Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 65 



15. BuLiMUS PRiMULARis. Bill, testii aeuminato-ovatu, tenui- 

 culd, subventricosd, umbilicatd, anfractibus septem, IcevibuSy 

 columella tenui rejlexd, labro simjjlici ; albidd, basin versus 

 vivide luted, fasciis castaneo-nigris quatuor aut pluribus, non- 

 nullis multb interruptis, cingulatd. 



Hab. Chachapoyas, Alto Peru ; W. Lobb. 



Of simple structure, but abundantly characterized by its bright 

 primrose colour and dark basal bands. 



16. Bui.iMUS coLUMELLARis. Bul. testd cylindraceo-elongatd, 

 haud umbilicatd, anfractibus septemdecim ad octodecim, jjlanis, 

 angustis, oblique subobsolete striatis, anfractu ultimo ad basin 

 subangnlato, columelld tortuosd, leviter recedente, aperturd sub- 

 quadrat d, ad basin effasd; roseo-alhicante, apicem versus livido- 

 ccerulescente et riifescente. 



Hab. Andes of Caxamarca, Peru (under stones at an elevation of 

 12,000 feet); W. Lobb. 



An interesting Pupa-\\ke species, distinguished by its square eflPuse 

 aperture and erect columnar form. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



May 16, 1850. — Professor Fleming, President, in the Chair. 

 The following papers were read : — 



1. "On Colchicum autumnale,'" by James M'Grigor Maclagan, 

 Esq. In this paper the author considered the plants known to the 

 ancients by the name of Colchicum and Hermodactylus, and endea- 

 voured to show from the writings of Dioscorides, Paullus -^gineta 

 and others, that these names are synonymous. He then gave a history 

 of the uses of the plant in a medical point of view, and after de- 

 scribing the structure and characters of Colchicum autumnale, C. mon- 

 tanum and C. variegatum or Illyi'icum, proceeded to notice the first 

 of these species particularly. He detailed various experiments which 

 he had made as to its mode of propagation by corms, and as to the 

 quantity of starch and colchicine in the conn at different epochs of its 

 growth ; and concluded by a general view of its pharmaceutical uses. 



2. " On Dickieia," by John Ralfs, Esq. The author described 

 the characters of the genus, and showed how it differs from Schizo- 

 nema. He then characterized D. ulvoides (Berk, and Ralfs), and 

 B. pinnata (Ralfs). This paper will be published in the ' Annals of 

 Natural History ' and the Society's Transactions. 



3. " On Arum macidatum," by James Kay, Esq. The object of 

 this paper was to show, that, judging from the venation and develop- 

 ment of the spathe, it is to be considered as a modificatioii of the 

 lamina of the leaf, and not of the petiole as some have supposed. 



Mr. Stark showed a mode of making cells for the microscope by 

 cutting off thin slices of gutta percha tubes and fastening them on 

 glass by means of a gentle heat. He exhibited under the microscope 

 several preparations of sea-weeds put up in this manner. 



A note was read from Mr. C. Eyre Parker, containing some obser- 

 vations on Narcissus biflorus. 



Ann. 6f Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. vi. 5 



