62 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



Cryptogamic Flora of Guernsey," by the Rev. T. Salwey. (See p. 22 

 of the present Number.) 



3. " Notice of the occurrence of Anacharis Alsinasirum (Bab.) in 

 the river Leen near Nottingham," by James Mitchell, M.D. 



The author states that he first noticed the plant in the muddy 

 river Leen which runs through the meadows near Nottingham in 

 September 1848, and that more recently he has seen it in enormous 

 masses in that stream and in more or less quantity in " every ditch in 

 the meadows," and says that " it has certainly not been introduced " 

 there. He has not yet noticed the flowers. [The Rev. A. Bloxam 

 informs us that it has recently been found by Mr. Kirk of Coventry 

 in another new locality ; viz. in the four reservoirs attached to the 

 Watford Locks near Crick in Northamptonshire. — Ed. Annals.] 



4. Dr. Balfour read a letter from Dr. George Johnston of Ber- 

 wick, in which he notices the discovery of the Anacharis Alsinasirum 

 in a truly wild locality in the bed of the Whittadder. He also read 

 extracts from a letter from Mr. Babington, stating that he possesses 

 a specimen of the same plant sent to him in July 1842, by Dr. John- 

 ston, from a pond at Dunse Castle in Berwickshire ; the specimen 

 was sent at that time as being a plant new to Dr. Johnston, but from' 

 the want of flower or fruit it was not then determined and subse- 

 quently mislaid. 



5. " Note on the Colour of a Freshwater Loch," by George Dickie, 

 M.D. See p. 20 of the present Number. 



December 14. — The Rev. Dr. Fleming, President, in the Chair. 



Before proceeding to the business of the meeting, it was unani- 

 mously resolved, that the Society should record the loss which bo- 

 tany and horticulture had sustained in the death of Mr. William 

 M'Nab, Superintendent of the Royal Botanical Garden of Edin- 

 burgh. Long and ardently devoted to the cultivation of plants, 

 Mr. M'Nab had carefully observed the influence of particular treat- 

 ment on their evolution, and had acquired very distinct conceptions 

 of the nature and limits of variation, and the conditions of healthy 

 vegetation. To a profound technical and practical knowledge of his 

 profession he added a frankness in imparting his information, con- 

 joined with a correct view of his social position, and a singleness 

 and modesty of character by which he secured a rare amount of 

 respect and esteem. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " Algae Orientales, or Descriptions of new species belonging to 

 the genus Sargassum" (part 4), by R. K. Greville, LL.D. 



The paper was illustrated by drawings of each species, and will 

 appear in the ' Annals of Natural History ' and in the Society's Trans- 

 actions. 



2. " On certain Glandular Bodies occurring in the Epidermis of 

 Plants," by Charles Murchison, Esq. Mr. Murchison stated that 

 the bodies under consideration consist of nucleated cells of various 

 forms, often divided by partitions, and containing oily and granular 

 matter. In describing them he noticed — 1st, Their structure, form, 



