Bh 
in detail, and the distinguished author stated the view that they were portions of 
a single plate “ which was accidentally broken during the life of the animal, and 
afterwards recuperated, leaving marks of fracture which Billings took to be 
sutures between the plates.” During last Spring I collected a small specimen of 
a species of this genus, and shortly after was favored with a view of another 
specimen (likely of a new species), which Dr. Grant had sent him from Belleville, 
in company with specimens of a new species of Porocrinus, for description. Both 
the specimens had the identical arrangement of azygos plates shown in the 
generic diagram.* I communicated the result of my examination to Mr. Wach- 
smuth, and ke at once stated that he would abandon his view. 
SEVENTH SOIREE. 
Fripay, 257TH FEBRUARY, 1881.—“ Lintace#,” By Ligut.-Cot. WM. WHITE. 
* * *% + * * * * % * 
I propose to devote our time this evening to the genus Lilium, from 
which the order Liliacee derives its name. ‘This genus includes plants with 
scaly bulbs, from which arise leaty stems, bearing at the top from one to many 
large showy flowers. The stem leaves are alternate or whorled, short and usually 
sessile, except the two eastern forms, which have heart-shaped leaves and long 
petioles. The great characteristic of the Tiger Group, and one by which they are 
easily propagated, is the constant presence in the axils of each leaf of one to three 
bulblets, shiny and black, about the size of peas, which, in the Autumn, fall, or are 
gathered, and in three years’ time will, if cultivated, produce flowering bulbs. 
The flower of the lily consists of six petal-like divisions or sepals, either dis- 
tinct or partly united below, and spreading or recurved above, forming a funnel- 
shaped or bell-shaped perianth. Each of the divisions has a honey-bearing furrow 
at the base. 
The genus Liliwm has been sub-divided hy Professor Baker, of Kew, into 
five sub-genera ; each being perfectly distinct from the others, so that any person 
who will take the trouble to master the characters of these five sub-genera will 
have no difficulty in referring to its proper position any specimen which may be 
under consideration. 
According to Professor Baker’s classification, the first sub-genus is— 
Cardiocrinum. —The perianth is funnel-shaped, with oblanceolate segments, 
faleate only at the apex. Leaves large, rotundate-cordate, very different to the 
lanceolate or linear leaves of all the cthers, with true petioles sometimes as long 
as the leaves. The only two lilies at present known belonging to this sub-genus 
are the heart-shaped leaved (L. cordifolium) lily from Japan, and the Giant Lily 
(L. giganteum) from the Himalayas. This sub-genus is at the same time the finest 
and most distinct of all true lilies, being completely different from all the rest in 
possessing long petioles, and in the shape and veining of its leaves. 
The second sub-genus has been named— 
Eulirion.—Perianth funnel-shaped, with oblanceolate segments, falcate only 
at the apex, stamens slightly curved parallel with the style, lines linear or lance- 
shaped, sessile or nearly so, flowers fragrant, often white, never red. Of this sub- 
genus there are twelve species known to the Old World, of which the one beat 
* Decade 4, G, S.C. 
3 
