428 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 428. 



by the speaker during, his recent visit to 

 Jamaica. The collection has not as yet been 

 sufficiently studied to estimate the number of 

 species represented in it. Nearly half of the 

 entire number belong to the Polyporaceas, 

 about a hundred to the Agaricaceae, thirty to 

 the Thelephoracese, but only three to the 

 Hydnaceaj. Of the Ascomycetes fully half 

 belong to the Xylariacess. 



As a rule, fungi are more abundant at the 

 lower elevations and on the drier parts of the 

 island. In the moist mountain woods, where 

 the conditions are most favorable to the 

 growth of ferns, fungi are comparatively rare. 



Mr. ISTash exhibited a living flowering speci- 

 men of an undescribed species of PUcairnia 

 collected by Dr. Britton on St. Kitts, West 

 Indies. Among its more prominent charac- 

 ters are the absence of spines and the con- 

 spicuous whitening of the under side of the 

 leaves. Dr. Britton described the finding of 

 this plant at the summit of Mt. Misery on 

 the rim of an extinct crater. It was growing 

 in a deep carpet of moss and was associated 

 with other bromeliads, including PUcairnia 

 alata, which is a spiny species, and an unde- 

 scribed Tillandsia. 



Dr. Howe was called to the chair and Dr. 

 Britton presented resolutions on the recent 

 death of Dr. Timothy F. Allen. 



MEETING OP FEBRUARY 10. 



In the absence of the president, Dr. Light- 

 hipe was called to the chair. 



The paper of the evening was by Mr. 

 Eugene Smith, entitled ' Remarks on Aquatic 

 Plants.' The speaker exhibited a series of 

 specimens of marsh and aquatic plants. The 

 distinction between the two is not sharply 

 drawn, but true aquatics pass their entire life 

 under water or at most only produce their 

 flowers and fruit at the surface. The flowers 

 of true aquatics are never showy. Marsh and 

 aquatic vegetation contains elements that are 

 very diverse from a systematic point of view, 

 including representatives from the lowest to 

 the highest families of plants. The algae 

 are exclusively aquatic and constitute the 

 greater part of the under-water vegetation. 

 The bryophytes are represented by numerous 



species, a few of which a"re true aquatics. The 

 pteridophytes have a few aquatic and semi- 

 aquatic members. Many families of flowering 

 plants include aquatic species. With water 

 plants having both submerged and floating 

 leaves there is usually a marked difference in 

 form between the two. The tissues of 

 aquatics are usually soft and flaccid, since 

 these plants, being supported by the water, 

 do not need to develop woody tissues. The 

 study of aquatic plants lias been much neg- 

 lected. The waters of tropical regions in 

 particular afford almost a new field for ex- 

 ploration and study. 



An interesting discussion followed the read- 

 ing of the paper, many of the members pres- 

 ent taking part in it. F. S. Earle, 



Recording Secretary. 



DISCVSSWN AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



THE ST. LOUIS MEETING. 



To THE Editor of Science: Your recent 

 editorial on the importance of beginning early 

 to make plans for the St., Louis meeting of 

 the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science and the affiliated scientific 

 societies prompts me to make a few sugges- 

 tions and to raise one or two questions. 



As to the .accommodations necessary for a 

 comfortable and therefore profitable sec- 

 tional meeting there should be for each sec- 

 tion of the association: (a) a meeting room, 

 (h) .a lobby or conversation room, and, if pos- 

 sible, (c) a coat and toilet room; the three 

 rooms to be close together. It is evident, 

 enough from our experience at various meet- 

 ings, either that these three elements of com- 

 fort are not considered essential by the local 

 committees, or that if they are so considered 

 they can not be secured for all the sections; 

 yet it may be fairly contended that meetings 

 as important as are the gatherings of the 

 sections deserve the reasonably comfortable 

 accommodations above suggested. Further 

 specifications may be made as follows: 



Meeting Room. — The table for the presid- 

 ing officer and the secretary, the platform, 

 blackboard, etc., for the speaker, and the 

 seats for the audience should form a triangle. 

 This arrangement makes it possible for the 



