146 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 
lacustris, Eriocaulon septangulare, Ceratophyllum demersum, and 
Asplenium marinum. From Miss Gage’s list there would appear to 
be nearly 300 phanerogamous plants and ferns in the island. 
Dr. Cleghorn stated that in August last he visited the Giant’s 
Causeway and Isle of Rathlin in company with Dr. Merriman of 
Kensington and Mr. T. Merriman. They traversed a considerable 
portion of the island, observing many of the plants mentioned in the 
list, Ulex nanus being in profusion. Sedum reflecum occurs at Fair 
Head and in various localities along the Antrim cliffs. Whoever has 
experienced the strong currents or boisterous gales in these seas, 
will not hesitate to attribute the dissemination of species to their 
agency—along with the transport of innumerable migratory sea birds 
which whiten the cliff. The party received much kindness under the 
hospitable roof of the Rev. R. Gage. 
Dr. Cleghorn exhibited the large ligneous fruit of Hydnocarpus 
inebrians (Vahl), which is used for poisoning fish in Malabar. Lamp 
oil is extracted from the seeds. He showed a drawing of Hrythropsis 
Roxburghiana (Lindl.), an extremely handsome tree. The rich scarlet 
panicles of flowers burst forth after the monsoon, long before the 
foliage appears. Also the fruit of Sterculia feetida (Linn.), a com- 
mon forest tree of stately size, widely diffused: the flowers yield an 
offensive odour, indicating to the traveller its immediate vicinity when 
riding through the jungle. The seeds are roasted and eaten like 
chestnuts. Dr. Cleghorn adverted to the difficulty of studyimg timber 
trees in the primeeval forests, and stated it to be one of the most dif- 
ficult departments of tropical botany. 
Dr. Balfour read a letter which he had received from Professor 
Fries, dated Upsal, 1st November 1849. In this letter, Fries thanks 
the Society for the specimens of Hieracia which had been transmitted 
to him, and states that he had found them useful m compiling his 
recent work, ‘Symbolz ad Historiam Hieraciorum.’ He promises to 
send some critical species in return. 
Mr. Wyville T. C. Thomson read a letter from Mr. Westwood, 
Dollar, mentioning the discovery of Potentilla tridentata on Ben 
Wyvis several years ago. No specimens were sent, and some doubts 
were expressed as to the discovery. 
Mr, Thomson also exhibited a specimen of Salix retusa which had 
been gathered by a friend of his on Ben Lawers. 
Mr. M‘Nab exhibited a specimen of the spathe and flowering spa- 
dix of Huterpe montana (mountain cabbage palm), and noticed the 
rapidity with which the branched spadix is developed. It would ap- 
pear that the branches of the spadix are confined by the spathe until 
their resiliency bursts it, and the branches at once spread out at right 
angles from the common rachis. Although this palm has flowered 
frequently of late in the Palm House of the Botanic Garden, it has not 
produced perfect fruit as it used to do many years ago. 
Dr. Balfour exhibited a specimen of wood hyacinth (dgraphis nu- 
tans), gathered by Mr. John Jeffrey, Edinburgh Botanic Garden, near 
Lochar, in Fife, in which all the bracts were converted into green leaves, 
many of them four to five inches long and one-eighth broad, giving 
