1 8 PnOCEEDIXGS OF THE 



After Mr. R. I'aulson had contributed some observations, Dr. 

 C. E. Moss reniariied that at the Cape ot Good Hope Quorum 

 j>f(hniciil((tn. pntiluced roots as sliort as its congener, Q. sessilijhra, 

 in |)hice of tiie h)ngpr root-system noticeable in llie fornKn- species 

 in Jiritain. 



Professor W. T. (ionnoN, F.G.S., introduced bv Dr. J). Jl. Hcott, 

 i'\K.S., ]'\L. 8., exhibited an extensive series of lantern-slides illus- 

 trating recently obtained s[)eciniens of the fossil coniferous genus 

 J'ifi/!^, obtained from beds of siliceous volcanic ash, at Gullane, 

 17 miles east of Edinburgh. These comprised a new species, 

 showing cortex and leaves ; hitherto nothing was known of the 

 genus, except pith and wood. 'J"he most interesting point is th(? 

 discovery of the leaves. 



Dr. l). II. Scott pointed out tliat the leaves showed merely 

 petiolar structure; was there a lamina present? He emphasized 

 the great degree of anatomical development attained by these early 

 plants. 



Lieut. -Col. J. H. Tull Walsh said as regards the relation of 

 silica to plants, certain moulds are stated to reduce the silica in 

 laterite. In miners' tuberculosis we know that the presence of 

 colloidal silica encoui'ages the growth of BacUlvs tuhercidosis -^ 

 and this effect is demonstrated by Prof. Cummins of the Bristol 

 University in the " Tropical Diseases Bulletin " for last March. 

 In the Mogadow creek, N.E. of the Chundion river, tree stumps 

 are found in which silica has displaced the lime of petrifaction. 



Mr. S. L. Ghose (visitor) also spoke, and Prof. Gordon answered 

 the questions raised. 



The next paper, " The Crustacean Plankton of the English Lake 

 District" by Mr. Eobert Gurney, F.L.S., was read in title. 



Mr. S. L. Ghose briefly explained the paper he contributed on 

 "A Systematic and Ecological Account of a Collection of Blue- 

 green Algae from Lahore." pointing out that while much work had 

 been done in India on phanerogamic botany, tlie lower crypto- 

 gams had been almost entirely neglected. The paper was com- 

 municated by Prof. F. E. Fritch. 



Mr. Ja-MES Groves, F.L.S., presented a short paper entitled 

 "Notes on Indian Charophyta." 



Mr. J. G. II. Frew deuionstrated the chief points of his paper, 

 "On the Morphology of the Head-capsule and Mouth-parts of 

 Chlorops imiiajms Meig. (Diptera)" (communicated by Dr. A. D. 

 Imms, F.L.S.); whilst tiie last paper — also communicated by 

 Dr. Imms — was by Mr. A. M. Altson, "On the Genital System 

 of the Wood-boring Beetle, Lijctiis hruDvcKS Steph.,'" in continu- 

 ation of a former paper, but now dwelling upon the extratirdinarv 

 length both of the ovipositor and the rectum. 



