489 



January 28, 1852. — Dr. Arthur Farre, President, in the chair. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. 



Two presents were announced, and the thanks of the Society voted 

 to their respective donors. 



Certificates in favour of L. S. Beale, Esq., 12, Wilton Place; Dr. 

 Hamilton, Grafton St., Bond St. ; and Charles C. Smith, Esq., Bury 

 St. Edmunds, were read, and ordered to be suspended in the meeting- 

 room. 



Wm. King, Esq., and Henry Perigal, jun., Esq., were balloted for, 

 and duly elected Members of the Society. 



Messrs. H. H. White and H. Deane were appointed Auditors of the 

 Treasurer's account for the past year. 



A paper by the Secretary, John Quekett, Esq., ' On the Structure 

 of Raphides,' was read. The author commenced by stating that inor- 

 ganic substances were formed in plants under two circumstances : first, 

 in crystals, as in the case of phosphate and oxalate of lime ; second, 

 as a portion of the tissue, as in the case of silica in the bark of equi- 

 setaceous and gramineous plants. The crystals were stellate or single, 

 from the ^'^th to the Twoth of an inch in diameter. Single crystals 

 of oxalate of lime were octohedral ; those of phosphate of lime wei'e 

 acicular. Numerous plants were referred to in which raphides were 

 found, as in many species of Cactus, the lime, rhubarb, elm, apple, 

 onion, and other plants. The author exhibited drawings of artificial 

 raphides, which had been prepared in the tissue of rice paper, by the 

 late Mr. Edwin Quekett, by immersing the cells, first in lime water, 

 and afterwards in oxalic acid. In conclusion, the author gave a de- 

 tailed account of some stellate raphides which he had found in great 

 abundance in a species of Cactus. On dissolving up the inorganic 

 matter of these crystals, by means of hydrochloric acid, he was sur- 

 prised to find that an organic base was left perfectly similar in form 

 to that of the crystal which had been dissolved. From this fact Mr. 

 Quekett inferred that all these crystals were deposited with organic 

 nature. He referred to the structure of calculi in the human and ani- 

 mal body, which, he stated, were always deposited upon or with an 

 organic base, as proof that this law was general, and that the deposi- 

 tion of inorganic salts in the tissues of plants and animals was always 

 connected with the growth of organic matter. 



A paper by the Rev. J. Thornton, ' On the Pupa of an Insect bear- 

 ing considerable resemblance to an Aphis,' was read. A few meetings 

 since specimens and a drawing of the exuviae of an insect whose head, 

 body, and legs were beautifully fringed with leaf-like appendages, were 

 VOL. IV. 3 R 



