234 GENEVA SOCIETY OF PHYSICS AND NATURAL HISTORY. 



Bhiphogonum. M. de Candolle has been able to prove that several 

 species have been described under two names, and has made known 

 fifty-five new species. The present geographical distribution of plants 

 of this family, combined with our knowledge, unhappily imperfect, of 

 fossil Smilacecv, allows the presumption that dispersion in former times 

 was much greater than at present. Now the Smilaccw are found only 

 in the district comprised between Japan, India, New Caledonia, and 

 the Sandwich Islands. From this limited region to Brazil, the Cape, 

 and the Azores, only a few genera or subgenera are found. 



M.Duby submitted a work accompanied with plates relative to a genus 

 and eighteen new species of moss from Japan, the Philippine Islands, 

 and Maurice Island. They belong to the genera Batranica, Orthotrichum, 

 Schlotheimia, Fterohrium, Mypiiiim, and Hcnoniella. M. Duby called 

 attention to the large number of mosses found at the same time in 

 Maurice Island and the Sunda Islands. (See part 1 of vol. XXVI of 

 our Memoirs.) 



M. Marc Micheli has given account of the most recent investigations 

 relative to insectivorous j)lants. {Archives, 1877, t. 58, p. 393). M. Duby 

 mentioned on this occasion that other plants exuded digestive acids, 

 among othei's the Petunias, which capture certain insects by means of 

 glutinous glands. 



6. Statistics. — Dr. Diinant called the attention of the society to the 

 change in the population of the city of Geneva from 1845 to 1872. 



At no period has the increase by naturalization been as great as from 

 from 1850 to 18G0. The i)roportion of the population under fifteen years 

 of age and that above sixty has increased ; that of adults has dimin- 

 ished. 



The number of marriages among the Genevese diminishes, that of 

 marriages between strangers and Genevese remains the same, and that 

 of marriages between strangers increases. There are fewer births 

 among the Genevese than among the Swiss of other cantons and among 

 the foreigners. Illegitimate births are more frequent in the foreign pop- 

 ulation and the Swiss of other cantons than in the Genevese popula- 

 tion. The mortality is studied with care in this great and concientious 

 work. (See Journal de Statistique Suisse, 187G, Nos. II and III.) 



The society has listened to numerous reports upon works published in 

 various countries, and in regard to which the members of the society, 

 after discussion, i)assed judgment more or less pronounced. These 

 discussions animated the sessions, and drew the attention of the mem- 

 bers to labors outside of their especial studies. 



The following is a list of these communications : Professor Gautier, 

 observations made in various observatories, of the velocity of the stars, 

 the zodiacal light, a new star in the constellation of the Swan, the 

 double star of the Centaur, the climate of Berne, inundations in Switzer- 

 land in June, 187G, &c.; Colonel Gautier, solar protuberances; Pro- 

 fessor Soretj photographs of the moon, defects of the retina, and the 



