286 Transactions of the [Sess. 



do not appear to eat them. In such localities as those referred to, 

 vast accumulations of shed antlers have been discovered. How- 

 ever, such a habit appears to be exceptional, as hunters in those 

 parts of the North American continent where the cervine family 

 are most plentiful have remarked the scarcity of shed antlers, in 

 the same way that has been noticed in our own country. The 

 peculiar habit of the Eed Deer of visiting a particular place to shed 

 its antlers — generally a place where there is good pasture — has 

 also been observed in Scotland, and may be much more common 

 than is generally supposed. During a recent visit to the Apple- 

 cross Deer-forest, I was informed by Mr Macrae, one of the game- 

 keepers, that close to the house of another gamekeeper in the 

 forest, near Kishom, is a field to which the Deer resort to shed 

 their antlers, and this keeper gathers them regularly each morning 

 in the spring months. I could not ascertain that there appeared to 

 have been any attempt by the Deer to eat these cast-off antlers. 

 From all I could learn, they were found just as they were when 

 they became detached. They are purchased by the agent of a 

 Glasgow merchant at the price of about sixpence per pound 

 weight. 



IV.— ON THE STRUCTURE AND POLLINATION OF THE 

 FLOWERS OF SARRACENIA. 



Br J. M. MACFAHLANE, D.Sc, F.R.S.E, 



[Read Dec. IS, 1885.) 



The structure of the flowers of Sarracenia in relation to their 

 pollination has not hitherto been explained, though the pecuhari- 

 ties of the pistil have frequently been noticed. 



The flowers are produced singly at the extremity of long ped- 

 uncles, and, owing to bending of the upper part of the peduncle, 

 they drooiJ in a graceful manner. Each flower consists externally 

 of three small bracteoles and five large spreading sepals, these 

 being all abundantly studded with honey-secreting glands, re- 

 sembling those found on the outside of the tubular leaf and its 

 inner lid-surface. Though I have only occasionally observed 

 honey secreted by these, it cannot be doubted but that they attract 

 insects to the inner flower-parts. The petals in the different 

 species agree in shape and general arrangement, but differ con- 

 siderably in size and colour. In S. variolaris they are yellowish- 

 green, and relatively small ; in *S. jlava they are pale yeUow, 



