96 Linnean Society. [June 18, 



found in the neighbourhood of London, and stated that Mr. Gosse 

 had confirmed the opinion which Cuvier entertained in regard to 

 the true position of the Rotifera, and that they have no connexion 

 with the Radiata, by his observations on their internal structure, and 

 especially by the presence of mandibles, maxillae and maxillary palpi. 

 The drawings exhibited the development of Stephanoceros Eichhorni 

 from the e^^ to the adult state, as also that of the males of 

 Asplanchna Brightwellii and a species of Brachionus. Mr. White 

 added, that in 1843 at least. Professor Milne-Edwards was also 

 aware, from the researches of Ehrenberg, of the true division of the 

 animal kingdom to which the Rotifera belong. He further stated 

 his own belief that the so-called Acarus folliculorum, Simon (Demo- 

 dex, Oxoen ; Entozoon, IVtlson), and probably also Tardiyradus, are 

 parasitic Rotifera, with legs or leg-like appendages adapted to their 

 peculiar habits ; and that their retractile antenna-like subtelescopie 

 appendages may have eyes passing through them as in the snails, 

 and may also be the eqiiivalents of the rotce, but from the limited, 

 or rather the absolutely restricted, power of motion of these animals, 

 having neither the ciliary processes nor the movements and cecono- 

 luical uses of the appendages so characteristic of most of the Ro- 

 tatoria. 



Read a paper " On the Structure of the Fruit in Pnnica." By 

 H. F. Hance, Esq., Ph.D. Communicated by Mr. Wm. Pamplin, 

 A.L.S. 



Mr. Hance's observations were made chiefly on double flowers, 

 exhibiting several varieties of monstrosity, obtained from a plant 

 growing in his garden at Hong Kong, and compared with the normal 

 state. He refers to the opinions of Mr. Griffith and Dr. Wight, and 

 agrees with the latter in considering the pistillum as compound, 

 many of the double flowers distinctly exhibiting the imperfect cohe- 

 sion of the carpidia, and the stylar laminae being even in some in- 

 stances quite separate to the very summit. His own explanation of 

 the remarkable disposition of the cells of the fruit of the Pomegranate 

 is given in the following terms : — " The lower cells arise from a cen- 

 tral row of carpella, the cohering apices of which constitute the 

 diaphragm, the ovula springing from the two united margins of the 

 same carpeUary leaf, and consequently being directed towards the 

 circumference of the ovarium ; while the upper cells are formed by 

 an exterior series of longer carpels alterna^with the others, their 

 cohering summits constituting the whole, or at all events the exter- 

 nal portion, of the style, and the ovula are borne on the entire inner 



