1884.] NATURAL SCIENCES 01 PHILADELPHIA. 297 



of ages, the suppressed features that characterized full maturity 

 in the original, became, under the law of heredity, permanent 

 ones. 



It was not often that we had such clear evidence of the unitj 

 of origin in two certainly distinct species, and as supporting the 

 modern ideas of evolution, the case was worthy of being placed 

 on record. 



December 16. 



The President, Dr. Jos. Leidy, in the chair. 



Twenty-nine persons present. 



A paper, entitled " Homologies of the Vertebrate Crj^stalline 



Lens," by Benjamin Sharp, M. D., was presented for publication. 



The death of Robt. L. Weber, M. D., a member, was announced. 



Immediate Influence of Pollen on Fruit. — Mr. Thomas 

 Meehan directed attention to an ear of Indian corn on the table, 

 sent by Mr. Burnett Landreth, which had nearly all one side 

 with brownish red grain, the other side creamy white, which was 

 the normal color of the variety. Usually the intermixture of colors 

 which occasionally occurred in an ear of corn, is attributed to 

 cross-fertilization. It is apparent that this could not be the case 

 in this instance. The whole solid block is colored, and, at the 

 edge of the colored mass only half a grain would be colored in 

 some instances. The coloring influence had evidently spread 

 from some central point, quite independent of any single grain, 

 and had spread from grain to grain through the receptacle, until 

 the coloring material was exhausted. In cross-fertilization from 

 the entangled position of the silk-like pistils, no such regularity 

 of coloring in adjoining grains could occur. On reflection we may 

 understand that at times color in corn must come from causes 

 independent of cross-fertilization, as the departure in the first 

 instance from one color must be from an innate power to vary in 

 color, independently of any pollinating influence. 



The facts are interesting as bearing on many problems as yet not 

 wholly solved. Much has been said about the changes in nature 

 being by slow modifications through long ages, but we have fre- 

 quent instances of sudden leaps. There are no gradations between 

 the colors of these grains. Again, it is in dispute how far cross- 

 fertilization influences the seed. Generally, no immediate influ- 

 ence is conceded ; we have to wait till the seed grows, and we can 

 examine the new plant to ascertain the potency of the several 

 parents. So far, corn has been the chief, and almost the only, 

 evidence that the seed or its surroundings are immediately 

 affected ; but recently statements have been made that the recep- 

 tacle in the strawberry — what we know in every-day life as the 



SO 



