SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 105 



with this condition, but on examining older and thicker portions of the 

 same roots he found many steles present. After discussing the origin of 

 this, the author considered the change to be primary, not secondary, and 

 suggested that these roots might serve as props to the stem. The paper 

 was criticised by Mr. George Murray and Prof. Trail, Dr. Scott replying 

 to objections. 



Mr. R. Morton Middleton then read a paper on a remarkable use of 

 Ants in Asia Minor, communicated by Mr. Miltiades Issigonis, of Smyrna. 

 It was stated that the Greek barber-surgeons of the Levant employed a 

 large species of ant for the purpose of holding together the edges of an 

 incised wound. The ant, held with a forceps, opens its mandibles wide, 

 and being then permitted to seize the edges of the cut, which are held 

 together for the purpose, as soon as a firm grip is obtained the head is 

 severed from the body. Mr. Issigonis had seen natives with wounds in 

 course of healing, with the assistance of seven or eight ant's heads. The 

 species of ant referred to was a large-headed Camponotus, not unlike one 

 found in India. Mr. Middleton recalled the fact that a similar observa- 

 tion concerning an ant in Brazil had been recorded many years ago by 

 Mr. Mocquerys, of Rouen (Ann. Soc. Entom. France, 2 ser. ii. lxvii), as 

 quoted by Sir John Lubbock in his work on ' Ants, Bees, and Wasps ' ; but 

 the observation, strange to say, had not been confirmed either by Bates or 

 Wallace during their travels in South America. Dr. John Lowe pointed 

 out that in this operation apparently no attention was paid to the usual 

 autiseptic precautions, which are regarded as indispensable in modern 

 surgery. Sir William Flower considered the observation of much interest 

 from an ethnological point of view, as showing the independent existence of 

 the same custom in countries so far apart as Brazil and Asia Minor. 



Feb. QOth.— Mr. C. B. Clarke, F.R.S., President, in the chair. 



Messrs. O. V. Aplin, Gilbert Christy, and W. 0. Stenteford were 

 admitted Fellows of the Society. 



Mr. Clement Reid exhibited a collection of Acorns planted by Rooks, 

 and made remarks upon the agency of these and other birds in the dispersal 

 of seeds. A discussion followed, in which the President and Messrs. Cole, 

 Druery, Harting, and Kirby took part. 



Mr. Bernard Arnold exhibited and made remarks upon an abnormal 

 growth of Dactylis glomerata, Linn., gathered at Shorne, near Gravesend, 

 followed by remarks from Messrs. B. Daydon Jackson and H. Groves. 



Mr. W. H. Lang exhibited under the microscope Prothalli of several 

 varieties of Nephrodium Filix-mas. These illustrated the apogamous 

 production of the sporophyte which has been described in this species by 

 De Bary and Kny. Dr. D. H. Scott and Mr. C. T. Druery took part in 

 the discussion which followed. 



On behalf of Mr. John Young, there was exhibited an unprecedented 



