136 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. 



by the Academy ; from E. G. Squier, Esq., New York, Oct. 

 10, 1860, transmitting publications, and requesting the Trans- 

 actions in exchange. 



The Corresponding Secretary read a paper from Prof. G. 

 C. Swallow, entitled "Descriptions of some New Fossils from 

 the Carboniferous and Devonian Rocks of Missouri." Refer- 

 red to the Publication Committee. 



Donations to the library were received as follows: Report 

 of Progress of the Geological Survey of Canada for 1858, 

 Montreal, 1859, from the Survey ; Bulletin Bibliog. de Hec- 

 tor Bossange et Fils, No. 9, Paris, 1860, /rem the Publishers; 

 Journal of Education, Nos. 2-9, Vol. IV., 1860, from Capt. 

 L. A. Huguet-Latour ; Journal of Franklin Inst., No. 4, Oct. 

 1860, from the Institute ; Collection of Rare and Original 

 Documents and Relations concerning the Discovery and 

 Conquest of America, chiefly from the Spanish Archives, 

 (Carta del Dr. Don Diego Garcia Palacio, ano 1576,) by E. 

 G. Squier, from the Author ; Catalogue of Bethany College, 

 Va., 1859-'60, from Prof. Mosblech; Letters on some points 

 of the Geology of Texas and New Mexico, &c, by Jules Mar- 

 con, Zurich, 1858, — "Reply to the Criticisms of James D. 

 Dana, by Jules Marcou," from the Author. 



Dr. Engelmann resumed and concluded his remarks on 

 Nelumbium luteum, illustrated by a great many drawings. 



The Nelumbium, common in our stagnant waters, is not only one of our 

 most showy plants, with the largest leav*s and the largest flowers, with 

 edible nuts and large edible tubers ; but it is also one of the most curious- 

 ly constructed plants, following with astonishing regularity its peculiar 

 but very simple laws. Its morphology has attracted the attention of bot- 

 anists before this, and Mr. A Tiecul has done much to develop its pecu- 

 liarities; Prof. Caspary has studied the plant very intelligently, without, 

 however, publishing as yet anything about it. The ample material at my 

 disposal has, I believe, permitted m' to add observations which may have 

 bef>n beyond the reach of my predecessors. 



The structure of the embryo is sufficiently well known. The lower leaf 

 (always on the side of the raphe and the periphery of the torus) of the 

 large green plumule shows at the base of its petiole a rim, extending 

 around the stemlet, indicative of the stipule which characterizes all the 

 succeeding leaves. The stipule of the second much smaller leaf includes 

 the ihird, and the stipule of this a fourth leaf, all of them preformed 

 in 'he seed. After these distiehously arranged leaves have been devel- 

 oped, the young stem reclines in the mud, and henceforth begins the 

 new mode of vegetation which ever afterwards characterizes this plant. 

 The stem, growing now horizontally in the mire at the bottom of the 

 pond or lake, has an upper, or dorsal, and a lower, or ventral side ; it 

 (as well as the organs produced from it in a vertical direction) has an 

 anterior and a posterior side in regard to the direction of its growth. 

 This stem is terminated by a bud, which consists of two bud-scales 

 (NiederblaetW), a and b, in opposite directions, with very short, conflu- 

 ent nodes, and one largp leaf, C, with the stipule, s, in the direction of the 

 second scale, succeeded by an elongated internode. i, which at its end bears 

 a similar bud. The roots consist of numerous fleshy fibres, beset with 

 simple fibrillar, and originating from the node just behind the lowest scale. 



Now the plant prepares for propagation, also in the simplest and most 

 constant manner : one flower is produced from the axil of the secon d 



