LIISTNEAN SOCIETY OP LONDON. 6^ 



November 20th, 1884. 



Prof, P. Martin Duncan, P.E.S., Vice-President, in tlie Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirined. 



Arthur Eoope Hunt, Esq., was elected a Fellow. 



Mr. P. M. Campbell exhibited a Dragon-fly, caught in Sep- 

 tember, on the left bank of the Dordogne, from a flight of 

 Dragon-flies which were taking a south-easterly direction ; num- 

 bers were observed passing continuously for an hour and a half. 

 He also drew attention to the steady movement of the Humming- 

 bird Hawk-Moth when placed on its back. 



Mr. Prancis B. Porbes drew attention to specimens of pods 

 and seeds used by the Chinese in place of soap. He stated, that 

 for ordinary detergent purposes an imj)ure earthy soda and a 

 lye made from ashes are employed. The leaves of Hibiscus 

 syriacus and Ginho hiloha are occasionally used for cleansing the 

 head. The most favourite substance, however, is the fruit of 

 certain Legumiuosae (Pei-tsao-low). The late Daniel Hanbury 

 figures these seeds as a species of Dialium. Dr. Porter Smith 

 says they are the product of Acacia concinna {Miviosa saponaria, 

 Eoxb.). Dr. Breitscimeider, on the contrary, asserts tliat they 

 belong to Gymnocladus cldnensis, originally described by Baillon 

 from pods only. Some young leaves, flowers, and fruit from 

 Poochow are at Kew, and have been figured in the ' Icones Plan- 

 tarum ;' those now shown are much finer examples, and from 

 Isingpo and Wa-hu. The pods are roasted and kneaded into 

 small balls, used for washing clothes and the head in bathing, 

 but on account of their unpleasant smell are prohibited in the 

 public baths in China. The pods of Gleditschia sinensis, La- 

 marck (Tsao-chio), are used for the same purposes as Gyimio- 

 cladus, those exhibited being from Pekin aijd Shanghai district; 

 one of them seems to answer to Dr. Hance's new G. xylocarpa. 

 The Chinese break the pods into small bits, which are soaiNcd in 

 boiling w ater until an oily substance exudes, when they are ready 

 for use. Btntham refers to a South-China tree as G. sinensis, 

 Linn. Lamarck founded his species on a tree growing in the 

 Jardin des Plantes, raised from seed sent by Pere Incarville from 

 Pekin 200 years ago. It is doubtful if the northern and southeru 

 plants are identical. Another saponaceous substance is derived 

 from Sapindus MaTcivinsi {8. chinensis or Kolreuteria pani 

 culata, Lam.), specimens of which from Ningpo were also 

 exhibited. 



Messrs. H. and J. Groves exhibited specimens of: — (1) Qhara 

 connivens, collected at Slapton, S. Devon, the only known 

 British station, for no trace of the plant is now^ to be found at 



