I860.] Mr, Masters, on Formations in Plants. 223 



adjustment ; so that whilst they gradually consume away, the place of 

 the light shall not be altered. The electric wires end in the two bars 

 of a small railway, and upon these the lamp stands. When the car- 

 bons of a lamp are nearly gone, that lamp is lifted off and another 

 instantly pushed into its place. The machines and lamp have done 

 their duty during the past six months in a real and practical manner. 

 The light has never gone out, tlirough any deficiency or cause in the 

 engine and machine house : and when it has become extinguished in 

 the lanthorn, a single touch of the keeper's hand has set it shining as 

 bright as ever. The light shone up and down the Channel, and across 

 into France, with a power far surpassing that of any other fixed light 

 within sight, or any where existent. The experiment has been a good 

 one. There is still the matter of expense and some other circumstances 

 to be considered ; but it is the hope and desire of the Trinity-house, 

 and all interested in the subject, that it should ultimately justify its 

 full adoption. 



[M. F.] 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, March 16, 1860. 



Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, Bart. D.C.L. Pres. R.S. 



Vice-President R.I. in the Chair. 



Maxwell T. Masters, Esq. 



LECTURER ON BOTANT, ST. GEORGE'S HOSPITAL, ETC, 



On the Relation between the Abnormal and Normal Formations 



in Plants. 



The object of this discourse was to point out certain interesting facts, 

 relating to the natural and abnormal development of plants, and to 

 the impossibility of drawing any absolute distinction between the two ; 

 to show their bearing upon the theory of vegetable morphology, and 

 on the views lately propounded by Mr. Darwin. Premising that no 

 general law can be laid down to include all plants, as each large 

 group has, to a certain extent, its own special organization, the speaker 

 briefly adverted to the natural conformation of plants under the fol- 

 lowing heads : 1st, Alimentary system ; 2nd, Tegumentary ; 3rd, 

 Reproductive ; 4th, Fibrous ; 5th, Appendicular System. 



All plants possess alimentary, tegumentary, and reproductive 



