20 ^ 



Mr. F. W. Brauson, F.C.S., described the plants taken, namely: — 

 Ra7iunculus hulbosus, Ranunculus auricomus, Anemone nemorosa, Draba 

 verna, Cardamine hirsuta, Gardamine pratensis, Sisymbrium alliaria, Viola 

 sylvatica var. liiviniana {]), Lychnis diurna, Stellaria holostea, Arenaria 

 trinervia, Cerastium triviale, Oxalis acetosella, Vicia sepium, Lathyrus 

 tnacrorrhizus, Prunus spinosa, Prunus padus, Geum rivale, Fragaria vesca, 

 Alchemilla vulgaris, Adoxa moschatellina, Charophyllum sylvestre, Valeriana 

 dioica, Veronica chamosdrys, Linaria cymbalaria, JVepeta gleckoma, Myosotis 

 sylvatica, Primula vulgaris, Primula verie, Primula farinosa, Rumex acetosa, 

 Orchis mascula, Allium ursinum, Scilla nutans. Arum maculatum, Luzula 

 campestris. 



Mr. Branson also called attention to a beetle collected, which illustrated 

 very clearly as the insect moved its legs the effect of the interference of 

 light in relation to colour. 



Specimens of the rock formations from the Embsay district were also 

 exhibited. 



Mr. William Kirkby exhibited and described the following plants, 

 collected at Adel : — Common Milkwort {Polygala rndgaris). Bitter Cress 

 {Cardamine amara). Tuberous or Heath Pea (Orobus tuberosus). Hairy 

 Bitter Cress {Cardamine hirsuta), Club Eush {Scirpus ccespitosus), Ivy- 

 leaved Ci-owfoot {Ranunculus hederaceus), Blinks, or Water Chickweed 

 {Montia fontana); Common Whortleberry {Vaccinium myrtillus). Wood 

 Sanicle {Sanicula europcea), Hare's Tail Cotton-grass {Eriophorum 

 vaginatnm), Common Cotton-grass {Eriophwum angustifolium), Common 

 Speedwell {Veronica officinalis), and Lousewort {Pedicularis sylvatica). 



Meeting held in Municipal Buildings, May 27th, 1889. John Stubbins, 

 F.G.S., F.R.M.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 



FLORAL DEVELOPMENT. 

 HAROLD WAGER. 



The most important work on this subject was done many years ago by 

 a Frenchman named Payer, whose observations, made almost entirely with 

 a pocket lens, were so complete that little has Ijeen left for others to do. 

 By means of the Ribbon section-cutting microtome some f lutber interesting 

 points have been made out. The flower first begins to form as a lateral 

 rounded projection of the stem. It finally becomes the flower stalk. On 

 this projection are borne a number of smaller ones, which develop into the 

 various organs of the flower. The sepals are the first to aiise, then the 

 petals, stamens, and lastly the pistil. The pistil is formed either from 

 outgrowths — carpels — near the centre of the flower stalk, or partly from 

 these and partly by the formation of a pit in the receptacle. In the 

 inferior ovary the ovules are borne on placentas formed partly by the 

 receptacle and partly by the carpels. In the superior ovary the ovules are 



