. Watson and others. — Some of these mon- 

 strosities were very interesting, particularly a Geranium {pusillum }) 

 having the branches terminated by heads or umbels of flowers, 

 through adhesions and excess of parts, the petals being mostly green 

 or obsolete, and the stamens imperfect ; Anthriscus sylvestris, with 

 the umbels proliferous, which was gathered in the wet autumn of 

 1839; Linaria repens, varieties growing together, and showing a 

 gradual approach to L, vulgaris'. Anemone nemorosa, having the 

 pistils changed to leaves ; and Galium aparine, presenting a remark- 

 able lu^us natures, probably caused by insects, the quadrangular stem 

 being twisted, so that the stellate leaves have become secund. 



2. Mr. Goodsir described the Sarcinula Ventriculi, a new vegetable 

 infusorial, allied to the genus Gonium, which he had found existing 

 in immense numbers in the fluid ejected for many weeks from the 

 stomach of a patient labouring under a particular form of indiges- 

 tion. This fluid was ejected in large quantities at a time, and had 

 an appearance similar to that of liquor in a state of fermentation. 

 The plant is microscopic, of a square form, and having the parts 

 arranged in a beautifully symmetrical manner in the square. The 

 number of cells of which the plant consists is 64. It propagates by 

 the division of each of these 64 cells into four new ones, so as to 

 consist of 256 cells ; and simultaneously with this increase in the 

 number of parts, divides spontaneously into four young plants. 



The author then adverted to the extremely rapid increase of the 

 plant by such a mode of propagation ; and after some observations 

 on the nature of the disease in which it occurred, and of which it 

 probably constituted the cause, he concluded with remarks on the 

 genera of plants and animals to which the new plant is allied. 



3. On Primula veris and allied species, by the Rev. J. E. Leefe. — 

 Mr. Leefe, after remarking that P. inflata, Lehm., approaches very 

 near to P, veris, says, " in the woods at Audley End, Essex, I find 

 a good deal of what is commonly known as P. elatior intermixed, 

 but sparingly, with primroses and cowslips. It agrees with the 

 character of P, elatior, Jacq., as defined by Koch, but not with the 

 figure in * English Botany.' The calyx teeth are more ovate at the 

 base, and the leaves are those of a cowslip ; indeed the teeth are 

 almost of precisely the same form as those of the P. inflata before 

 alluded to. The limb of the corolla is, however, equal in breadth 

 to more than half of the tube, and is flat, or nearly so." 



Professor Henslow writes on this subject : — ** With respect to the 



