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LI. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
LINNZAN SOCIETY. 
Jan. 19, J EAD, Descriptions of the species of Lacis found grow- 
1836. ing in the River Essequibo, and of the fish called Pacou, 
which feeds upon these plants. By Robert H. Schomburgh. 
Feb. 2.—Read, Observations upon a supposed new species of Vero- 
nica found in Staffordshire, in a letter to Mr. Sowerby ; by Mr. George 
Luxford. 
Also, descriptions of two species of the genus Pinus from the Hi- 
malaya Alps. By Professor Don, Libr. L.S. 
The first of these, which belongs to the group of spruce firs, has been 
described and figured by Dr. Wallich, in the 3rd volume of his splendid 
work on Indian plants, under the name of Pinus Smithiana, in honour 
of the late eminent President of the Linnean Society. It is nearly 
related to Pinus orientalis, a native of Armenia and the western parts 
of Georgia, and has been cultivated for more than ten years in our 
gardens, and was at first supposed to belong to the Indian cedar 
(Pinus Deodara). Khutrow, Morinda, and Raga, are the names by 
which it is known in its native mountains. 
The second species belongs to the group of silver firs, and is nearly 
allied to Pinus Webbiana, but is essentially distinguished from it by 
its longer acutely bidentate leaves, of nearly the same colour on both 
surfaces, by its shorter and thicker cones, with trapeziform scales, and 
rounded notched bracteole. Dr. Wallich, who had neither seen 
flowers nor fruit, has doubtfully referred it to Taxus, under the spe- 
cific name of Lambertiana, in his Catalogue. Several travellers have 
noticed the tree, but Mr. Royle appears to be the only one who has 
been fortunate enough to meet with it in flower and fruit. 
The author has noticed a remarkable peculiarity in the seeds of the 
species belonging to this group, which consists in the rupture or se- 
paration at the inner side of the external integument, leaving the 
nucleus with its inner covering exposed at that part. 
The following are the characters of these two species : 
Sp. 1. Pinus Smirutana. Wail. 
P. foliis solitariis compresso-tetragonis rectis subulatis pungentibus, strobilis 
oblongis cylindraceis: squamis obovato-rotundatis coriaceis rigidis mar- 
gine levissimis, antherarum cristé subrotunda erosé crenulata. 
Sp. 2. Pinus Pinprow. Loyle MSS. 
P. foliis bifariam versis linearibus planis utrinque concoloribus apice biden- 
tatis, antherarum cristé bicorniculata, strobilis ovalibus: squamis trape- 
zoideo-cordatis, bracteolis subrotundis emarginatis erosé crenulatis. 
Feb. 16.—Read some observations on the Nephrodium rigidum. 
By Professor Don, Libr.L.S. 
For this valuable addition to the British Filices, we are indebted to 
the Rev. W. T. Bree, who discovered it many years ago on Inglebo- 
rough, and it has since been published in the Supplement to English 
Botany. The British specimens accord entirely with foreign ones, 
and with the accurate figure given by Schkuhr (Kryptog. Gew. t. 38.). 
