xxii Minutes of Prorpedinr/s. 



at the "base to 9 or 10 feet at the upper surface. It would appear 

 from the manner in which the hardest and most closely- grained rocks 

 have been weathered, that no considerable movement of the earth 

 has taken place in South Africa for many centuries. 



Dr. J. Shaw, F.L.S., remarked that this country had for many ages 

 been subject to sub-aerial denudation. As an example of the power- 

 ful effects produced by means of sand carried by wind, he quoted an 

 experiment made by Dr. Hahn at Somerset West. Some soda-water 

 bottles having been covered with paper, letters were cut in the paper, 

 and the bottles were then exposed to a south-east gale. In a few 

 hours the sand, driven by the wind against the bottles, had distinctly 

 scored the letters on the glass. 



Dr. Shaw was proceeding to point out the connection between the 

 ancient character of S. A. Landscape and S. A. Flora, when, owing 

 to the lateness of the hour, the meeting had to be brought to a close 

 with a vote of thanks to Mr. Stewart for his interesting and instruc- 

 tive paper. 



Ordinary/ Monthly/ Meeting. 



Wednesday, October 28, j88o. 



Prof. MacOwan, B.A., F.L.S. , President, in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Mr. Joseph Smith, jun., of 63, Legh-street, 

 Warrington, asking the names and addresses of any members who 

 take up the study of Zoophytes. Also from Mr. H. C. Schunke, for- 

 warding a copy of his essay on Kaffraria and the Eastern Districts qf 

 the Cape Colony. 



Mr. Trimen exhibited two remarkable specimens of large desert 

 locusts or grasshoppers, sent by Mr. Alston, of Yan Wyk's Ylej, and 

 stated that they belonged to a peculiar group common to Africa and 

 India. They are usually found in drj^ soil, the colour of which they 

 exactly resemble. The locusts have a peculiar characteristic, viz., 

 that their colour varies according to the soils and stones among which 

 they live. Mr. Trimen believed that this colour did not change like 

 that of the chameleon, but was adapted to suit certain localities. 



Prof. MacO wan exhibited specimens of flowers and bark of Gonioma 

 Kamassi, E. Mey. The bark had been sent to him by Mr. W. Groom, 

 Knysna, who had written to say that at the Kuysna the bark and 

 rasped wood is infused in spirit and used for same purposes as 

 Angostura Bitters. The tree is not uncommon in the Eastern Pro- 

 vince, furnishing a wood of close texture similar to box. 



He also exhibited a sample of bark of Rhamus prinoides, VJIerit, 

 sent by Mr. W. Groom. The tincture of this bark had been prepared 

 by Dr. Marloth. It is exceedingly bitter, and has purgative proper- 

 ties similar to those of the fruit and bark of the European buckthorn. 

 {^Rhamus framjula, Z.) 



He also exhibited a specimen of a rare and curious lieath. Erica 

 {Cyatholoma) Thunhergii, L., sent by Mr. N. Carson, of Ceres, from 

 the Koude Bokkeveld. There was only one specimen of the plant in 

 the Government Herbarium, which was gathered about 1829 by the 

 botanical traveller, J. F. Drege, at Ezelsbank, Clanwilliam. Previous 

 to that date no one but Thunberg seems to have collected it. 



