Proceedings. 5 



produced most distinctly when the fog had nearly dis- 

 appeared and when the eye had become somewhat fatigued 

 by being steadily fixed on the same point, and when a 

 comparatively low power objective was used. The illusion 

 (if illusion it was) was less easily observed when the higher 

 magnifying powers were employed. 



Mr. R. F. GWYTHER, M.A., mentioned that Mr. W. E. 

 HOYLE, M.A., and he had attempted to repeat Mr. 

 Hovenden'S experiment. Examining the smoke by 

 transmitted light, they had not been able to distinguish the 

 phenomena described. 



Mr. Joseph Collier, F.R.C.S., introduced by Mr. 

 William Thomson, F.R.S. Ed., gave a detailed account 

 of his personal experiences of an electric shock from a rock 

 discharge when descending in August from one of the peaks 

 of the Tyrol. The shock passed through the left arm, with 

 which he was clinging to the rock, semi-paralysing it for a 

 time, and burnt a hole through the stocking on the left foot. 

 In the discussion which ensued, his escape from more 

 serious consequences was attributed to the fact that he was 

 drenched with rain at the time, the only portion of his 

 clothing which had escaped wetting being the stocking, 

 which was charred. The curious electric phenomenon 

 known as the "singing" of the ice-axes, was very observable 

 during the excursion. 



Mr. J. C. Melvill, M.A., F.L.S., read a paper on a 

 specimen of TracJielium coeruletun, recently found by 

 Mr. A. B. Brown, in Guernsey (the first discovery of the 

 plant in the British region). 



Mr. Melvill also read the following note : " On a 

 Monstrous Flowering Form of Ranunculus bullatus (L.) 

 from Sicily " : — 



" My friends, Miss C. Birley and Miss Copland, collected 

 at the beginning of this year (1892), amongst the ruins of 

 the temple at Taormina, S. of Messina, Sicily, a form of the 



