34 



little ■vrhile the liairs exhibit a considerable degree of irritability 

 by curving inwards, and thus holding it secure." (Henslow.) 

 And Dr. Eojde describes the phenomenon as occurring so 

 obviously in an Indian species of sun-dew, that he had called it 

 " the flj^ catching" in consequence. 



Near the base of the leaf stalk is a long coarse fringe which 

 is supposed to represent stipules. The flowers of the sun-dew, 

 when expanded, are elevated upon a slender scape, along one 

 side of the upper end of which they are arranged ; but when 

 young thejf are coiled up in a gyrate (or circinate) manner. 



The Calyx consists of five sepals, a little glandular external!}', 

 and nearly as long as the petals. The petals are fine, snow white, 

 flat, blunt, and spreading. There are five stamens, growing from 

 below the ovary, opposite the sepals. 



The ovary is a superior, oblong case, of one cell, and bears 

 three clusters of ovules on its sides ; it is surmounted by three 

 forked stigmas. The fruit is a capside, half divided into three 

 valves, and enclosing a multitude of minute seeds. Each seed 

 is invested in a loose membranous tunic tapering to each end, 

 and contains a kernel filled with a large quantity of albumen, in 

 the base of which is a minute two lobed embrj'o. 



On Poli/zoa, illustrated with cliagrcnm and living sjfeciniens, 

 hj Mr. J. Fullagar. 



The groups of polyzoas are among the most beautiful and 

 interesting forms of invertebrate animals. They are chiefly 

 inhabitants of the sea, where they may be witnessed under 

 nuTnerous plant-like forms, offering, even to the unassisted ej-e, 

 an endless repetition of the same element of fsrm, objects of 

 surpassing symmetry and beauty. The polyzoa, however, are 

 not by nwy means exclusivelj'' confined to the ocean, and though 

 by far the gi'eater number are marine, yet in the still and run- 

 ning waters of the land, in the rivers, ponds, and dj'kes, species 

 are to be found which in interest yield not one jot to their 

 brethren of the sea, and offer to the naturalist an inexhaustible 

 source of gratification in the beauty of their form, and the 

 "^■onders of their organization. The ponds and dykes this summer 

 have not been very prolific in the production of the polyzoas, at 

 least in this neighbourhood ; nevertheless Mr. Dean sent to the 

 last meeting some good specimens of the Plumatella repens, and 

 since that we have found them in large quantities in the reed 

 pond, from which the specimens now exhibited were obtained. 

 In order to keep them alive in the cells for exhibition, it is 

 necessary to feed them, and they will readily feed on monads, 

 which are to be obtained at times from a rain water butt, or fish 

 tank, where the water will appear of a green colour, which is 



