1820.] Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 225 



vessel large masses of stone to sink them. By adopting the 



{)lan suggested in this paper that inconvenience is obviated. In 

 aying the foundation of a pier, immense blocks of stone 

 attached by chains to the bottoms of large boats may be brought 

 during high water, and may be deposited accurately in the place 

 intended by the subsidence of the tide. 



Joseph M'Sweeny. 



Article XI. 



Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 



LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



June 6. — A continuation of Dr. Horsfield's paper, on the Birds 

 of Java, was read. 



June do. — A paper, by Mr. Brown, on a new Genus of Plants 

 called Rajfiesia, was read. 



The plant from which this genus is estabhshed was discovered 

 inSumatrainl818,bythe late Dr.Joseph Arnold, who accompanied 

 Sir Stamford Raffles in his first journey into the interior of the 

 island. 



This plant has lately excited the curiosity of botanists, from the 

 extraordinary dimensions of its flower, which is equally remark- 

 able in structure. 



The flower springs directly from a horizontal root. The bud 

 is covered with many round imbricate dark-brown floral leaves, 

 or bracteae, and has very much the appearance of a cabbage, 

 which it also nearly equals in size. 



The expanded flower was ascertained by measurement to be 

 full three feet in diameter ; the tube it was supposed would hold 

 12 pints, and the weight of the flower was reckoned to be about 

 15 lbs. 



As the proper floral envelope is simple, it is, though coloured, 

 regarded rather as calyx than corolla. Its substance is fleshy, 

 and of a thickness proportioned to its size ; the tube is short, the 

 faux is produced into an entire annular corona, and the limb 

 is deeply divided into five equal rounded spreading segments. 



The few flowers yet examined proved to be male. 



The antherae are numerous, sessile, nearly spherical, cellular, 

 and bursting by a single pore at top. They are disposed in a 

 simple series under the projecting margin of the apex of a fleshy 

 column which occupies the centre of the flower, is included in 

 the tube, and whose disc is furnished with numerous slightly 

 curved hornlike processes. 



The author of the paper, in trearing of the affinities of this 

 singular plant, compares it chiefly with Asarea: (or Aristolochee), 



Vol.. XVq. N^III. p 



