PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 95 
some curious Chinese Insects by the Secretary. The usual votes of thanks 
terminated the meeting at about 10 p.m. 
Fourtu Evyenine Merrine, Fes. 5.—Held by kind permission at the 
house of the late R. Wheeler, Esq. The principal feature of the evening 
was a paper (very kindly forwarded by the author, Robert Holland, Esq., of 
Mobberley, Cheshire), “On some Resemblances between Plants and Animals,” 
of which the following is a short summary :—“ The life of a plant is subject 
to a great many of the same changes as those which attend that of an animal. 
External circumstances affect it in the same way; ¢.g., neither a fish nor a 
water plant can flourish out of their native element. Again, both animals 
and plants are similarly influenced by various poisonous substances: like 
animals, too, plants breathe, their leaves corresponding to the lungs of the 
former. Plants, as well as animals, grow by the accumulation of matter 
deposited from food, which food is drawn by the roots from the soil ; or, when 
the plant first germinates, from the supply of sugar formed by the action of 
heat and moisture from the starch contained in theseed. Many plants seem 
to have, to a certain extent, the power of motion, the stamens and pistils of 
some changing their positions at various stages of their development. 
Most of our Orchids have, in a measure, the power of locomotion, the bulb 
dying away each year, and a new one forming at one side of it, so that the 
plant appears each year perhaps half an inch distant from the place where it 
last came up. The long winter sleep of plants is analogous to the sleep of 
animals, enabling them to start with fresh vigour when the genial spring 
sunshine calls them to life again. Plants mimic animals in their habits of 
life; we have solitary and gregarious animals, and we have solitary and 
gregarious plants. In the same way we have animal parasites, and we have 
vegetable parasites, closely resembling them in their method of obtaining 
food from their foster-parents: and as some members of the animal world 
perform the office of scavengers, by devouring or otherwise removing 
decaying matter, so do fungi convert such refuse into soil.” The writer con- 
eluded by drawing attention to the Sundews and the Venus’ Flytrap, as 
special examples of carnivorous vegetables. An interval for conversation 
ensued, after which the Secretary, in a brief paper, urged upon the members 
_ the necessity for more active work during the coming season, expressing a 
hope that the out-door meetings of the next summer session would be 
_ more largely attended than has hitherto been the case. An inspection of 
_ the objects exhibited succeeded: among which were the following :—A 
tray of Fossils, lent by E. Wheeler, Esq.; a collection of Minerals, by the 
President; the local species of Geraniacee and Umbellifere, by Miss Chand- 
ler; the Spurge Laurel (Daphne Lawreola) and Shepherd’s Needle (Scandix 
Pecten-Veneris) in blossom; and several illustrated works on various 
branches of Natural History. The President’s microscope was, as usual, in 
requisition. Among the more interesting objects shown were—a section of 
