31 



the mid-styled form. But, according to H. MuUer, their pollen- 

 grains are a little larger. The si.K shorter stamens, with their un- 

 colonred filaments and yellow pollen, resemble in the size of their 

 pollen-grains and in ail otlier respects, the corresponding stamens of 

 the long-styled form. The ditference in diameter between the 

 grains from the two sets of anthcirs in the short styled form is as 

 100 to 73. 



We thus see that this plant exists under three female forms, 

 which differ in the length and curvature of the style, in llie size 

 and state of the stigma, and in the number and size of the seed. 



On the power of mutual fertilisation between the three forms, 

 Mr. Darwin states as follov.-s: — " Nothing shows more clearly the 

 extraordinary complexity of the reproductive sys.em of this plant 

 tliau the necessity of making eighteen distinct unions iu order to 

 ascertain the relative ferti!i>iag power of the three forms. Thus 

 the long-styled form has to be fertilised with pollen from its own 

 two kinds of antl.ers, trom the two in the mid-style, and from the 

 two in the short- styled form. The same process has to be repeated 

 with the mid-style and short-style forms. It niiglit have been 

 thought sufficient to have tried ou eacli stigma the green pollen, 

 for instance, from cither tlie mid or sliort-styled longer stamens, 

 and not from both ; but the result (of Mr. JJarv/iu's experiments) 

 proves that this would have been insufficient, and that it was 

 necessary to try all six kinds of pollen on each siigma." 



Those who wish for further information in connexion v.ith this 

 interesting plant should refer to the book itself, which I have pur- 

 chased for the .Society's library. ISuffice it to sny iliat a specimen 

 of each form is now on the table for the inspection of the members. 

 The two kinds of pollen form a very pretty subject under the 

 microscope. 



Miss Marsh, of Tunbridge Wells, brought to the notice of the 

 Society some specimens of Lythrum salicaria, obtained from the 

 river side near the Milton Hail way 13riilge, wliicli iu two instances 

 showed the peculiarities mentioned in Colonel Horsky's paper. 

 Mrs. Terry laid upon the tabic some beautiful minerals, "which ex- 

 cited great admiration. Mrs. Pilcher, of St. Duustan's, contributed 

 several fine specimens of the linchauter's iS'ightshade. Mr. Henry 

 Dean sent a bottle of water containiug Volvox and Actiuophrys, for 

 microscopical observation. 



Odoler 2n(l, 1878. 



Colonel Ilor.sley read the following very interesting paper '"On 

 the carnivorous l;abits of the Utricularia minor" : — 



Charles Darwin, D.C.L., F.K.S., in his work on Insecliverous 

 Plants, 1875, gives most interesting informaliou on the subject of 

 " Utricularia." He mentions several species of this ])laut, among 



