456 Linncean Society, 



May 7, 1839. — The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 



Read, *' Supplementary Observations on the Development of the 

 Theca, and on the Sexes of Mosses." In a letter to R. H. Solly, 

 Esq., F.R.S. & L.S. By William Valentine, Esq., F.L.S. 



The author commences his letter by stating that subsequent ob- 

 servations have induced him to concur entirely with the views of 

 Professor Mohl as to the sporules of Mosses being developed by four 

 in a mother cell, a fact which he was led to doubt in his former com- 

 munication printed in the 17th volume of the Society's Transactions. 

 The present paper contains a detailed account of the development 

 of the theca in CEdipodium Griffithianum, which exhibits a beau- 

 tiful example of the tetrahedral union of the sporules. In this moss 

 the four sporules in each mother cell are piled on each other so as to 

 form a cone with a triangular base, and they appear to be connected 

 with each other in the young state by a very minute stalk which is 

 situated at the conjunction of three radiating lines. This connexion 

 is perhaps in most instances dissolved at an early period, and the 

 sporules recede a little from each other, but are still kept in the tri- 

 angular form by the mother cell. It is not uncommon however to 

 find the connexion unbroken after the sporules have arrived at ma- 

 turity, and in these instances there seems to be a general adhesion 

 at the opposing faces of the sporules. 



The author concludes his paper with some remarks on the analogy 

 that exists between sporules and pollen, which he observes, is so re- 

 markable, and the particulars so numerous, that the essential identity 

 of the two can be scarcely a matter of opinion. 



May 24, 1839.— The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 



This day, the Anniversary of the birthday of Linnaeus, and that 

 appointed in the charter for the election of Council and Officers, the 

 President opened the business of the Meeting, and in stating the 

 number of Members whom the Society had lost during the past year, 

 gave the following notices of some of them : 



Samuel Brookes, Esq. — Mr. Brookes was devoted to the science of 

 Conchology, and possessed a valuable collection of British and Fo- 

 reign Testacea. He was the author of an Introduction to the Study 

 of Conchology which appeared in 1815. 



The Rev, Martin Davy, D.D., F.R.S. , Master of Caius College, 

 Cambridge. 



The Rev. Richard Dreyer, LL.B. 



John Lord Farnham. 



Charles Holford, Esq. 



