1890-91.] 287 



drawing was exhibited, the spicules of which the entire shell is 

 made up are of exactly uniform shape and size, and there is a 

 possibility that these spicules are not derived from sponges at 

 all, but are the production of the Foraminifer, in which case 

 this species offers a most interesting and important link between 

 the families of the sponges and the Foraminifera. 



The third meeting of the Winter Session was held on Tuesday 

 evening, 16th December, the President (Mr. William Gray, 

 M.R.I.A.) in the chair, when three communications were 

 brought forward. 



The first item on the programme was a paper by Mr. W. D. 

 Donnan, his subject being "The Primrose and its Allies." The 

 reader first referred to the abundance of the common primrose, 

 the beauty of its flowers, and the pleasant associations of the 

 spring season which its sulphur-coloured petals always recall. 

 The botanical position which the order Primulacece, to which 

 the primrose belongs, occupies, was pointed out, coming as it 

 does under the sub-division Gamopetalce of Dicotyledonous 

 plants, and its affinities to other orders were explained. A 

 description was then given of the component parts of a flower 

 of a typical member of the order under consideration, showing 

 how a specimen might be referred to it. The different British 

 plants belonging to the Primulacece were next reviewed. Of 

 the genus Primula, besides the primrose, there are four species 

 — the cowslip, oxlip, and two smaller species with mealy leaves, 

 which inhabit the heaths and mountains of the North. Refer- 

 ence was made to the peculiar dimorphism displayed by the 

 flowers of all the species of Primula, and which causes the so- 

 called "male " and "female " flowers of the primrose. The sow- 

 bread [Cyclamen hederi folium) is a doubtfully native species, 

 whose most interesting characteristic is its curious power of 

 burying its seeds in the earth when they approach maturity. 

 The genug JLysimachiay or loose-strife, furnishes four British 



