49- 



metallic particles ; also a fossil oyster, showing both valves 

 complete, obtained from the interior of Australia, about 600 

 miles from the coast, by Mr. Wollaston. 



Mr. Edwards exhibited two specimens of the rare Orni- 

 thoptera crcBsus, Wall., from the island of Batchian, in the 

 Northern Moluccas. This magnificent species was first dis- 

 covered by Mr. A. R. Wallace, and its capture was described 

 in glowing terms in his book the " Malay Archipelago," also 

 a female Papilio gyas, Wstw., from India. 



Mr. Perks exhibited the eggs of a Coccinella, one of which 

 was laid on the point of a thorn ; also a specimen of Seduni 

 rejlexuni^ L., found by the roadside at Wisley. 



Mr. Hall exiiibited specimens of Drosera rotundifolia, L., 

 and D. mtermedia, Hayne, found at Wisley, and stated that 

 he had not seen the latter species before. Mr. Step said that 

 there were three closely-allied species, the most marked dif- 

 ference between them, besides the shape of the leaves, being 

 the arrangement of the leaves. In D. rotundifolia the leaves 

 were appressed close to the soil, in D. intermedia they were 

 at about an angle of 45° with the ground, while in D. anglica, 

 Huds., which was rare, especially in the South of England, 

 the leaves were erect. He suggested as a reason for this 

 variation in habit that the first-named species caught creeping 

 insects, whilst the other species catches those that flit across 

 the low vegetation. D. rotimdifolia had its flowers on a long 

 thin stem, while D. intermedia produced a short thick flower 

 stem. These species were seldom seen with the flowers quite 

 open, as this only happened in the brightest sunshine during 

 the middle of the day. As regards the phylogeny of the 

 three species he would suggest that D. rotimdifolia was the 

 older form, and D. intermedia and D. anglica the derived 

 species, for among the very young seedlings of D. intermedia 

 a considerable proportion had round leaves, the newer growths 

 gradually becoming spathulate. He said that these three 

 were not the only British fly-catching plants, as in the North 

 there occurred the butterwort {Pinguicula vulgaris^ L.). Mr. 

 Carrington said he had seen the butterwort growing on some 

 of the Northern mosses. Its leaves were larger, thicker and 

 broader than those of the Drosera. They did not fold over, 

 but exuded a greasy sticky slime, which was the real trap. 

 Midges were the kind of insects chiefly caught. The Pifigui- 

 cula was common on some of the moors of the Southern 

 highlands, its leaves were spread out flat, the flower stem was 

 tall and bore not more than two flowers— often only one — 

 very much like a violet bloom in general appearance. He 



