I , 



was Brenthis the younger form ? The latter seemed more 

 likely, as it would in some degree explain the retention of the 

 habit in Brenthis, where it could not be very useful; whereas,, 

 it is difficult to see how so apparently useless a habit could 

 originate in Brenthis. It would be by no means a solitary 

 instance of the essential part of a habit or structure persisting,, 

 when less essential details had lapsed, although the habit or 

 structure had long since ceased to be useful. As an instance 

 recently noted, he might refer to the cremaster of the pupa 

 of Callophrys rubi, no longer used, yet the hooks persisted, 

 though other parts of the structure showed reversion to 

 simpler skin structures. 



Mr. Sich related that one evening in August, 1900, near 

 Wiesbaden, he noticed many B. selcne at rest on the flower- 

 heads of Ccntaiirca nigra, and was astonished to find how 

 well the underside of the hind wings assimilated with the 

 colouring of the involucral bracts of the flower-head. 



SEPTEMBER 14th, 1907. 



Visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 

 Leaders: — Messrs. George Nicholson and Alfred Sich. 



From the ' Kew Bulletin,' Additional Series, v, 1906, we 

 gather the following details, which may be of interest. In 

 1759, Princess Augusta, widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales,. 

 " commenced the scientific history of Kew by establishing a 

 Botanic or, as it was then called, a Physic Garden " in the 

 grounds of Kew House. This property was subsequently 

 acquired by George III, who united it to the adjoining 

 grounds of Richmond House, and thus arose the present 

 Royal Botanic Gardens. 



The area of the gardens is rather under half a square mile,, 

 and some parts of the western half appear to have remained 

 undisturbed for at least a century and a half. Much, how- 

 ever, of the eastern half was apparently, at one time, under 

 the plough. As the gardens now are, they contain the finest 

 collection of living plants in the world, a magnificent herba- 

 rium, a large library, and to the ordinary, that is to the non- 

 botanic individual, they offer a most beautiful pleasure 

 ground, containing fine old trees, ornamental waters, broad 

 well-kept lawns, brilliant flowers, and an atmosphere of 

 freshness and of peace. 



