LI>'>'EAX SOCIETY OF LOXDOX. 9 



corolla was petaloid. Both specinieus were received from a 

 garden in the North of England. 



Messrs. H. and J. Groyes, F.L.S., exhibited a series of British 

 hybrid Batrachian i^rtn»nf«Z/, including R. pehdtusy.Lenormandi 

 (M. HUtoni, H. & J. Groves), li. Bav.dotitx Drouetii, li. Baudot'd X 

 Jieteroj^hijllus, and B. })eltati(sxtric7t02'ihi/lh(s, together with speci- 

 mens of their supposed parents. They pointed out that the hybrids 

 were usually characterized by (1) being intermediate in appearance 

 between the two parents, having some of the distinctive characters 

 of each, but with a more vigorous vegetative growth ; and (2) by 

 the fruit being mostly abortive and the peduncles not becoming 

 recurved. 



A discussion followed in which Prof. Farmer, Mi*. F. Darwin, 

 Prof. Dendy, 3Ir. Holmes, Mr. Clement Eeid, and the President 

 took part. 



Dr. D. H. Scott, F.E.S., gave an account, illustrated by lanteru- 

 shdes, of "An Extinct Family of Ferns" (see p. 47). 



A discusssion followed in which Messrs. C. B. Clarke, F. W. 

 Oliver, W. C. AVorsdell, and A. G. Tansley took part. 



The follo^Aing paper was read: — 



" On a Method of Investigating the Gravitational Sensitive- 

 ness of the Eoot-tip."' By Francis Darwin, F.R.S., F.L.S. 



February 20th, 1902. 

 The Eev. T. E. E. SxEBBiyG, M.A., F.E.S., in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 



On behalf of Mv. G. M. Thomso>', F.L.S., of Dunedin. X.Z., 

 the Secretary exhibited a series of photographs of Xew Zealand 

 Flowers, including several species of " Mountain Daisy,*' Cdmisia 

 coriacea, C. rarnidosa, and C. Haastii ; Olearia insignis, Veronica 

 bifonnis, and Clematis indivisa. The Alpine flora ot these islands 

 included a number of beautiful plants, many of them, like the 

 Baonlia (or Vegetable Sheep), produciug white blossoms in such 

 profusion as to be conspicuous at a considerable distance. One of 

 the most noticeable was the ereat white Buttercup, Banioicidiis 

 Li/allii, commonly known as the Mount Cook Lily, of which two 

 photographs were shown. 



In connection with the plants, some observations were made on 

 the birds which visit them, e. g., the Bell-bird or '• Korimako,"' 

 Anthornis meJaaura, the Grey "Warbler, Genjgone flavirostris, the 

 Pied Fantail, Rhipidura jlahellifera, and the Yellow-breasted Tit, 

 Petroeca macrocephala. Of these, the first named was observed to 

 assist in the fei'tilization of the native Fuchsias, on quitting which 

 the feathers of the head were seen to be stained with the bright 

 blue pollen of the flowers. A favourite nesting-site of the Tit, 



