552 



Proceedings of Societies. 



Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



TJnirsday, April 8, 1852. — Dr. Seller, President, in the chair. 



The following donations were announced to the Society's library 

 and herbarium: — Professor Balfour's 'Class Book of Botany,' from 

 the author; ' The Garden Companion' for March and April, from the 

 conductor ; a collection of Port-Phillip plants, from Dr. Curdie ; Bri- 

 tish plants from Dr. Balfour, including Acorus Calamus, Poteriura 

 rauricatum, Anacharis Alsinastrum, several rare species of Potamoge- 

 ton, and other interesting plants, which he had received from Mr. 

 Thomas Kirk, of Coventry ; also Hookeria rotulata, from Dr. Gilbert 

 M'Nab, of Jamaica. Thanks were voted to the vai'ious donors. 



Dr. Curdie exhibited a series of beautiful specimens of Algae, 

 including Rhodocallis elegans, Spyridia opposita, Laurencia papillosa, 

 Plocamium costatum, Thamnocarpus Ptilota ; also a few Mosses. 

 He presented specimens to the Society's herbarium. 



Mr. Isaac Anderson exhibited a plant of Rhododendron elaeagnoi- 

 des, in flower, a Sikkim-Himalayan species, raised from seeds sent 

 home by Dr. Hooker. He also showed a drawing which had been 

 taken of the plant. 



A specimen of vegetable matter, from a water-pipe passing through 

 mossy ground, was exhibited from Dr. Douglas Maclagan, and 

 remitted to Drs. Balfour and Greville for examination. * 



Dr. Murchison exhibited some curious specimens of extract of tea, 

 prepared in the form of lozenges by the Chinese. These lozenges 

 were of various forms, and had impressed upon them mottoes, in Chi- 

 nese characters, and the figures of different insects, musical instru- 

 ments, and other objects. They had been brought from Pekin, in the 

 year 1812, and were stated to be used by the Chinese when travelling. 

 When introduced into the mouth they were said to dissolve slowly, 

 preventing thirst, and proving very refreshing. Though it was forty 

 years since they were brought from China, they still retained a very 

 perceptible flavour of tea. Dr. Murchison presented the specimens 

 to the Museum of Economic Botany. 



Dr. Balfour exhibited the following donations, made to the Museum 

 of Economic Botany since the last meeting of the Society : — From 

 Michael Connel, Esq., Glasgow : — Stem of Bambu.sa arundinacea, 

 twenty feet long and thirteen inches in circumforencc. From the 



