22 
NAT ORE 
[ NOVEMBER 5, 1896 
allies) with stamens of the outer whorl. Abortion is very 
frequent, and in certain species (amzphibéwn) this whorl has 
completely disappeared. 
Miss Lily Huie contributed some observations on the changes 
in the tentacle of Drosera rotundifolia, produced by feeding 
with egg albumen. 
In unfed leaves fixed in watery picro-corrosive (sp. gr. 1°020) 
and stained with Eosin-Toluidin blue, the apical and lateral 
glands of the first or outer layer, and also all the cells of the 
second or middle layer, show a deep-blue cytoplasm, with nuclei 
possessing little chromatin proper, but large nucleoli and a 
granular nucleoplasm. Within one minute after feeding the 
blue cytoplasm becomes purple; after one hour it is greatly 
vacuolated and reddish purple ; after twenty-four hours the blue 
material has disappeared, and only a few strands of a pink 
cytoplasm are to be seen. The nucleus after feeding loses the 
granular cytoplasm, the nuclear chromatin segments enlarge 
enormously, reminding one of the early stages of mitosis. 
The nucleolus has lost its red chromatin, and is not easy to 
see. 
Recuperation of the cytoplasm is the result of nuclear activity, 
for the chromosomes enlarge during the period preceding the 
appearance of the granular nucleoplasm, which latter in every 
respect, resembles the granular deposit of cytoplasm in im- 
mediate contact with the outer surface of the nuclear membrane. 
Dr. Morris, C.M.G., contributed a note on the singular effect 
produced in certain animals in the West Indies, by feeding on 
the young shoots, leaves, pods, and seeds of the wild tamarind 
or Jumbai plant (Zewcena glauca, Benth.). The wild tamarind 
of Jamaica, and the Jumbai or Jumbie of the Bahamas, is com- 
monly found along roadsides and in waste places in tropical 
America. It presents the appearance of a weedy-looking 
Acacia, and belongs to the tribe Humnimosee of the N.O. 
Leguminose. It occurs in the West Indies, Bahamas, Deme- 
rara, Brazil, Peru, gardens of South Europe and North Africa ; 
widely found in tropical Africa, East Indies, Ceylon, Mauritius, 
Java and China. 
The author described the plant as being distinctly encouraged 
in the Bahamas asa fodder plant. The people were fully aware 
of the singular effect it produced on horses, and added that it 
also affected mules and donkeys. Its effect on pigs was still 
more marked. These animals assumed a completely naked 
condition, and appeared without a single hair on their body. 
Horses badly affected by Jumbai were occasionally seen in the 
streets of Nassau, where they were known as “ cigar-tails.” 
Such depilated animals, although apparently healthy, were con- 
siderably depreciated in value. They were said to recover when 
Ted exclusively on corn and grass. ‘The effects of the Jumbai on 
horses, mules, donkeys, and pigs were regarded as accidental— 
‘due to neglect or ignorance. The seeds probably contain the 
deleterious principle in a greater degree than any other part of 
the plant. The active principle in Zewcena glauca has not yet 
‘been investigated. There is abundant material at hand for this 
purpose in almost every part of the world. It is probable that 
the active principle may consist of a volatile alkaloid somewhat 
similar to that found in Lathyrus sativus. 
In Leucena glauca we possess a plant with singular properties. 
It is a vegetable depilatory of a very decided character. No 
other plant appears to produce exactly identical results. 
Mr. Scott Elliot read a paper on the influence of habitat 
upon plant-habit. The author gave the results of an attempt to 
tabulate and compare the habits and habitats of the Ranunculacee, 
Papaveracee, &c., in the Kew and British Museum herbaria. 
The tables exhibited illustrated the dependence of habit upon 
habitat in 230 plants. In conclusion the author anticipated the 
objections of those who hold the original hypothesis of Prof. 
Weismann (that acquired characters can by no means be 
inherited), by pointing to the most recent publication of this 
writer, wherein use inheritance of a kind is admitted. 
