IS92, 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 413 



In this point Nycterinia capensis differs from all other scented 

 flowers investigated. In the floral leaves of Matthiola incana, Rosa 

 centifolia, Lathynis odoratus, Diantlms plumanus, Reseda odovata and others, 

 either no deposit of starch was found, or only in the stomatal cells, 

 while in the flowers of Philadelphis coronarius it occurred only in the 

 stamens. The corolla of Nicotiana longifiora is rich in starch-grains, 

 but neither here nor in Pkiladelphus has their consumption the slighest 

 influence on the smell of the flowers ; in the latter plant flowers 

 which already smell never entirely lose their scent when placed in 

 the dark. 



Experiments were also made on the relation between respiration 

 and the scent in Nycterinia capensis. Shoots with the normal night- 

 smelling flowers, when placed in an atmosphere of hydrogen, neither 

 opened nor smelt ; the effect was somewhat persistent, as the flowers 

 when removed from the hydrogen did not open for some time, and 

 even then did not smell. The next evening, however, they opened 

 and smelt in the normal way. 



Finally, the author points out that although normally only the 

 open flowers of Nycterinia are odorous, yet the scent and the opening 

 and closing are not absolutely dependent on each other, for the 

 flowers do not usually begin to smell directly on opening, and we 

 have also seen that under some circumstances, e.g., in the dark, at a 

 temperature lower than the normal, only half-opened or even quite 

 closed flowers may be scented. 



Women Fellows. 



The Royal Geographical Society has decided to admit women 

 as Fellows. For many years the Society has accepted papers from 

 women, and on two occasions has singled them out for special 

 honour, as when in i860 Lady Franklin received the Gold Medal in 

 commemoration of her husband's discoveries, and when in i86g — a 

 case more to the point — Mary Somerville received the Patron's 

 Medal for her publications furthering Geographical Science. The 

 Manchester Guardian for July 7th has the following excellent comment 

 on the decision : — " Papers by lady travellers have frequently been 

 read before the Society, and it has for some time been felt to be an 

 anomaly that travellers of the standing, say, of Mrs. Bishop (Miss 

 Isabella Bird) should be excluded from the ranks of a Society for 

 which they have done so much good." 



While endorsing all this, it must be admitted that there is 

 the strongest objection to the admission of women to scientific 

 meetings as casual visitors ; it would probably be advisable to 

 allow only the lady Fellows to introduce ladies, as meetings of a 

 Society held for scientific business are very different from Royal 

 Institution lectures. 



We do not remember that any Society has refused to accept a 



