lxx The Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 
ORDINARY MoNnTHLY MEETING. 
Wednesday, July 25, 1894. 
Mr. R. Maruotu, Ph.D., M.A., President, in the Chair, 
Dr. J. A. Ross was elected an ordinary member of the Society. 
The undermentioned presents were announced, and the thanks of the 
Society voted to the donors : 
Annalen des K. K. Naturhistorische Hofmuseums, Meteoreisen 
Studien, III., von E. Cohen. 
Annales de la Faculté des Sciences de Marseille, T. I., No. 1, 2, 3; 
T. I., No. 41,02; TL. IML; Now, 2,3 and. 
Sketch and Check List of the Flora of Kaffraria, by J. R. Sim, 
F.L.S., Curator of Botanic Gardens, King William’s Town. 
Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 1893, 
No. 4, 1894, No. 1. 
Bericht des Vereins fiir Naturkunde zu Kassel, XX XIX. 
Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, 
Vol. XXVII., 1893. 
Dr. MARLoTH exhibited some botanical examples, one the well- 
known Citrullus vulgaris (melon), which enables the traveller to cross 
the wilds of the Kalahari Desert without danger of perishing from 
thirst. Also the fruit of a wild cucumber ; he had not yet seen the 
flower of the plant, but no species of Cucumis of South Africa was 
known to have such fruits. Both of these specimens came from 
Griqualand West (Asbestos Mountains). 
Dr. MARLOTH then read the following note on Fulgurites from 
Griqualand West : 
On the western side of the Asbestos Mountains is a small area of 
fine white sand, while the surrounding plains are formed by red or 
yellow soil. This spot is called Witsand, and is well known to the 
people of the country on account of three peculiarities : 
1. It contains the fulgurites. 
2. It produces a peculiar sound if one walks on it. 
3. It possesses a small pan of permanent water. 
The pool of water is only small, apparently not enough for a couple 
of spans of oxen, but hundreds of cattle may quench their thirst 
without reducing the quantity of water in it. 
The sound which the sand produces if people or animals walk over 
itis not like that of the so-called ‘musical sand,’ but a kind of roaring 
noise, on account of which it is called ‘ Brillzand.’ Not having been 
on the spot, I am unable to offer an explanation. 
