xxvi Proceedings. [February 26th, 1907. 



and probably mucilaginous sap, while the lower portion con- 

 sisted of hard stratified mucilage. 



In the other species examined Passerina ericoides and Passerina 

 rigida, I found no trace of separation of the epidermal cells into 

 a striated and non-striated ortion. The whole epidermal cell 

 stained with mucilage stains and tannin stains. Since mucilage 

 and tannin both act in the same way towards methylene blue, 

 and since it is impossible to separate tannin and mucilage, the 

 evidence for the presence of mucilage in these species is not 

 perfectly conclusive. As, however, mucilage is without doubt 

 found in some Passeringe, its absence is not characteristic of the 

 group, and therefore its presence or absence can no longer be 

 used as a basis for classification of the Thymelasaceae. 



Ordinary Meeting, March 12th, 1907. 

 Professor W. Boyd Dawkins, D.Sc, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



The thanks of the members were voted to the donors of the 

 books upon the table. 



Mr. C. L. Barnes, M.A., was nominated auditor of the 

 Society's accounts for the Session 1906-07 to fill the vacancy 

 caused by the death of Mr. C. S. Allott. 



Mr. Charles Bailey, M.Sc, F.L.S., exhibited a small slab of 

 dark-coloured oak timber, which had formed a portion of the lower 

 end of a thick staff, employed in a metal works for stirring up 

 molten tin to ensure the better admixture of the metal. The tin 

 had infiltrated into the wood, but while it had filled up the pores, 

 or vessels of the timber only to a limited extent, it had become 

 concentrated in the medullary rays, so that in transverse section 

 these rays were transformed into thick lines of solid white metal. 

 Mr. Bailey was unable to account for the selective affinity of 

 the metal for the densest portion of the timber ; there was no 

 visible trace of the wood cells of the rays, as they had been 

 completely absorbed by the tin. The dark colour of the wood 