Dr. Wilson exhibited a series of excellent photographic 
lantern slides illustrating his numerous experiments on hybri- 
disation in Passion flowers and Albucas. The first paper, on a 
new hybrid Passion flower, dealt with a cross between Passzflora 
Buonapartea and P. Carulea, the latter being the pollen- 
parent. The former has a quadrangular winged stem, and the 
leaves are elliptical in outline ; the latter has a cylindrical stem, 
and the leaves five-lobed. The stem of the hybrid exhibits many 
intermediate characters, and the leaves are three-lobed. The 
presence of a group of glands terminating the coronal filaments 
was shown on the screen. The glands are present in the seed- 
NO. 1410, VOL. 55] 
parent, but not in the pollen parent, and in the hybrid they 
appear in reduced number. 
In a further communication, dealing with observations on 
hybrid Albucas, Dr. Wilson exhibited a large series of illustra- 
tions from nature, showing the effects of hybridisation on the 
bulbs and flowers of these plants. He described a new species, 
named by him 4. prolifera. This species is characterised by 
producing remarkable lateral outgrowths which carry young 
bulbs, while it also bears numerous obscurely-stalked basal 
bulbils. 
Mr. Gwynne-Vaughan gave an account of his investiga- 
tions on the arrangement of the vascular bundles in certain 
Nympheacee. 
Mr. Keeble described certain observations on the Lovanthacee 
of Ceylon, relating to the emergences on the embryo of 
Loranthus neelgherensts, and to the mode of penetration into 
the host. 
FossiL PLANTS. 
Dr. D. H. Scott, F.R.S., gave an account of some researches 
on certain Carboniferous fossils referred to Lepzdostrobus. 
Mr. A. C. Seward contributed notes on a large specimen of 
Lyginodendron, based on the examination of specimens in the 
British Museum. He proposed to designate the species 
L. robustum. 
Mr. Seward also gave an account of a new cycad from the 
Isle of Portland. 
Dr. Woodward lately obtained an exceedingly fine specimen 
of a cycadean stem from the Purbeck beds of Portland, which 
is now in the fossil plant gallery of the British Museum. The stem, 
which is probably the largest known, has a height of im. 18°5 cm., 
and measures I m. 7 cm. in girth at the broadest part. A 
striking feature of the specimen is the conical apical bud enclosed 
by tapered bud scales, bearing numerous ramental outgrowths 
on the exposed surface. 
REPORT ON TECHNOLOGICAL 
EXAMINATIONS. 
THE Report, just issued, on the work of the Examinations 
Department of the City and Guilds of London Institute, is 
a noteworthy document. The functions of this department of 
the Institute extend beyond those of an ordinary Examining Body. 
Its efforts have been directed for many years towards encouraging, 
in different ways, sound technical instruction; and the aim of 
the Committee has been rather to secure for artisan students 
systematic teaching, than to increase the number of candidates 
for examination. Unfortunately, such students are often quite 
unprepared to receive technical instruction. 
Several of the Examiners refer to the defects of the earlier 
education of the students, and some surprise is expressed that 
the candidates spell so badly and experience such difficulty in 
expressing what they know in words. The Examiners in 
plumbers’ work complain that very few of the candidates knew 
how to work out a simple geometrical problem, and that in 
those elementary principles of science which underlie plumbers’ 
work, a very small proportion of the candidates appear to 
have received any adequate instruction. Among engineering 
apprentices, a large number of candidates appear to have 
attended science classes; but in the subjects of weaving and 
spinning, and in most other subjects, the number is very small. 
The Committee of the Institute have consequently come to the 
conclusion that the principles of science should be presented 
to the artisan student in a form bearing more directly upon the 
trade in which he is engaged, than is possible when the ele- 
ments of any one branch of science are taught to a large class 
of students occupied in different pursuits. They have accord- 
ingly added to their programme a course of instruction to be 
taken before certain technical subjects. This difficulty as to 
inadequate preliminary knowledge is met with all over the 
country, and is a constant cause of failure in many branches of 
the work of Technical Education Committees. 
Another difficulty widely experienced is to find competent 
teachers for trade classes. This arises from the combination of 
qualifications required in such teachers. It is desirable that they 
should spend sufficient time at their trade to have become 
skilful workmen ; they must have some knowledge of scientific 
method, besides having received a fairly good general education. 
The Committee think that facilities in the way of scholarships 
should be offered by County Councils to intelligent workmen, to 
