617 



but curving upwards from base to tip, so as to bend towards 

 the stem again. Ochreae with few short nerves. Fruit large, 

 smooth, shining, conspicuously longer than the perianth. 

 P. aviculare. — Annual. Stems prostrate or ascending. Leaves 

 very variable in colour, form and consistence. Ochrese with 

 few weak nerves. Fruit small, striated with elevated dots, 

 opaque, shorter or slightly longer than the perianth. 



Hewett C. Watson. 

 Thames Ditton, August 20th. 



Notice of the '^Transactions of the Microscopical Society ,"* 

 Vol. IL Part 1. 

 The Microscope, which has been too much the plaything of triflers, 

 is now contributing largely to our knowledge of structure, and the 

 Society founded in its name, is becoming a means of extending a 

 taste for, and knowledge of, that branch of Natural History. Some of 

 the papers read before the Society are of considerable value, and 

 among such we may particularly mention three by Mr. John Quekett, 

 which appear in the present publication ; these are on the Cilia of 

 the common Mussel, on the Structure of Feathers in the Owl tribe, 

 and on the Structure of the Flabella in some of the Crustacea : the 

 utility of these papers is unalloyed by the admixture of that mawkish 

 and speculative philosophy in which modern discoveries are usually 

 dished up ; and they are therefore the more available for the real 

 student of nature. But the crack paper of the session, that by Mr. 

 Smee on Adipose Tissue, does not appear : this paper was peculiarly 

 calculated to command the respect of the learned at home and abroad 

 and thus to elevate the standing of the Society, and we have reason 

 to know that the publication of the present part of the Transactions 

 was looked forward to with intense interest, on the faith of its con- 

 taining a record of Mr. Smee's brilliant observations. What has be- 

 come of this extraordinary paper .^ Has the author found that his 

 statements are erroneous ? Has the Society permitted him to with- 

 draw it for separate publication ? Has the publishing committee 

 submitted the paper to some rival, but less successful, observer, 

 who recommends its suppression ? The members of the Microscopi- 

 cal Society have a right to know the truth : it is impolitic in the 

 highest degree to allow such a paper to be withdrawn or suppressed, 

 and equally impolitic to pass over its withdrawal or suppression in 

 silence. The world has to thank Mr. Williams, the able Assistant- 



