-tllOCEBDINGS OF THE SOCIKTY. 115 



show them. Hiltuer, after a series of experiments, states that 

 first-year alders, without tubercles, do not thrive well in soil 

 free from nitrogen, nor do they take up nitrogen from the 

 atmosphere; when, however, provided with root-tubercles they 

 assimilate nitrogen. It has also been shown that the tubercle 

 fungus is at first parasite on the alder, only becoming of use to 

 the plant when the tubercles are fully developed. 



Mr. John Renwick exhibited a large collection of Eucalyptus 

 from Australia, with samples of timber and oil. These were 

 sent by Mr. James Steel, and included twelve different species. 



Dr. T. Beath Henderson exhibited a specimen of the Green 

 Lizard, Lacerta viridis. Gray, and gave some interesting details 

 as to its mode of life. 



Mr. R. S. Wishart, M.A., sent for exhibition a sjDecimen of the 

 Water Soldier, Stratiotes aloides, L., from the Loch of Forfar. 

 In a note he remarked — 



" This plant is rarely found in Scotland. In Hooker's 

 Students' Flora it is said of it that it is ' naturalised in the East 

 of Scotland.' An edition of Withering's Flora, published in 

 1835, gives as its Scottish habitats " Duddingston Loch, Loch 

 of Forfar, and Loch of Clunie.' In the opinion of a local 

 botanist, the Stratiotes was introduced into the Loch of Forfar 

 by a former proprietor of the ground, but it has been growing 

 there from ' time immemorial ' as far as concerns anyone now alive. 



'■ It is a striking plant, growing as it does in the water. The 

 leaves are all radical, sword-like, and sharply prickly on the 

 edges. It is from its leaves that the generic name is derived, 

 as well as the English name ' Water Soldier.' It is a veritable 

 soldier, furnished with an array of swords all round. The 

 generic name is simply the Greek word o-TjoaTiwn;s, a soldier, 

 or a citizen on military duty. I am not aware of this plant 

 occurring anywhere in the West of Scotland. 



" Stratiotes belongs to the Hydrocharidacea, an order which is 

 so largely represented by the Elodea canadensis in all our canals, 

 as well as in many rivers and marshes." 



Mr. Peter Ewing, F.L.S., read a paper entitled " Remarks on 

 a List of Hepatics of the Clyde Area," in which he stated — " In 

 the following list there are 58 plants not formerly recorded 

 for the West Lowlands in the eighth edition of the London 



