Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 209 



one-third of the length of the upper segments at the base of which they 

 are placed, and two small slender diverging bipartite teeth at the base 

 of the lower segments, the former being tipped with lilac, though white 

 below, the latter every where colourless ; tube colourless, twisted. 

 Column flattened, slightly dilated in the middle, where it is reflected 

 over the fifth lobe of the corolla, above this flexure slightly coloured 

 lilac for a little way in front, near the top pale greenish-yellow every 

 where else colourless. Anther-lobes elliptical, deflected, the lobes of 

 each being placed end to end in the direction of the column, along the 

 mesial line before expansion brownish, pollen yellow. Stigma green. 

 German bilocular in the lower half, septum imperfect in the upper. 

 Receptacle central, ovules numerous. 

 This most beautiful species, perhaps the most desirable in cultivation, 

 not only on account of the great size of its flowers, but because each 

 blossom remains expanded during several weeks, and these coming in 

 succession, keep the plant in perfection for a time, the length of which 

 we do not yet know, was raised from seeds transmitted from Swan 

 River to Mi Low of Clapton by Mr Drummond. This gentleman has 

 lately added so greatly to the plants now in cultivation in Britain from 

 this interesting colony, that I take delight in paying him the only com- 

 pliment in my power, and dedicating to him what is by mu< tl 

 striking of these which I have yet seen in a li\ ing state. A ; ! ant \i as 

 kindly sent to the Botanic Garden by Mr Low in October i839, and 

 expanded its first flowers in the greenhouse early in November 1840. 



Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 



1840, February 17.— Dr Hope, V. P , in the Chair. The 

 following Communications were read : — 



1. On the Cosmogony described in the Sixth Eclogue of 

 Virgil, and o*n its relation to the theories of Modern Geology. 

 By the Venerable Archdeacon Williams. 



2. A brief notice relative to an Aerolite which was seen to 

 fall near Juvinas, in the Department of the Ardeche in France, 

 on the 15th June 1821. By Professor Forbes. 



March 2.— Sir T. M. Brisbane, Bart, G. C. B., Pres., in the 

 Chair. The following Communications were read : — 



1. On the Persian mode of making Malleable Iron direct 

 from the Ore, by James Robertson, Esq. Communicated by 

 Robert Bald, Esq. 



2. On the Fatal Effects of Air drawn into the Veins during 

 Surgical Operations on the Neck and Shoulder. By Sir 

 Charles Bell, K. H. 



March 16. — Right Hon. Lord Greenock, V. P., in the Chair. 

 The following Communications were read : — 



VOL. XXX. NO. LIX. JANUARY 1841. O 



