PKOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 159 



Oesterr. Bot. Zeitschrift. — F. Hauck, ' .J^^cc of the Adiiatic' (con- 

 tinued, tab. 1). — F. V. Hohnel, ' Eemarks on the cuticle.' — ' G. v. 

 Niessl, ' Species of Sporormia' (continued). — F. Antoine, 'Botany 

 of Vienna Exliibition' (continued). — J. Freyer, ' Muscari [Bellevalia, 

 Leopoldia) Weissii, s]). nov.' — J. K. Stroecker, ' The molecular causes 

 of plant-structures.' 



PtocteOtnss of Socuties. 



LiNNEAN Society of London. 



March 7, 1878. — Dr. Gwyn Jeffreys, Vice-President in the 

 chau'. — Mr. Charles P. Hobkirk, of Huddersfield, was elected a 

 Fellow of the Society. — Mr. Thomas Christy exhibited and made 

 remarks on a series of fruits, among which were Chinese Quinces, 

 Chayottes, and a fingered Citron known in China as the " Claw of 

 Buddha." — The following papers were read : — ' On the Laws govern- 

 ing the production of Seed in Wistaria sinensis,'' by Thos. Meehan. 

 The author pointed out that the Chinese Wistaria, when sup^jorted, 

 grows with wonderful rapidity, branches and flowers being plen- 

 tiful, but that it seldom or never i:»roduces seeds. On the other 

 hand, tree Wistarias seed abundantly, but send forth shoots very 

 sparuigly. In fact, in the one case vegetative, in the other re^n'o- 

 ductive, force predominates. Eecent contributions inclme to connect 

 the above circumstances with insect agency and cross fertilization. 

 Bees perforate the corolla from the outside instead of entermg the 

 mouth. From his observations, however, Mr. Meehan believes 

 that the question at issue is not related to pollenization, but rather 

 bears on the harmonious relation of the nutritive powers. — 

 ' Enumeration of the Fungi collected during the Arctic Expedition, 

 1875-76,' by the Eev. M. J. Berkeley. The series consists of 

 twenty-six species, all determined save two left doubtful from con- 

 dition of specimens. Of the above, seventeen are widely distributed 

 already well-known forms, but seven are new and hitherto unde- 

 scribed species. Of these last, Agaricus Feildeni, probably esculent, 

 and Urmila Hartii are the most interesting. The occurrence of 

 Chatomium glabrum on the walls of the cabin of H.M.S. ' Alert,' in 

 great abundance, is very curious, and notably the smaller size of 

 its sporidia in the Arctic specimens. 



Botautcal NtiDS. 



It is intended to open the International Congress of Botany 

 and Horticulture at Paris, on August 16th; it will last a week, and 

 will be held at the roonis in the Rue de Grenelle, No. 84. The 

 following matters are proposed for discussion :— The physiology of 

 the root ; gymnospermy ; the reproduction of Hymenomycetes and 



