|lc|jarts 0f liUctings. 



GENERAL. 



DURrNG tho past Session there have been eight General 

 Meetings of tho Society, all held in University 

 College, at 8 p.m. 



On Thursday, October 7th, 188G, Dr. Burder exhibited an 

 apetalous variety of the wood-sorrol (Oxalis Acetosella). 

 Prof. Loipner showed (for Mr. F. F. Tnckott, of Frcnchay) 

 a white variety of the common blackberry, a single plant of 

 which had been found growing in an old quarry in the 

 neighboui'hood. He reminded tho Society that a similar 

 plant had been found some years ago in a field near Wins- 

 combe, and that during one of the botanical excursions in 

 1885 this plant had been seen by several members of the 

 Society. Prof. Sydney Young, D.Sc, read a paper on "The 

 Distillation of Coal, Coal l\ir, the Colouring Matters, and 

 other products obtained from it." Ono of tho most recently 

 discovered and interesting products is a substance named 

 Saccharin, which is about two hundred times as sweet as 

 sugar, has antiseptic properties, and is not poisonous. 



On November 4th, Mr. Phibbs exhibited a " sacred war- 

 trophy " from Ecuador. Tho account of it will be found at 

 page 183. Prof. Leipnor gave an account of the germination 

 of a cactus within tho fruit, the young plant being green, 

 though not exposed to light. Mr. G. Munro Smith, L.ll.C.P., 

 M.R.C.S., read a paper on " Germs," an abstract of which 

 will be found at page 186. 



On December 2nd, Prof. Ramsay, Ph.D., read a letter 



