94 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



of a specimen in flower of a Vatica, probably also a new species. 

 The Dlpterocarpecc being, perhaps, the most characteristic family of 

 the Indo- Malayan Flora, the poverty of its representation in New 

 Guinea was a conclusive proof that its vegetation was not a 

 markedly Malayan type. — Mr. J. K. Jackson, of Kew Museum, 

 exhibited several examiDles of the fasciated stems of Dipsacus 

 Fidlonum (the Teazle), which cmious malformations Messrs. 

 Marshall and Snelgrove have converted into the fashionable 

 IDroduct of handles for ladies' sun-shades. He also made some 

 remarks on a bu'd's nest made of cotton goods and wool, forwarded 

 by Sh- Bartle Frere, fi'om South Africa, to Sir J. Hooker. — The 

 following paper was read : " On the Nutrition of Drosera rotundi- 

 foUa," by F. Darwin. With the object of obtauiing direct evidence 

 as to whether insectivorous plants thrive as well if deprived of 

 animal food, a series of experiments w^ere set on foot with about 

 two hundred plants of IJ. rotundifolia. These were cultivated in 

 soup-plates under gauze, and each i^late was divided into halves by 

 a low wooden partition. The plants on one side of the partition 

 were supplied every few days, from the beginning of July to the 

 first days of September, with minute fragments of roast meat, 

 each weighing about one-fiftieth part of a grain, a fi'agment being 

 placed on each leaf, none being supplied to those on the other side 

 of the partition. The fed leaves soon became of a more intense 

 green, and the whole plants larger and stouter, with more numerous 

 flowermg stems. At the beginning of September, the seeds being 

 ripe, all the flower-stems were gathered, and the i^lants of three 

 plates were picked out of the moss, and carefully washed. The 

 following gives the result of counting, measuring, and weighing 

 the various parts of the two sets of plants : — 



Katio between number of starved and fed 



plants 100 : 101-2 



Katio between weights of the plants, ex- 

 clusive of flower- stems .... 



Total number of flower-stems . 



Sum of the heights of the stems 



Total weight of flower- stems 



Total number of capsules . 



Average number of seeds from capsules 



Average weight per seed .... 



Total calculated number of seeds produced 



Total calculated weight of seeds produced . 



These results are conclusive, as showing the advantage gained by 

 the plants fed with meat, and it can scarcely be doubted that the 

 capture of insects is of similar benefit. 



Fehruanj 7, 1878. — Professor Allman, F.K.S., President, in 

 the chau-.^ — Mr. Thiselton Dyer made a brief communication 

 on the so-called " Eain Tree " of Moyobamba, North Peru, 

 which promised to excite as much interest amongst residents 

 in hot, dry countries as the supposed anti-malarious pro- 

 perties of the "Fever Tree" ( Eiicahjptus Globulus j had done 



