54 Linnoian Society, 



advantage, as in my almost daily rides I have had opportunities of 

 watching each plant during its period of flowering and perfecting 

 its fruit. There still remains, however, an extensive and inter- 

 esting field for botanical research ; there are still left many plants 

 undiscovered and undescribed, a rich reward to stimulate to exer- 

 tion those who may follow in the same path. It is not the work of 

 a single individual, even if favoured with unusual length of life, and 

 gifted in the highest degree with mental and bodily energy, to com- 

 plete a perfect history of the botany of an island like Jamaica. It 

 would have been vain for me, in hope of accomplishing this, to have 

 waited from year to year, exposed to many contingencies and acci- 

 dents, any one of which might have rendered all my labours in vain, 

 and all the information I have acquired as if it had never been known. 

 I have therefore taken the present opportunity to offer the result of 

 my labours to the public, trusting it will be found to give a tolerably 

 accurate account of what is at present known of the vegetable pro- 

 ductions of this island, and in the hope that it may prove serviceable 

 to those who in after times may follow in the same course, and en- 

 gage, under more favourable auspices, in the task of perfecting the 

 history of the Flora of Jamaica." 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



LINN^AN SOCIETY. 



Dec. 4. — Edward Forster, V.P., in the Chair. 



Read, " Observations on the Anatomical and Physiological Na- 

 ture of Ergot in certain Grasses." By E. J. Queckett, Esq., F.L.S. 



Having had the opportunity of examining the formation of the 

 ergot in several grasses, the author has endeavoured to trace the 

 cause and origin of this singular formation on them, and particularly 

 on Elymus sabulosus. 



It was found, that when a grain of the grass was to be replaced by 

 an ergot, it presented before the period of expansion of the flower a 

 singular mildewed appearance. This, when examined microsco- 

 pically, was seen to consist of filaments, at whose base were myriads 

 of particles of exceedingly diminutive size, forming a complete 

 coating to the young grain, so that no part of its body was visible 

 through it. 



From this state the increase of the young ergot, but not of the 

 filaments and particles, was very rapid, for in a short time after, when 

 the ergot began to appear between the paleae of the flower, its violet 



