94 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
then gave a popular description fof the polariscope and spectroscope, with 
exhibitions of each. The following objects were exhibited :—Dried plants, 
by Miss Chandler, illustrating the Orchidaceae, Primulacee, Crucifere, and 
Ranunculacee; specimens of Humming-birds, by the President; a cast of 
Limulus giganteus from the lithographic limestone (Upper Odlite), Hichstidt, 
Bavaria; ete. ‘The microscopic portion of the evening was devoted to the 
inspection of polarised objects, mostly prepared by the President : amongst 
the most beautiful of these were the prisms contained in a section of the shell 
of an oyster, and the different forms of lime-crystals contained in a section 
of shrimp-shell, the spiral vessels of a rush, crystals of nitre, etc. 
Fourts Eventne Meerinc, Tuespay, Fesruary 23.—Held at the house 
of Joun Parker, Esq., at his kind invitation, T. Marshall, Esq., read a 
paper on “Our Water-Birds,” in which the more generally known species 
were described from personal observation, and their habits referred to, This 
was followed by one from the Secretary, “ On English Plant-Names,” being 
an amplification of one read by him at the First Evening Meeting of the 
present session. Referring in the first place to the Christian names which 
have been bestowed upon plants, he instanced many which had been trans- 
ferred from plants to people and places. He then glanced at the terminology 
of English plant-names, as -ock, -wort, -weed, -grass, -cress. Ominous 
names, such as ‘Mother-dee,” ‘Thunner-flower,” and “‘ Bloodyman’s 
Fingers” were noticed, as well as the traditions connected with them, which 
in some cases originated, in others took their origin from, the name. Many 
local traditions from various sources, bearing on love-affairs, were quoted, as 
well as others, of more serious import, which associated death or some other 
catastrophe with the plucking of certain flowers. The confusion of plant- 
names which renders their study more puzzling was attributed in a great 
measure to the “ poetical license ’’ in such matters of the older writers ; and 
Tennyson’s poems were cited as affording a good example of fidelity to 
nature in their allusions to natural objects. Scriptural plant-names were 
contrasted with such as are any thing but saintly in their allusions: and the 
paper concluded with a reference to those plants which are, by local name — 
and tradition, associated with events in English history. After conversation 
on the subject of the paper, an exhibition of objects with the President’s 
microscope took place—among them was a section of the human tongue 
(injected) showing the capillaries that run into the papilla; elytra (wing- 
cases) of the Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris); a transverse section of a 
Lion’s whisker; sections of fossil teeth; &c. The Secretary exhibited 
specimens of the Green Hellebore (Helleborus viridis) from Matching’s Wood, 
West Wycombe; a collection of very ancient fossil remains, anda sPecimen 
of the Pipetish (Syngnathus typhie) were also on the table. 
