LINNEAN SOCIEXr OF LONBOX. 57 



Abstracts of Papers. 



On the Power of Penetrating the Skins of Animals possessed by 

 the Seed of Sfipa spartea. By Robert Miller Christt, 

 Esq. (Communicated by Alfred W. Bennett, M.A., 

 P.L.S.) 



[Read 21st February, 1884.— Abstract.] 



This wide-spread species forms a more succulent grass than 

 any other of the prairie grasses, and is locally named " Buffalo- 

 grass," " Spear-oat," &c. The fruits ripen in July, and the awns 

 penetrate the hides of sheep and dogs, causing much damage to 

 the settlers. They are very like those of 8tlpa pennata described 

 by Francis Darwin, but about g inch in length, with an awn 

 nearly 2 inches long, twisted nine or ten times ; rather more than 

 3 inches beyond, it is produced into a delicate bristle, w^hich does 

 not twist, with many small teeth pointing upward : when wet the 

 whole awn is perfectly straight. The author experimented in 

 August, JSTovember, and December upon 8. spartea and S. pennata, 

 and found that actual penetrative power was possessed by the 

 hygrometric-awned seeds. Butchers repeatedly found these seeds 

 imbedded about half an inch beneath the skin of animals slaugh- 

 tered by them, and animals have not unfrequently to be destroyed 

 on account of their being infested with these fruits. The author 

 considers that Prof. Macoun is not justified in treating the 

 accounts of butchers and I'armers with ridicule. 



Note on a Eemarkable Variation of Banksia marginata, Cav. 

 By J. G. O. Tepper, P.L.S. &c. 



[Read 17th April, 1884.] 



On October lltli last I met with a small plant of Banksia mar- 

 ginata, in the Mount-Lofty Eanges east of Adelaide, which at 

 once attracted my attention on account of the very different 

 appearance it presented as compared with the usual form of the 

 species. Growing on a steep scrubby hillside, facing N.W. and 

 formed of poor sandy soil thinly covering grey quartzite between 

 the numerous fragments, it exhibited such a regular and decided 

 variegation in the leaves that, could it be rendered permanent by 

 cultivation, a place among gardeners' ornamental shrubs would 

 be assured for it. 



The size of the whole scarcely exceeded 12 inches, and it bore 

 but few branches, which, as well as the stem, were grey in 

 colour and slightly tomentose, especially near the summit, and 

 branched trichotomously (in one or two instances, dichotomously). 

 The leaves formed very closely packed rosettes at the apex of 



LINN. see. proceedings. SESSION 18S3-8i. f 



