4 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



C. speciosa he (Mr. Rodway) had noticed that a kind of green 

 fly was the fertilizer. 



Mr. George Murray exhibited specimens of Rliipilia in spirit, 

 lately obtained by him in G-renada, West Indies, from a depth of 

 live fathoms. 



Mr. W. Fawcett showed coloured drawings of Hydnora abys- 

 siiiica and H. hoyotensis, sent by Sig. Beccari from Florence. 

 They clearly manifest the difference between the two species ; 

 for, besides diifering in colour, H. abijssinica has a hook-like pro- 

 cess below the apex, and its ramentiferous surfaces have long 

 ramenta at their margins, whereas there is no hook-like process 

 in H. hogoten.sis and the margins are naked. Both species are 

 distinguished from the common H. africana by the ramentiferous 

 surfaces not extending to the apex. 



Mr. C. T. Musson exhibited (1) a branch of a Blackthorn ob- 

 tained near Newark, and showing a curious proliferation of the 

 branchlets ; (2) an old wooden snuff-box (probably satin-wood) 

 having on its polished surface in the graining the figure of a head 

 resembling that of Napoleon I. 



Mr. Thomas Christy exhibited roots, stems, and pods of an African 

 Stropliantlius. The pods were in their native packing, and pro- 

 bably the finest that have hitherto been received in England. Of 

 S. hisjndus from East Africa, the seed is made into a paste with 

 clay, and a small portion of this placed on the arrow-heads by the 

 natives. It is now imported into this country as a remedy in fatty 

 degeneration of the heart. The West- African Stropha^ithus is as 

 yet but imperfectly known ; it is a climbing plant, running up to 

 the tops of the highest trees. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " On the Floral Conformation of the Genus Cypripediumy 

 By Dr. Maxwell T. Masters, F.L.S. 



2. " Monograph of Kecent Ephemeridse." — Part V. and Con- 

 clusion. By the Eev. A. E. Eaton, M.A. (Communicated by 

 Sir John Lubbock, Bart., F.L.S.) 



3. " Further Contributions to the Flora of Madagascar." By 

 John G. Baker, F.E.S., F.L.S. 



December 2nd, 1886. 



William Carruthees, F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 



John William Willis Bund, Esq., Arthur Dendy, Esq., Anthony 

 Gepp, Esq., Tokutaro Ito, Esq., F. Krau^^e, Esq., Francis Moles- 



