190 



tie, the chief merit of this apph'cation Is due — he having, last summer, succeeded by it in preserving Lathrcea 

 squamaria and some other plants, which ordinarily become black in drying, particularly Asperula odorata) 

 Melampyrum pratense, Agraphis nutans, Rhinantkus crista-galli, and several Orchidese. During the sum- 

 mer and autumn, Mr. Evans tried the same method, and found that, besides the greater beauty of the speci- 

 mens thus treated, they could be dried in nearly one half of the time usually required, as also that, from the 

 power of hot water in destroying rigidity, they were much more easily arranged on the drying paper. Mr. 

 Evans observed that while he and his friend, in pursuing this method, were guided almost entirely by the na- 

 ture of the plants subjected to the process, they considered from twenty to tliirty seconds a medium time to 

 keep Orchideae and other plants of a robust and fleshy nature in the water, which was always kept boiling ; 

 while a mere dip was found sufficient for those of a more delicate structure. He is, however, of opinion that 

 the success of their metiiod is not to be entirely attributed either to the temperature of the water used, or the 

 exact time the plants are kept in it, but depends much on the frequent changing, for some time, of the paper 

 in which they are afterwards placed ; as unless this is strictly attended to, the specimens will be speedily de- 

 stroyed by the gi-eat quantity of water with which they are at first surrounded. It has been recommended, as 

 a means of freeing the plants fi-om external moistui'e before placing them in the drying paper, to press them 

 gently between cloths ; and this he considers beneficial for plants of a robust nature, but rather injurious to 

 the more delicate ones, — to these he merely gives a gentle shake, but changes the papers sooner about them 

 than the others. Mr. Evans concluded by observing that, besides the utUity of this method for retaining the 

 colour of the leaves of such plants as natui-aUy become Mack in drying, it will be found serviceable in preserv- 

 ing the blue colour of the corollas of Campanulas and some other plants, which rather incline to turn white. 

 The specimens exhibited by Mr. Evans in illustration of his success, were most beautiful — the colour be- 

 ing in almost all of them perfectly retained ; and to show that it was their previous immersion in hot water 

 which had effected this object, he had purposely kept some portions of them out of the water, and in such in- 

 stances, only the immersed parts had retained their natural colour. 



2. Notice relative to certain Species found in the Parish of Alvah, Banffshire ; with alist of Plants oh- 

 served in that parish : by the Rev. A. Dodds. Communicated by Mr. W. A,. Stables. — The chief interest of 

 this paper arose from the contrast which it presented between the south and north parts of Scotland, in regard 

 to the occurrence and comparative frequency of several species : the recent occurrence of some which have 

 now become generally disseminated, to the farmer's great annoyance, such as Senecio Jacobtsa, and the gra- 

 dual disappearance of others which were formerly common, as Arctium Lappa, &c. 



3. Description, with drawing, of a Vegetable found on the Gills and Fins of a, Goldfish: by Mr. Good- 

 sir. — In this interesting paper Mr. Goodsir gave a minute description of the parasite, explaining practically 

 its foiTii, structure, mode of fructification, &c., but the fish having died during its conveyance to town, and 

 putrefaction having commenced before he saw it, his observations were necessarily imperfect on some points 

 which he had felt anxious to illustrate. Professor Christison stated, that above a year ago he had noticed a 

 similar parasite on a goldfish, which was entii-ely covered with it as with a soft down, but the animal's health 

 did not seem at all aifected, and he believed it was stUl alive — nor was the affection communicated to other 

 fishes which were put for some time in the same vessel with it. Mr. Bennet also stated the result of some mi- 

 croscopical observations made by him on Mr. Goodsir's fish, chiefly with reference to the condition of the ani- 

 mal under the invasion of its vegetable foe. 



4. Remarks on the affinities subsisting among Viola lutea, arvensis and tricolor : by Alexander Seton, 

 Esq., of Mounie. — Mr. Seton says that not having been able to discover any definite or permanent distinction 

 between the plants which had been termed Viola lutea and tricolor, his attention was directed to their compa- 

 rative appearance and habits in native situations ; and having found all gradations of form, colour and habit 

 between the extreme characters of the perennial plant called lutea and the annual called tricolor, he had come 

 to the conclusion that they are originally from the same stock or species. As to the form of the stipules, and 

 the different degrees of ramification or divarication in the stem, which Smith, Hooker, and other writers have 

 adopted as distinguishing marks, they are so varying as to be totally unsuitable for that purpose. On the 

 other hand, the Viola which has been by some termed V. arvensis, but has for the most part been considered 

 as a variety of V. tricolor, is so different, and so constant in its general character, that he is inclined to consider 

 it a separate species, though in most particulars extremely similar. It is completely annual, and he has never 

 found it with that multiplicity of stems arising from a spreading root and radicating at their base, which are 

 usual ^vith the two others when they have remained for any length of time undisturbed. It is also taller and 

 more succulent in the herbage than V. tricolor, even when the latter is in a rich and congenial soil; and it 

 maintains its characteristics when propagated by the seeds, without those gradations of variety which obliter- 

 ate distinctions of species : for, having observed it grovrfng in corn-fields and by waysides, along with V. tri- 

 color, not only in this kingdom, but also in France, Italy and Germany (in all of which countries both species 

 are common), he uniformly found it retaining its own peculiarities, unblended with those of its congener. — 

 But, though the habits and general appearance of the plants are considerably different, yet their various parts 

 are so much alike that he is unable to find any other descriptive distinction than the proportion between the 

 calyx and corolla. Mr. Seton also notices some remarkable variations in form and habit, obviously arising 

 from soil or locality, in several other plants, such as Trifolium pratense, Plantago lanceolafa, &c. 



5. Notice respecting some late additions to the Flora of Jersey: by Mr. Joseph Bickson, Corresponding 



