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Betghton and Sussex Natural Histobt Society, 



Feh. 10th. The President, Mr. T. H. Hannah, in the Chair. 

 The receipt of ' Catalogue of "Works on the Microscope,' by R. C. 

 Eoper, from the author ; and ' Microscopic Objects Figured and 

 Described,' by J. H. Martin, from the publisher, was acknow- 

 ledged. 



The Hon, Sec, Mr. T. W. "Wonfor, exhibited a collection of 

 galls found on British plants, made by Mr. W. H. Kidd ; and read 

 a description of each and of the insects producing them, as well as 

 their parasites, drawn up by the same gentleman. This collection 

 is intended for the Brighton Museum, 



Mr. "Wonfor then read a paper on " Seeds." 



Commencing with the first appearance of the ovule, in the un- 

 expanded flower-bud, as a pimple consisting of an aggregation of 

 cells ; its gradual development and impregnation by the pollen, 

 together with its several parts, were traced ; until the perfect seed, 

 ready for dissemination and containing within it the embryo of the 

 future plant, was fully formed. The various modes by which the 

 seed is disseminated, the great number produced by some plants, 

 the power possessed by some seeds of resisting extremes of heat and 

 cold, and the wonderful property possessed by many seeds of 

 preserving their vitality under apparently very adverse circum- 

 stances, for long periods of years, were next discussed. 



On the subject of artificial selection, it was pointed out what 

 might be done in increasing both the size and number of seeds and 

 plants by carefully following the plan adopted with such success in 

 the case of cereals by Mr. F. Hallett, of Brighton. Reference was 

 next made to seeds as objects for the microscope. Having spent 

 several years in the collection and examination of the seeds of wild 

 and cultivated plants, as objects for the microscope, he considered 

 few things in the vegetable kingdom presented such diversity of 

 form, markings, and beauty. Although unwilling to lay down any 

 law for classification, by means of the appearances of seeds he has 

 often been able, in the ease of unknown seeds, to determine the 

 family to which they belonged, from certain peculiarities common to 

 many plants of the same family. Among some of the most in- 

 teresting families might be mentioned the Scrophulariaceae, con- 

 taining the mulleins, foxgloves, figworts, paulownias, &c ; the 

 Caryophyllaceaj, or pink family, containing a very great number of 

 very beautiful seeds, not the least beautiful being the common 

 chickweed and ragged robbin ; and the Orchidacese, characterised 

 by what had been termed the appearance of net-purses, each con- 

 taining a single gold coin. The majority required no other 

 preparation than that of mounting dry. Some, like the orchids, 

 when mounted in balsam, formed good polariscope objects. For 

 making out the several coats of the seed, the embryo, &c., sections 



