265 



lertwining. The laciniation ol' the petals gave the bushes of the plant a singular ap- 

 pearance, that attracted the attention when at some distance. I intend to tiy to pro- 

 cure some of the seeds when mature, and sow them against next season, in order to 

 observe whether the dentation of the petals will be trasmitted by seeds or not. — James 

 Bladon ; Pont-y -Pool, June 13, 1842. 



178. Lavatera Olbia in Epping Forest. A few years since a new piece of road was 

 made through Epping Forest to Woodford. At a spot called Fair-mead Bottom a 

 large quantity of earth was dug from the forest and thrown up to raise the road, for 

 the distance of about half a mile. The following summer the sides of this piece of 

 road were covered with various plants, such as Senecio Jacobaea, thistles, &c., and 

 among them a great number of plants of Lavatera Olbia, a species not known, I be- 

 lieve, as a native of Britain. There is not the slightest doubt that the seeds had been 

 buried for a vast number of years, and vegetated when brought to the surface, as it 

 seems impossible for the plants to have got there in any other way. For three or four 

 years they seemed to flourish, and flowered abundantly ; but now the banks having 

 become covered with grass &c., they seem to be disappearing, and last year I could 

 find only three or four plants : when I first noticed it there were hundreds scattered 

 along the whole length of the raised portion of the road. — Henry Douhleday ; Epping^ 

 June 14, 1842. 



Art. LXXV. — Proceedings of Societies. 



LINNEAN SOCIETT. 



Anniversary, May 24, 1842. — The Bishop of Norwich in the chair. The bye-laws 

 relating to the election of officers having been read, the ballot was commenced and the 

 following were declared duly elected. 



President. — Edward, Lord Bishop of Norwich. 



Edward Forster, Esq., Treasurer. J. J. Bennett, Esq., Secretary. Richard Tay- 

 lor, Esq., Under Secretary. New members of Council : — Lord Beverley, J. A. Han- 

 key, Esq., John Miers, Esq., R. I. Murchison, Esq., and Alfred White, Esq., in the 

 place of A. B. Lambert, Esq., G. Mantell, Esq., LL.D., The Marquis of Northamp- 

 ton, R. H. Solly, Esq., and W. Yarrell, Esq. It appeared from the Treasurer's ac- 

 counts that the receipts during the past year had amounted to £785. 10«. \0d., the 

 expenditure to £761. 17s. 5d., leaving a balance of £23. 13s. bd. in the Treasurer's 

 hands. 



The following Statement was read. — " The Council, having had under their se- 

 rious consideration the financial affairs of the Society, submit the following statement 

 to the Fellows at large. The cost of the Collections and Library of Linnaeus, toge- 

 ther with those of the first President, Sir James Edward Smith, purchased of the exe- 

 cutors of the latter in 1828, amounted to £3000. Of this sum about £1500 were 

 then raised by subscription ; and to meet the remainder a debt, on bonds, was incur- 

 red, which now amounts to £1300, paying interest at 5 per cent. In consequence 

 partly of this amount of interest, and partly of a diminution in the annual receipts, 

 there has been accumulated, within the last few years, a further debt of about £500. 

 By recent arrangements a saving of some amount has been effected in the expendi- 



