4 PROCEEUIXGS OF THE 



Prof. U. Picrantoni, according to whom there are in most species 

 of the genus male and hennaplirodite individuals. By internal 

 nutorecundation the hitter are said to fertilise some of their ova, 

 the males oidy fertilising the ova which remain unfertilised when 

 the genital products escape hy dehiscence. The development 

 of the spermatozoa in hermaphrodites is stated to be from cells 

 with two nuclei, one of which fragments and produces the heads 

 of a bunch of spermatozoa. These "cistosperms," therefore, are 

 not the normal produce of the maturation of spermatogonia and 

 conversion of spermatocytes, but arise by a process apparently 

 unique in the animal kingdom. 



Dr. Orton having recently discovered Protodrilns Jlnvocapitatus 

 at Plymouth, tlie author has been able to study large numbers 

 at the Marine Biological Laboratory. The apparent males and 

 females are about equal in size and number; but in ripe females 

 spermatozoa can often be seen, and many of the ova are fertilised. 

 Mr. Goodrich brought forward evidence that these spermatozoa 

 are derived from the males, are not developed in the females, anil 

 that their presence is due to normal internal cross-fertilisation 

 between the sexes. 



Miss Maktktt.v Pai.lis explained her paper, " The Structure 

 and History of ' Plav,' the floating fen of the delta of the 

 Danube " (which was communicated by Prof. A. C. Seward, 

 1M{.S., F.L.S.). 



A discussion followed. Dr. C. E Moss, Dr. O. Stapf. Sec.L.S., 

 the President, tlie General Secretary, and Prof. Y. E. AV^eiss 

 taking part, and the author replied. 



Mr. T. A. Dymes i-ead a paper entitled " On the Seed-mass ami 

 Dispersal of HellcI>orns fiftldns, Linn." 



Prof. AVeis^, Air. II. St. .1 . K. Donisthnrpe (visitor), Air. Clement 

 Reid, Air. E. Step, and Airs. Stuart engaged in a discussion, 

 replied to by the author. 



The General Secretarv showed some slabs of "Figured Ebony " 

 and sam])l(^s of walking-sticks made from that material by 

 Alessrs. Henry Howell & Co., Ltd., of Old Street, Finsbury. The 

 matter had been brought to his notice by Air. AI. White Stevens, 

 who, as the result of his enquiries, came to the conclusion that 

 the origin of this chance lot of wood in the docks was the 

 Andaman L'^lands ; if correct, this would point to the probability 

 of the tree yielding this ebony being iJiosj^i/ros Kvrzii, Hiern, 

 described by Air. J. S. Gamble, in his ' Alanual of Indian 

 Timbers,' p. 458, as "Andaman Alarble AVood or Zebra AVood,*' 

 the wood hard, the heartwood streaked black and grey in more or 

 less alternate layers ; it is one of the most irajiortant trees of the 

 Andamans, and of great value if it can be supplied in sufficient 

 quantity and become known. 



