Botanical Society of London. 149 
Meyen in respect to Huastrum and Closterium ; that the mere dis- 
solution from some of these lower beings of moving sporules, or at 
least mobile portions capable of increase of form and size, is not a 
proof of the animal condition of the parent bearing them, because from 
the observations of Vaucher, Lamoureux, Montaigne, and especially 
the younger Agardh, we may safely conclude that the sporules of a 
very great many Alge, when ripe, are endowed with the faculty of 
locomotion ; and that this not only takes place when such portions 
become freed from the mother plant, but in some cases also whilst 
‘they are within the interior of the cellules; also, that the fact of lo- 
comotion is not a proof at this low extremity of the scale of animal 
conditions, as we know that it takes place in structures allowed by 
Ehrenberg himself to be of vegetable nature, such as the Oscillatorias 
and Zygnemas ; and that Ehrenberg’s opinion, that the motion seen 
taking place in Oscillatoria is caused by rapid growth of the fila- 
ments, formation of gemme, and stimulus of light, is ably and suffi- 
ciently disproved by the experiments of Capt. Carmichael; and also, 
that as we cannot in the present state of our knowledge say that the 
attainment of a particular result from the occurrence of motion, as 
more apparently ensues in the Naviculas than in the Oscillatorias, is 
indicative of animal conditions, because result or purpose attained is 
equally observable in the movements of Zygnema or even in Vallis- 
neria, and the motions of many irritable stamens; it seems to be 
highly probable, that many of these almost invisible organisms 
hitherto freely yielded up by the botanist to the zoologist, must not 
be considered as indisputable claims for such distinction, although 
they may not appear at once so decidedly vegetable as do Diatoma, 
Fragillaria, Desmidium, Closterium and others. 
The paper was concluded with some remarks on the genus Navi- 
cula, and illustrated with specimens under the microscope of the va- 
rious genera, together with a series of diagrams. 
April 3.—J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S.,-&c., President, in the Chair. 
_ The Secretary announced a donation of a very extensive collec- 
tion of Foreign Plants, presented by Mr. Emerson through Mr. John 
Morris. A paper was read from Mr. Riley of Papplewick, Notts, 
being introductory to a series, which will form a popular ‘‘ Mono- 
graph on Ferns.” 
June 5th.—D. C. Macreight, M.D., V.P., in the Chair. 
A donation of American Plants from Dr. Gavin Watson of Phila- 
delphia, U.S. was announced. Mr. Tatham, of Settle, Yorkshire, 
presented specimens of Dryas Octopetala obtained from the hills in 
that neighbourhood. Mr. H. M. Holman, of Reigate, Surrey, for- 
warded living specimens for distribution of the rarer plants of that 
locality, comprising Aceras anthropophora, Ophrys muscifera, Os- 
munda regalis, &c. &c. A paper was read, being Part 3. of a Mono- 
graph of Ferns. It comprised a description of the British species 
individually ; the remarks being the result of many years personal 
experience, the author having cultivated every British species side 
