152 Royal Irish Academy. 



and Loganiacece, according to M. Alphonse DeCandoUe) is variable. 

 He next refers to Broussonetia and Morus and to Stilbe, which latter 

 he is disposed to consider as related to Empetrece and Euphorbiacete, 

 and then proceeds to the examination of Cupuliferce, among which 

 he finds extensive variations. He refers to Coriaria as agreeing 

 with MalpighiacecB in having its raphe turned away from the 

 placenta and consequently next to the dorsal rib of each carpellum, 

 which he describes as corresponding with the general position of 

 the funiculus in that family. He describes the carpella of Mirabilis 

 as being all lateral and internal ; and again notices the peculiarities 

 which he had before referred to in the position of the funiculus in 

 Chenopodece, AmaranthacecB and Illecebrece, adding some remarks on 

 the carpella of Polygonees and AlsinecB. He indicates certain cha- 

 racters in the flower of Casearia in which it approaches Monotropa, 

 Drosera, and especially i^rcracoa. In Thymelece he finds considerable 

 variation in the position of the carpellum, and states that the rela- 

 tive position of carpellum and segments of perianthium is the reverse 

 of what takes place in Proteacece, the carpellum being always 

 opposite to one of the segments of the perianthium. The tendency 

 to the suppression of stamens in ThymelecB is also the reverse of that 

 of Proteacece, being on the side opposite to the carpellum. In 

 Pimelea and Lachncea he states that the carpella are all posterior, 

 while in Daphne the carpella of the two-flowered axillae stand with 

 their backs to each other, or more or less turned towards the stem : 

 Dais is a mixture of these. Lastly, he notices various peculiarities 

 in the ovary of Sassafras officinale, in Sanguisorbece, in Combretuniy 

 in Aucuba Japonica and in Mar lea. 



HOYAL IRISH ACADEMY. 



April 28, 1851. — Rev. T. R. Robinson, President, in the Chair. 



Professor Allman read a notice of the emission of light by Anuro- 

 phorus fimetarius, Nicholi {Podura fimetaria, Linn.). During a 

 walk over the Hill of Howth near Dublin, on a dark night in Fe- 

 bruary last, he was struck with a luminous appearance in the earth 

 when disturbed to the depth of three or four inches ; the light pro- 

 ceeded from numerous distinct points and lasted for more than a 

 minute after its first appearance. On carrying home some of the 

 phosphorescent earth. Dr. Allman was enabled to trace the phseno- 

 menon in question to the presence of numerous living individuals of 

 Anurophorus fimetarius, from each of which there proceeded in the 

 dark a faint but very evident emanation of light. Specimens of the 

 insect preserved alive in a glass phial continued for many nights to 

 exhibit this beautiful phaenomenon, which was also witnessed by Dr. 

 Stokes and Mr. Haliday, as well as by numerous other friends whose 

 attention was directed to it by Dr. Allman. The light could not be 

 traced to any definite point in the insect. The Anurophorus was 

 very abundant on the hill, and subsequent observation proved that the 

 dark peaty soil which abounds in some places on Howth, was almost 

 the only part of the district from which it could be affirmed to be 

 absent. 



