78 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Neuroptera were real, whilst the points of agreement between the 

 Caddis-flies and the Lepidoptera were merely adaptive and not indi- 

 cative of any close genetic relationship ; but further research was 

 needed before decisive affirmations could be made. By most British 

 entomologists, and by a recent continental student — Kolenati — ■ 

 this group was given the status of a distinct order, a view favoured 

 in the present paper: most continental entomologists, however, 

 consider the group merely a sub-order of the Neuroptera. The 

 current opinion of entomologists as to the rudimentary nature of 

 the mouth organs of these insects was adverted to and doubted, 

 at least as to its universality in the group. Kecent study of a 

 large number of individuals led to a different conclusion, but 

 examination of living specimens was needed before this view could 

 be considered fully established. 



5th February, 1875. 

 Mr. Richard M'Kay, Vice-President, in the chair. 



PAPER READ. 



By Mr. Thomas King. — Eemarks on the Botany of Chile. 

 He gave a prefatory sketch of the physical geography of Chile, 

 as helping to elucidate its botanical features. Describing the 

 situation and extent of Chile, he next contrasted North Chile — 

 a desert, some years without a single shower — with the forest- 

 clad and very rainy character of the south. Central Chile is 

 intermediate in climate and has alternate rainy and dry seasons. 

 Chile is mountainous, intersected by spurs from the Andes with 

 flat-bottomed valleys between. Most of it has been elevated in 

 the present epoch, the present state of South Chile being typical 

 of the past condition of the whole of Chile. He described the 

 order in which the vegetation appears. First the red, bare 

 earth becomes green with the Erodium moschatum and cicutarium 

 (Alferillo), considered introduced species by Professor Philippi; 

 then the Oxalis lobata (Flor de perdiz) makes the fields gay 

 with its golden blossom, occupying a similar position there to 

 our wild go wans here, and as abundant. There is an absence in 

 Chile of the luxuriant tropical vegetation one would naturally 

 expect — owing to the fact that where the sun is powerful water is 

 scarce, and where rain is abundant the heat is little. 



