102 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



of thought on the origin of life — viz,, the advocates of spon- 

 taneous generation, and their opponents, who maintain that every 

 living being arose from some pre-existing living form ; and in 

 criticising the spontaneous generation theory the occurrence and 

 structure of bacteria were fully gone into, and the effect of sterili- 

 zation in connection with the cultivation of bacteria showed the 

 theory to have no basis of truth. The plastic nature of proto- 

 plasm was illustrated by reference to the life-history of several 

 forms of bacteria, and its bearing upon the questions of the origin 

 of species and the struggle for existence strongly insisted upon. 

 Altogether the lecture was full of suggestive thought, and the 

 appreciation of the audience was evinced by the attentive and 

 cordial manner in which it was received. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTE. 



Mr. D. M 'Alpine read the following note on a double-flower- 

 ing specimen of Native Heath (Epacris impressaj : — "In the 

 latest number of the Victorian Naturalist Mr. T. S. Hart 

 has given some interesting examples of the ' doubling ' of native 

 flowers, and I would like to add another to the list, as I am not 

 aware of its being previously recorded. While on a botanical 

 excursion with the students of the College of Pharmacy to Ring- 

 wood, on Saturday last, a solitary shrub of Epacris impressa was 

 met with bearing ' double ' flowers, and although numerous 

 ordinary specimens were in the neighbourhood, not another 

 example could be found. The calyx was normal. The corolla 

 showed ' doubling,' the tube being single, while the lobes were 

 ^ double ' — 5 alternating with 5. A white core in the centre 

 of the flower represented stamens and pistil. On unfolding this 

 an outer coat showed indications of 5 lobes, but no appearance 

 of anthers, while the innermost infolded tube exhibited a beauti- 

 fully snow-white fringed margin, but no signs of an ovary. The 

 so-called ' doubling ' of wild flowers is replete with interest, and 

 such abnormal transformation of parts of the flower throws light 

 on the origin of floral structures." 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The exhibits of the evening were confined principally to wild 

 flowers, the following being a list of the exhibitors : — Baron 

 von Mueller (flowers collected by Miss Henley, Wangaratta, 

 Mr. Oke, Beechworth, and Mr. C. French, jun., Sandringham) ; 

 Messrs. C. French, sen., D. Best, and A. Thiele made a joint 

 exhibit; Mr. G. Coghill exhibited about 100 varieties ; Mr. T. S. 

 Hart, 30 varieties ; and Mrs. Martin and Messrs. R. Hall and F. 

 Spry also made good displays. General exhibits were also set 

 out : By Baron von Mueller. — Flowers and fruits of Adansonia 

 Gregorii (Boabab Tree) ; also, moss [Dawsonia superha) with 



