Astronomy. 75 
the vessel, and contains lines showing the position of the points 
referred to above . 
11. Brongniart on the theoretical Structure of the Cone in 
Conifere,—This latest view of the nature of the fertile scale was 
brought out by Mr. Brongniart, at a meeting of the Botanical 
Society of France, July 14, 1871, upon the occasion of the reading 
and the subtending tract in Abictinew are the result of a complete 
ion i inus, &¢., and incomplete in 
Araucaria, of the same organ which in Cupressinee is undivided 
or simple, e ovuliferous scale is therefore to the tract what the 
scale upon the petal of a Crowfoot is to the petal itself— Vid. 
Bull. Soc, Bot. Fr., XViii, p. j . 
: i att p. 14 A. G. 
12. Zizania aquatica not tuberiferous.—In the number of this 
d 
edies this by plunging the fresh specimens for a short time in 
water containing one per cent. of hydrochloric acid, and after- 
Ward washing in pure water. Their aspect when thus prepared 
and dried is nearly that of the living plant. .G. 
14. Origin of the Weeping Willow.—From the investigations of 
Karl Koch it appears that the “Garad,” upon which according to 
the Psalmist, the captive Jews at Babylon hung their harps, is not 
the weeping willow named Salix Babylonica by Linnzus in view 
of the current tradition, and is not a willow at all, but a poplar. 
Ill. Asrronomy. 
1. On the Spectrum of the great Nebula in Orion, and on the 
sg of some Stars toward and from the Earth.—In this paper 
r. Huggins gives the results of his recent observations. 
Spectrum of the Nebula of Orion.— Four lines are seen. . - 
First line... : is line : 
Seen to be very narrow, of a width corresponding to the slit, i 
defined at both edges, and undoubtedly not double. The line of 
