2 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE 



The following papers were read : — 



1, " On the Terrestrial Isopoda of New Zealand." By Charles 

 Chilton, M.A., F.L.S. 



2. " On the Character and Origin of the Park Lands m Central 

 Africa." By J. E. S. Moore, F.Z.S. (Communicated by Prof. J. B. 

 Farmer, P.L.S.) 



November 15th, 1900. 



Mr. C. B. Clarke, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 



Mr. Walter Hoare was elected, and the Rev. John Gerard, S.J., 

 was admitted a Fellow of the Society. 



Mr. W. B. Hemsley, F.R.S., F.L.S., exhibited (1) a number of 

 specimens and drawings of Fitcliia (Hook. f. in Lond. Journ. Bot. iv. 

 p. 640, pis. 23, 24), including a new species from the island of 

 Baratonga in the Cook Archipelago, discovered by Mr. T. F. Cheese- 

 man a Fellow of this Society. The genus was described from 

 specimens thought to have been procured on Elizabeth Island, a 

 remote coral island in the Eastern Pacific ; but Mr. Hemsley gave 

 reasons for believing that the locality of the plant described by 

 Sir Joseph Hooker was Tubnai Island in the same latitude, but 20° 

 farther to the west : an island of volcanic origin and mountainous, 

 and therefore more likely than a coral islaiid to be the habitat of 

 such a plant, especially as it was originally discovered by Banks and 

 Solander in Tahiti. Only three or four species are known : they 

 are small resiniferous shrubs of tree-like habit, with rather thick 

 branches, opposite simple leaves borne on slender stalks, and 

 terminal, usually solitary flower-heads. The systematic position 

 of Fitcliia is not very evident; although usually placed in the 

 Cichoriace^e (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant, ii. 505), Mr. Hemsley 

 considered its affinities as a resiniferous plant to be with the 

 HelianthoideiB, and near to Petrobium, a monotypic genus of 

 St. Helena (Hooker, Icon. Plant, t. 1053). After discussing the 

 views of system atists on this point, he briefly described the new 

 species from Baratonga {Fitcliia nutans), remarking that it secreted 

 a resin which is exuded on the young branches and flower-heads, 

 and is used to prepare an agreeably odoriferous oil. 



Mr. Hemsley next exhibited (2) an abnormal cluster of fruits of 

 the edible chestnut found by Mr. Charles Bead of Sway in the 

 New Forest, and forwarded to Kew by the llev. J. E. Kelsall. 

 Usually there are two or three, rarely four in a cluster ; but in the 

 specimen exhibited there were at least fifteen, the largest nuts 

 measuring about an inch in their greatest diameter. 



He also exhibited (3) a curious flask-shaped bird's-nest which 

 had been sent to Kew by Mr, J. H. Hart, Director of the Botanic 



