1897.] Mr MacBride, The Relationship of amphioxus, etc. 309 



the reciprocal (illustrated by two specimens of independent origin) 

 was a struggling plant with large pale flowers having almost a 

 procumbent habit, differing considerably from both its parents. 

 One seedling multiflorus $ x garden Cineraria </ had been pro- 

 duced which was almost entirely female, a few anthers only 

 appearing in later inflorescences. These experiments were to be 

 continued, but so far as they had gone they were entirely con- 

 sistent with the view that the Cineraria was a hybrid between 

 several species, emeritus, Heritieri and probably multiflorus being 

 among them. The two first are named by most authorities as 

 probable parents. 



It was proposed to publish details of the experiments when 

 those of the next year should be completed. 



Monday, 24 May, 1897. 

 Mr F. Darwin, President, in the Chair. 



The following were elected Honorary Members of the Society : 



Major Percy Alexander MacMahon, R.A. 



Prof. Charles A. Young, Princeton. 



Prof. Albert A. Michelson, Chicago. 



Dr Ludwig Boltzmann, Vienna. 



Prof. Augusto Righi, Bologna. 



Prof. Dimitri Ivanowitch Mendeleeff, St Petersburg. 



Sir Archibald Geikie. 



Prof. Edward Salisbury Dana, New Haven, Conn. 



Sir John Kirk. 



H. H. Albert, Reigning Prince of Monaco. 



Rev. Canon Alfred Merle Norman, Durham. 



Prof. Wilhelm Pfeffer, Leipzig. 



The following Communications were made to the Society: 



(1) The relationship of Amphioxus and Balanoglossus. By 

 E. W. MacBride, M.A., St John's College. 



In seeking for some light as to the origin of the great 

 Vertebrate phylum, the only safe course is to examine with great 

 care the anatomy and development of the least differentiated 

 forms known to us which show traces of Vertebrate structure. 



