M(7y i2th, /poS.'] Proceedings. xxvii 



" T/ie Structure of the Cotton Fibre" by F. H. Bowman (121110., 

 London, 190S), presented by the author; ^^ Flora Capettsis" ed. 

 by Sir W, T. Thiselton Dyer, vol. 4, sect, i, part 5 (8vo., 

 London, i Q08), purchased ; "y. G. Bohm : Die Kunst- Uhren 

 nuf der...Sternwarte zu Prag,'''' von L. Weinek (4to., Prag, 1908), 

 presented by the Stemwarte zu Prag ; '■'•Idea delV Universo... 

 Note" di G. C. PaoU (8vo., Milano, 1907-8), presented by the 

 author; " Astrographic Catalogue igooo. Oxford section Dec. 

 + 24 to +^2° "...[prepared] under the direction of H. H. 

 Turner... vols. 3, 4 (4to., Edinburgh, 1907-8), presented by the 

 University Observatory of Oxford ; and " Osservazioni meteoro- 

 logiche e geodinamiche eseguite nelt antio igo6 neli' Osservatorio 

 del Seminario Patriarcale di Venezia'''' (4to., Venezia, 1907), 

 presented by the Reale Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed 

 Arti. 



Mr. T. G. B. OsBORN exhibited an unusual example of the 

 furze or gorse, which he found at Hatchmere, in which the 

 spines, instead of being erect, were recurved. As the plant was 

 not then in flower the specific name could not be assigned with 

 certainty. It was not Ulex Europea, but might be a new variety 

 of U. Gallii. 



Miss Nellie Snape, B.Sc, read a paper, communicated by 

 Professor F. E. Welss, D.Sc, F.L.S., entitled " Spore forma- 

 tion in the genus Chaetoceros" of which the following is an 

 abstract : — 



Before the decrease in the number of individuals of 

 Chaetoceros in the plankton during the late summer, there occurs 

 the formation of the characteristic spined resting spores. 



The protoplasmic contents of the organism withdraw from 

 the old frustules and are surrounded by two new ones, one of 

 which is in most cases provided with fine branching excrescences. 

 The spores are set free by the breaking up of the Chaetoceros 

 filament and the throwing off of the old shells. The whole pro- 

 cess is apparently a fairly rapid one, and the result of some 

 sudden change of conditions. 



