532 LinncEdn Societi/. 



by Raymond, as recorded by Romer and Schnltes. Reichenbaeli 

 describes and figures them as palmate, and as situated at the base of 

 the tube, so that it is probable his plant is different from ours, as 

 Mr. Babington suggests. The nature of these scales is not well un- 

 derstood : by most botanists they are regarded as a vorticil of abor- 

 tive stamens, and by Reichenbach as petals ; but their situation 

 always within the stamens, and opposite to them, appears to refute 

 both these opinions. Analogous scales occur in Hydrophyllea:. 



Feb. 20. — Read a Paper, by John Hogg, Esq., M,A., F,L.S., on 

 the classification of the Amphibia, 



The author takes a review of the different modes of arrangement 

 that have been proposed for this remarkable class of animals, and 

 he concludes his paper by suggesting a new classification founded 

 upon the organs of respiration, as the result of his investigation. 



March 6. — Read a description of the Mosses collected in the 

 journey of the late deputation into Upper Assam, in the years 

 1835 and 1836. By William Griffith, Esq., Assistant Surgeon on 

 the Madras Establishment. Communicated by R. H. Solly, Esq., 

 F.R.S. & L.S. 



The discovery of the China tea plant in Upper Assam attracted the 

 attention of the Indian government, and accordingly a deputation, 

 consisting of Dr. Wallich, Mr. M'Clelland, and Mr. Griffith, was 

 sent from Calcutta to investigate the subject. The present paper 

 comprises descriptions of the Musci collected in the journey ; but 

 the greater portion of the species, Mr. Griffith states, was gathered 

 in the Khasya Hills, an elevated tract of country, forming part of 

 the eastern frontier of British India. 



The climate is described to be excessively moist, which will ac- 

 count for the large number of mosses collected in the journey by Mr. 

 Griffith, forming about one eighth of the entire family, 1324 being 

 the amount of species enumerated by Bridel in his Bryologia Uni- 

 versa. 



The collection contains Sphagnum ohtusifolium, Polytrichum urni- 

 gerum and aloides, Weissia Templetoni, Dicranum scoparium and glau- 

 cum, Bartramia font ana, and several others familiar to the European 

 muscologist ; but the far greater part of the species have not been 

 previously described. 



March 20. — Read a description of the Mora tree. By Mr. Robert 

 H. Schomburgk. Communicated by George Bentham, Esq., F.L.S. 



This tree is a native of the forests of British Guiana, where it at- 

 tains a large size, the trunk often exceeding ninety feet in height, 

 with a circumference of upwards of twenty feet. The trunk pro- 

 duces large buttresses at its base, which from their partial decay 

 afterwards become hollow beneath, and form a chamber capable of 

 sheltering several persons standing erect. The tops of these but- 

 tresses, and the trunk itself, are found clothed with innumerable 

 epiphytes, which greatly add to the singularity of the tree. The 

 tree affords timber of excellent quality, being close-grained, strong, 

 tough and durable, and not liable to split. The Mora tree consti- 

 tutes a new genus of the order Leguminosae, belonging to the sub- 



