PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Miss E. M. Wakefield, Mr. A. D. Cotton, I\rr. E. Paulson, 

 Mr. William B. Brierley (visitor), and Dr. A. P. Young engaged 

 in a discussion, the Author replying. 



December 13th, 1917. 



Sir Datid Prain, C.M.G., C.I.E., F.E.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the General Meeting of the 29th JVovember, 1917, 

 were read and confiriDcd. 



The report of the Donations received since the last meeting \vas 

 laid before the Fellows, and the thanks of the Society to the 

 several Donors were ordered. 



Mr. Arthur Anselm Pearson and Mr. Edward Berkeley 

 "Wilkinson were admitted Fellows. 



Mr. Syed Khurshaid Ahmed, F.E.H.S., was proposed as a I 

 Fellow. ' ^ 



Mr. John Laurence Pitchford Hollingworth was elected a 

 Fellow. 



Capt. Arthur W. Hill, F.L.S., exhibited specimens of Seeds 

 enclosed in a Stony Endocarp and their Germination, and by 

 drawings on the blackboard explained the various modifications 

 displayed. 



In certain genera the seed or seeds are protected by inclusion 

 within a stony endocarp. In such cases it is found that definite 

 provision is made during the development of the fruit for the 

 liberation of the seeds on germination from their stony envelope. 



In the case of Pruniis and similar normally one-seeded fruits 

 splitting apart of the two halves of the endocarp takes place, but 

 in such 3-5-seeded fruits as Caxanum, Sclerocari/a, Dnicontomelon, i 

 Saccof/loilis, Anbri/a, etc., special fenestra; or opercula are provided 1 

 which ai-e pushed away by the germinating embryo. In Dav'uUa 

 not only ai-e special fenestra; removed but al.>^o portions of the 

 intervening skeletal structure of the endocarp. The remarkable 

 fruit of Pleiogi/nium encloses several seeds w hich germinate without 

 anv disintegration of the endocarp. 



Mr. H. X. Eidley, Dr. O. Stapf, Prof. H. G. Greenish, and 

 Mr. E. G. Baker took part in the discussion Avhich followed, and 

 Capt. Ilill replied. 



Mrs. Haig Thomas, F.L.S., exhibited a long series of skins 

 illustrating various results obtained in crossing species of 

 Pheasants. 



