12 



base to below the central umbel was 10 ft. 2-iu. The measurement 

 across the blades of the base-leaves closely corresponded with that of the 

 transplanted specimen, though slightly in excess of it. The stem and 

 larger portion of the leaf-stalks were deeper and more extensively coloured, 

 the purple rugosities were larger and the hairs projecting from them 

 stronger. The leaf-stalk had a tendency to be ridged on the inner side, 

 making the section ovoid instead of circular ; ou tlie edge of the ridge 

 was a groove which opened out as it approached the blade. The niid-ril)s 

 of the blade and their branches were more prominent on the under surface 

 of the blade. The upper surface was darker coloured, and more glossy. 

 The central umbel, which had fully developed seeds, was removed for 

 more complete examination. The outer rays measured from 9i to 10^ 

 inches, the diameter v/as about 20 being here and there more by projection 

 of an outer umbellule. There were 73 umbelhiles, the fair seed on each 

 varied from 81 to 21, the abortive seed from 13 to 1. The weight of the 

 umbel, with 7^ inches of the stalk, was 1-lb. ^-oz.; no aphides were seeu. 

 The amount of seed was 3,541, of this 509 were abortive, leaving 3,032 

 as the amount of fair seed. 



It only remains to add, that the transplanted plant seenied to be 

 materially affected by the attack of aphides. The lateral umbels faded, 

 drooped, and shivelled up ; and, though the vegetative growtli of the other 

 parts persisted for some time, the plant seemed to die down in the 

 early autumn sooner than was expected. There was no re-pppearance of 

 it ill the following spring. It would appear that the period of life of this 

 plant is from 4 to 5 years, the beauty of its foliage extending and 

 increasing over the three or four latter years. 



III. 



THE BEDS BETWEEN THE CHALK AND LONDON 

 CLAY IN EAST KENT, 



BY 



Mil. G. DOWKEE, F.G.S. 

 Read February 21, 1889. 



In the paper, of which this is an abstract, Mr. Dowker gave a resume 

 of the chief papers by Professor Prestwich, Mr. Whitaker, and Mr. J S. 

 Gardner, in relation to the lower tertiary beds of the district, with 

 particulars of the most important natural ' sections that have been 

 published by the authors above referred to relative to the suiiject. 



He then referred, in some detail, to the three divisions whicli liad 

 been classed by Mr. Prestwich iu the following order : — 



l.—Thanet Sands. 



2. — "Woolwich and Reading Beds. 



3. — Basement Bed of the London Clay. 



