Botanical. 367 



were made upon these. In particular, it was shown that Hieracium 

 molle being in all respects a Crepis, ought to be removed to that 

 genus. 



Mr James M'Nab exhibited a remarkable monstrosity of Spruce 

 Fir from near Kettle in Fife ; also Petasites liybr'ida from a station 

 in the same neighbourhood, where it is apparently wild, — both found 

 by Dr Howison. 



June 8th. — Professor Graham in the chair. The following mem- 

 bers were elected : — Resident, Mr Henry Barham Mitchell Harris, 

 Mr Alexander Seton. Non-Resident, Mr John Ball, Christ's Col- 

 lege, Cambridge. 



Dr Graham presented from Lady Dalhousie a beautiful collection 

 of Lycopodiums and Ferns, being the remainder of her Ladyship's 

 East Indian Herbarium. 



Dr Douglas Maclagan exhibited specimens of a root called Hiarry, 

 received by him from Mr Watt, surgeon, Demerara, which is used 

 by the natives of British Guiana for intoxicating fish. The botani- 

 cal information regarding the plant was chiefly obtained from a 

 sL'ght sketch sent along with the roots ; for no light had been thrown 

 on the subject by consulting botanical works. The flowers are pa- 

 pilionaceous, light-purple, five or six on a lax raceme, the pod about 

 the size of the common Laburnum, smooth, containing eight or nine 

 seeds. The root, though dried, was found to retain the property of 

 poisoning fishes ; and a watery extract was ascertained by various 

 experiments to produce on fishes nearly the same efi'ect as Turkey 

 Opium, and to be superior in activity to the extracts of Belladonna, 

 Hyoscyamus, and Conium. A chemical examination of the root 

 showed, that besides a large quantity of gum and colouring matter, 

 it contained a resin of a light yellow colour and peculiar sijiell, and 

 an acid differing in quality from any known acid,— but regarding 

 the state of combination of which in the plant, no precise informa- 

 tion had been obtained. One-fourth of a grain of this acid, obvi- 

 ously not in a state of purity, poisoned a minnow in half an hour. 

 The effects of the Hiarry upon minnows, and comparative experi- 

 ments with opium, were shown in presence of the Society, in which 

 Dr Balfour, who read the paper in the absence of Dr Maclagan, was 

 kindly assisted by Professor Christison. 



Dr Graham exhibited specimens in flower of Carex Buxhaumii 

 and Lophospermum scandens. He then stated, in reference to se- 

 veral species of Bletia lately obtained at the Botanic Garden, from 

 Jamaica, through the kindness of the Rev. Mr Campbell, that an 

 examination of these had satisfied him that the specific names in 



