lilNNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 85 



unknown, and in others very poorly represented in herbaria), he 

 found it at present impossible to define the species satisfactorily. 

 Unpublished drawings of Indian and Chinese species in the coUec- 

 tions at Kew rendered it probable that certain differences in the 

 fruits would be found to be correlated with differences in the 

 structure of the flowers. 



Some remarks were made by Mr. C. B. Clarke, Dr. Eendle, 

 Mr. C. Eeid, and Sir George King. 



Mr. Clement Eeid, P.E.S., F.L.S., exhibited a series of plum- 

 stones recently found in a drain of the Roman baths and in a 

 rubbish pit, at Silchester. The species identified were Cherry 

 (Prwms avium), Damson (P. domestica), Bullace {P. insititia), Sloe 

 (P. spinosa), and Portuguese Laurel (P. Lauro-cerasus). Besides 

 these, there was a large variety of Plum and a very small Sloe, the 

 species of which had not as yet been precisely determiued. 



On behalf of Dr. O. St. Brody, Mr. B. Daydon Jackson 

 ■exhibited a small series of British Orchids dried by a new process, 

 by which the flexibility of the plant and the natural colours were 

 in a great measure retained. 



Mr. 11. Morton Middleton, F.L.S., exhibited several rush- 

 baskets, plaited ropes, and dredgers made from Rosthovia grandi- 

 Jlora, Hook, f . ; and a crab-catcher and limpet-detacher made from 

 Berberis iUcifolia, Forster, all used by the Tahgans south of Beagle 

 Channel, Tieri'a del Fuego. 



A discussion followed, in which the zoological and botauical 

 aspects of the exhibits were commented on by Dr. Giinther, Mr. J. 

 E. Harting, and Dr. Eendle. 



Mr. F. Enock, F.L.S., exhibited and made remarks upon some 

 living specimens of Ranatra linearis, Linn., together with their 

 ■curious eggs. These measure 3-5 mm. in length and barely 1 mm. 

 in breadth. At the larger end of each egg are two diverging 

 filaments 4-5 mm. in length and 5 mm. apart at their extremities ; 

 the eggs are laid either in the floating leaves of aquatic plants, such 

 as Ranunculus, Alisma, or Potamogeton, and also in the half-decayed 

 stems of Alisma. One floating plant, with two leaf-stalks only, 

 contained in one of them 107, in the other 97 eggs of Ranatra, 

 which had no doubt been deposited by several females. From 

 these eggs Mr. Enock stated he had frequently reared the strange 

 hymenopterous parasite Prestwichia aquatica (Lubbock). 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " On the Spermiducal Glands of Australian Earthworms." 

 By Miss Georgina Sweet, M.Sc. Melbourne. (Communicated by 

 Prof. G. B. Howes, Sec. Linn. Soc.) 



2. " The Subterranean Amphipoda of the British Islands." By 

 €harles Chilton, D.Sc, F.L.S. 



3. " Supplementary Notes on the Genus Najas'^ By Dr. A. 

 Barton Eendle, F.L.S. 



