382 On Sclerenchymatotis Cells. [Sess. 



With regard to the occurrence of crystals of calcium oxal- 

 ate, Sachs states that these are absent from, among others, 

 Dammara australis. De Bary, on the other hand, states that 

 the branched sclerenchymatous fibres in the laminae of the 

 leaves of Sciadopitys, Dammara, Araucaria, and Nymphaea are 

 characterised by numerous crystals of calcium oxalate, which 

 are imbedded in the outer wall. These crystals are seen in 

 some of the specimens shown. In another group, as in the 

 spicular cells of Gymnosperms, crystals are usually found in 

 the cell -wall. A notable example is to be found in the 

 spicular cells from Welwitschia mirabilis. 



One object of this note is to show that the intimate or 

 microscopic structure of groups of plants, as well as their out- 

 ward and visible characters, ought, within certain limits, to 

 correspond. In illustration of the foregoing remarks, I have 

 shown the following preparations under the microscope : — 



1. Isolated sclerenchymatous cells from leaf of Kaurie pine (Dammara 



australis). 



2. Sclerencliymatous cell in trans, sect, of leaf of Umbrella pine {Scia- 



dopitys verticillata). 



3. Stellate-branched scleroblasts in trans, sect, of petiole of Water-lily 



(Nuphar lutea). 



4. Stomata in epidermis of leaf of Kaurie pine. 



5. Trans, sect, of Bracken (Pteris aquilina), showing bands of dark-brown 



sclerenchyma. 



6. Sclerenchymatous cells embedded in pith in trans, sect, of stem of 



Hoya carnosa. 



XL — THF TUFTED DUCK {FULIGULA CRISTATA). 

 By Mr A. B. HERBERT. 



{Read March 26, 1890.) 



The tufted duck, tufted pochard, or, as it is sometimes de- 

 signated, the black widgeon, has usually been considered 

 merely a winter visitor to this country ; but it is now well 

 known that many pairs breed regularly on islands in some of 

 the Scottish inland lakes. In the drake, the iris is of a 

 brilliant golden colour, and his head is of a dark purple and 



