190 SELECTED NOTES FROM SOCIETY'S NOTE-BOOKS. 



Stem. At the nodes where the stem is solid, a transverse section 

 displays the usual endogenous structure. The aerial root of the 

 Screw Pine {Pa7idainus) shows a similar arrangements of parts, 

 but the woody bundles are not so crowded towards the circum- 

 ference. Sarsaparilla root, which is yielded by several species of 

 Smilex, resembles in structure an exogenous stem, having a dis- 

 tinct pith and bark. The Smilacece have leaves with netted veins, 

 and are a link between the Exogens and Endogens. 



H. F. Parsons. 



Cuticle of Equisetum bears a striking resemblance, on a small 

 scale, to its fossil cousin, Sigillaria^ a resemblance, I presume, 

 merely superficial, as the dots in pairs at regular intervals in 

 Equisetum are stomata, which the large scars on Sigillaria can 

 hardly be. H. F. Parsons. 



Palate of Limpet is remarkable for its great length, when 

 unrolled being about one and a half times the entire length of the 

 animal's body. The easiest way to extract palates of mollusca is 

 to dissolve away the soft parts with caustic potash solution, but 

 they do not polarise well after this treatment. H. F. Parsons. 



Palatial Tooth- — This was extracted from what is known as the 

 Bone Bed (Lyme Regis). I find the material is quite full of very 

 small teeth, both palatial and incisor, and of many forms. Has 

 this particular bed been studied, and can anyone give any 

 information as to the character of the life at the period of the 

 deposition of this Bone Bed ? J. Butterworth. 



Equisetum.— The markings on the cuticle of Equisetum, 

 alluded to by Dr. Parsons, are generally understood to be sto- 

 mata. But how strange that stomata have not yet been found in 

 the structure of its fossil representative, the Ca/amite. I have a 

 section of fossil plant, showing stomata splendidly, but it has no 

 Calamitian affinities. J. Butterworth. 



Bone Bed, Lyme Regis.— This bed has been described by (the 

 late) Mr. Charles Moore, of Bath, in \\\^ Journal of the Geographi- 

 cal Society^ Dec, 1867, and there is to be found in his museum at 

 Bath the finest series in the world from this particular bed. There 

 are in this museum more than 500,000 specimens from this bed 

 alone. A. Allen. 



Scotch Fir.— I do not think it is generally known that the sap 

 of tiie Scotch Fir contains very beautiful crystals. Now (Jan. — 

 Feb.) is a good time for obtaining them ; but I find they are very 

 difficult to mount. Cut a slice from the underside of Fir branch. 

 In a few days the sap will flow, and by placing a slide to the 

 branch enough sap will be found to adhere to it. S. C. Hincks. 



