22 Proceedings. 



followed to Gomshall, where the time, until the departure of 

 the train, was occupied in the bog close to the station. 

 Swallows and Martins were flying about here in abundance. 

 A list of the plants found in flower during the day was kept, 

 and amounted to 161 species. On the concluding excursion 

 in 1887, on October 1st, which was also to the neighbourhood 

 of Gomshall, a similar list was kept, and comprised 137 spe- 

 cies, being twenty-four fewer than on this occasion, though 

 this is five days later. The list included five species of 

 Ranunculus (one of which was R. bidbosus, a species not often 

 to be found in autumn), five Veronicas, four Geraniums, 

 Anthriscus si/lvestris (another thoroughly spring species), the 

 Marsh Marigold {Caltha pabistris), &c., its interest arising not 

 from the rarity of the species, but from the survival of so 

 many to such a date. Probably this may be accounted for by 

 the wet and cold summer, which has preserved many that 

 would otherwise have been burnt or dried up, and allowad 

 them to linger on, or even encouraged them to flower a second 

 time. In the evening a display of the Fungi obtained was 

 made at the Museum, the names being attached to such as 

 could be identified. 



Mr. J. B. Crosfield exhibited pressed specimens of several 

 of the plants found on the excursions. 



Mr. N. E. Brown, of Kew, described 'The Madagascar 

 Flora, and its relation to other Regions ' : — 



Madagascar lies to the south-east of Africa, and about 

 250 miles from its coast. With the exception of the southern 

 end, the island is within the tropics. It is about 1000 miles 

 in length, and has an average breadth of 250 to 260 miles, 

 and an extreme breadth of 360 miles. It contains a central 

 plateau of granite, surrounded by a lower region wooded in 

 part with a band of dense forest from six or eight to fifty miles 

 broad. In the north-east part of the island the forest reaches 

 the coast. The granitic plateau is a region of moor-like hills, 

 bare of trees, with shrubby vegetation and tall grasses. The 

 soil is ferruginous-red clay. Its height is from 3000 to 

 5000 ft., with basaltic peaks rising to 9000 ft. Several 

 extinct volcanoes exist. 



