Linnean Society. 229 
specimen of that species preserved in the Linnean Herbarium, and 
was seen to differ only in the greater length of the articulations. 
The under surface of the mass was of a bright green colour, but the 
upper surface was white from the effects of direct exposure to the 
air and light, which had caused the death of the plant at that part. 
Read, a continuation of Mr. Smith’s “Arrangement of the Genera 
of Ferns.” 
April 21.—The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 
Read, a paper by John Blackwall, Esq., F.L.S., entitled ‘« The 
Difference in the Number of Eyes with which Spiders are provided, 
proposed as the Basis of their distribution into Tribes; with the 
characters of a new Family and three new Genera of Spiders.” 
Mr. Blackwall begins by stating his objections to the bases of ar- 
rangement adopted by MM. Walckenaer and Dufour in the subdi- 
vision of the order Araneidea, and proceeds to give his reasons for 
preferring a division founded on the number of eyes ; in conformity 
with which he proposes three tribes, viz. 1. Octonoculata; 2. Senocu- 
dina; 3. Binoculina. 
In the first tribe he proposes three new genera, two of them be- 
longing to a family which he characterizes under the name of Cini- 
floride : these genera he also characterizes under the names of Ciniflo, 
founded on the Clubiona atrox of Latreille, and Operaria, compri- 
sing the Theridion benignum, Walck., Drassus exiguus, Blackw., and 
Drassus viridissimus, Walck. The third genus characterized by Mr. 
Blackwall, is referred by him to the family of Agelenide, under the 
name of Cavator: it is founded on the Clubiona saratilis, Blackw. 
May 5.—The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 
Read, ‘“‘ Additional Observations on some Plants allied to the 
natural order Burmanniacee.” By John Miers, Esq., F.L.S. 
These observations have reference chiefly to the relative position 
of the parts of the flower in the tribe of plants above-mentioned. 
The author remarks, that the stamina, placente, and stigmata in 
these plants, are disposed in the same line, and opposite the inner 
series of the perianthium. The placente are always invariably 
double; and the stigmata in such cases as the present are to be re- 
garded as being made up of the confluent margins of the two ad- 
joining carpel-leaves, as suggested by Mr. Brown in his learned 
Memoir on Cyrtandree lately published. 
May 25.—The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 
This day, the Anniversary of the birth-day of Linnzeus, and that 
appointed in the Charter for the election of Council and Officers ; 
the President opened the business of the meeting, and in stating the 
number of Members whom the Society had lost during the past 
year, gave the following notices of some of them :— 
George, Duke of Marlborough, one of the Honorary Members, was 
distinguished for his botanical taste, and for his zeal in the cultiva- 
tion of exotic plants; and the magnificent collection formed by him 
at White Knights was long one of the finest in this country, both in 
