Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 155 



which occurred at St. George's Hospital in 1825. The treatise to 

 which I allude is entitled ' Sopra alcuni Funghi ritrovati noil' appa- 

 rechio di una frattura. Modena, 4to, 1805. Targioni-Tozzetti.' 



4. "Notice of the discovery of a new station in Britain for Poly- 

 gonatum 'gerticillatwn,'^ by the Rev. W. Herdman. 



The station is Drimmie Burn Den, near Glen Ericht Cottage, 

 parish of Rattray. It was found at Strone of Cally, by Dr. Barty, 

 some years ago, and has been long known at Craighall. The Drim- 

 mie station is nearly intermediate in position between these two 

 places, which are about four miles apart. 



December 10, 1857. — Dr. Seller, President, in the Chair. 



The office-bearers for the ensuing year were elected, viz. : — 

 Fresidenty Dr. Seller; Vice-Presidents, Professor Gregory, Pro- 

 fessor Balfour, Dr. W. H. Lowe, Andrew Murray, "W. S. ; Secretary, 

 Dr. Greville ; Assistant-Secretary y Dr. George Lawson. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " Notice of Egyptian Plants," by Dr. John Kirk. 



Dr. Kirk gave a short account of a tour in Egypt and Syria during 

 the spring of 1857, and exhibited specimens of the more interesting 

 plants. 



2. "Notice of Plants found in the neighbourhood of Comrie, 

 Perthshire," by Mr. D. P. Maclagan. 



Mr. Maclagan called attention to the importance of a knowledge of 

 local floras, as a means of extending our knowledge of the geographical 

 distribution of plants. After a few remarks on the situation and 

 climate, he described some of the more important parts of the di- 

 strict, and laid a detailed list of the plants on the table ; including 

 varieties, 442 had been noted, consisting of Thalamiflorse, 68 ; Ca- 

 lyciflorse, 98 ; Corolliflorse, 120 ; Monochlamydese, 37; Florideae, 30; 

 Glumifera3, 70; and xicrogenee, 19. 



3. " Contributions to Microscopical Analysis. No. 1. Tobacco," 

 by Dr. George Lawson. 



Dr. Lawson called attention to the imperfect descriptions that 

 existed of the histological characters of tobacco, and the consequent 

 lial)iUty to error in microscopical analysis. It h^s been customary 

 to characterize the tobacco as distinguished by its hairs being ^ glan- 

 dular,' or having an * enlargement' or ' roundish swelling' at the 

 tips ; but this very imperfectly indicates the peculiar structure of 

 these hairs, which, although extremely variable in size and general 

 form, present certain characters in their lower cells, and in the struc- 

 ture of the glands at their tips, which are very constant and of great 

 practical value. The characteristic hair of the tobacco-leaf varies 

 from l-20th to 1-1 00th of an inch in length, and is generally thick 

 and gouty at the base, and tapering towards the extremity where 

 the glandular structure is placed ; that structure is of an oval or 



