891 



quality, and the amygdaloid nuts and fleshy root of Nelumbium spe- 

 ciosum are brought to market, and are all grown in its vicinity, though 

 not in the island itself. Gossypium herbaceum, Boehmeria nivea, 

 Piper betel, and a species of Indigofera are cultivated for economic 

 purposes, other than esculent. Ficus nitida, whose claims as a true 

 native I consider very doubtful, is planted around the villages ; and 

 the fields and garden-patches are surrounded by hedges of Pandanus 

 foetidus, Euphorbia nereifolia, or C ureas purgans. 



H. F. Hance. 



[This article, together with a considerable collection of Chinese 

 plants, was given to me by my friend Dr. Hance, to be freely em- 

 ployed in the Botany of H.M.S. 'Herald;' but, as Dr. Hance has 

 some lime ago returned to Hongkong, and will probably be able to 

 send some additional notes, before the portion of my work relating 

 to China is published, I have thought it advisable to insert the present 

 article in the ' Phytologist,' a journal in which Dr. Hance has always 

 taken a lively interest. — B. Seemann.] 



Proceedings of Societies, S^c. 



Dublin Natural-History Society. 



Friday, February 11, 1853. — George A. Pollock, Esq., in the 

 chair. 



The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and con- 

 firmed, 



Mr. Andrews, one of the Secretaries, said that it was with feelings 

 of the utmost pride and pleasure that he again witnessed the assem- 

 bling of the members in their old quarters, — rooms in which the So- 

 ciety had flourished and prospered ; and he trusted that the times of 

 diflSculty had passed, and that the future progress of the Society 

 would be more flourishing and prominent than ever. It was not the 

 intention to give any address upon the occasion, until the rooms were 

 prepared to receive their friends, and the museum carefully arranged. 

 It was in that room, nearly twelve years since, that he (Mr. Andrews) 

 gave his first paper ; and he was happy to see that there were young 



