306 REPOKTS OF MEETINGS. 



beautiful tufts of Lianthus ccesius, covered with delicate pink 

 flowers ; finishing a most enjoyable ramble by refreshment at the 

 Bath Arms. 



October 15th, 1874. The first evening meeting of the next 

 Session was held at the Museum and Library. The Honorary 

 Secretary read the minutes for the past meeting, &c. They were 

 duly signed and passed, and the evening ' was occupied in 

 examining the] specimens collected during the summer excursions. 



November 19th, 1874. The minutes of the last meeting 

 having been read, Dr. Eurder exhibited a flourishing specimen of 

 Eucalyptus globulus, which he had raised from seed, the Dr. 

 observing that it was a tree that had of late attracted considerable 

 attention in reference to its health-giving properties, that the 

 great amount of moisture taken up by the roots in their rapid 

 growth might be one reason of its capabilities for draining a 

 marshy district, also that the tree gave out a refreshing balsamic 

 odour. 



Mr. Leipner, thanking Dr. Burder for his kindness in bringing 

 the subject before the meeting, said that the plant belonged to the 

 natural order Myrtacece, and hence we might expect to find, 

 from the pellucid dottings of the leaves, the presence of a fragrant 

 aromatic volatile oil, which gives the principal quality to this 

 order, e.g.j the grateful perfume of the Guava fruit, the balsamic 

 odour of many Eastern fruits. Mr. Leipner reminded the 

 audience that the genus Eucalyptus contained the largest trees in 

 the world, the E. amygdalima (an account of which may be seen 

 in the Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalisfs Society, December 

 7th, 1871) being 480 feet in height, the first branch being 200 

 feet from the ground. 



Several members spoke on the subject, in reference to the 

 peculiarity of Australian forests — namely, in their leaves pre- 

 senting their margin, and not either surface, towards the stem. 

 In the Acacia this is in consequence of the vertical dilation of 

 the foliaceous foot stalk ; while in the gum trees (Eucalyptus), 

 where, though general, it is by no means universal, it is produced 



