Linnaan Society. 207 



November 21. — Edward Forster, Esq.,V.P., in the Chair. 



Mr. A. Adams, F L.S., presented specimens of the habitations of 

 a species of Spider, collected by Captain Sir E. Belcher on the north- 

 west side of Majambo Bay, in the Island of Madagascar, and com- 

 municated by him to Mr. Adams, with the particulars of their history. 

 It appears that on this coast the north-east wind blows so constantly 

 and to such a degree, that it would effectually destroy the more usual 

 forms of web ; to remedy which, the spiders of the locality collect 

 together a number of small even-sized grains of quartz-sand, of which 

 they fabricate a tolerably firm horn- shaped habitaculum, uniting them 

 together by means of a line loose web, which they hang from the low 

 shrubs that grow upon the sand, and thus suspended defy the breeze 

 and ride out the gale in safety. 



Mr. J. Clarke exhibited specimens of Filago Jussim and Melilotus 

 arvensis, found near Saffron Walden, Essex. 



Mr. J.Hogg, F.R.S., F.L.S., exhibited dried specimens of a plant 

 which he regarded as a double variety of Matricaria Chamomilla, L., 

 found by himself on the sandy road-side near Whitburn, Durham, to- 

 gether with a coloured drawing of the natural size. He stated, in a 

 communication accompanying the exhibition, that he had never before 

 observed any similar variety of the species above named, nor could 

 he find any account of its having been known to vary with a double 

 flower. Sir J. E. Smith, however, in his 'English Flora,' states of 

 Anthemis nobilis, that "varieties with double flowers are common 

 in gardens ;" and in Smith's own herbarium, in the Museum of the 

 Society, are two specimens of Pyrethrum inodorum, var. flore pleno, 

 the flowers of which very strongly resemble those exhibited. These 

 were found in Norfolk by Mr. Crow r e in 1799, and are mentioned in 

 the • English Flora ' as "a double variety, having a multiplied ra- 

 dius and an obliterated contracted disk." In the present example 

 Mr. Hogg states that " the external white petals, or rather the florets 

 of the radius, are altogether larger and stronger; they are much 

 elongated, strap- shaped, less narrow, with their margins somewhat 

 folded inwards, and are rather more numerous than those in the ordi- 

 nary single flower, from which they also differ by being sometimes 

 bilabiate ; whilst the disk itself is greatly contracted and reduced, 

 and its tubular florets appear to have become very small and abor- 

 tive ; thus apparently indicating that the florets of the radius have 

 become lengthened and enlarged at the expense of those of the disk." 

 Mr. Hogg adds, that in general appearance these large double flowers 

 of Matr. Chamomilla resemble the common white double flowers of 

 the genus Chrysanthemum. 



December 5. — E. Forster, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



Read the conclusion of Mr. Huxley's memoir on Physalia, com- 

 menced at the last Meeting. 



The specimens of Physalia on which Mr. Huxley's observations 

 were made, were collected on board the Rattlesnake, between the 

 25th of February and the 3rd of March, between lat. 25° and 37° S. 



