f 16 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



molar teeth, but they were present in the upper iucisors. In no case did 

 these rudimentary suecessional teeth pass beyond the condition of simple 

 downgrowths from the enamel organs of the functional teeth. 



Mr. J. W.Willis Bund exhibited a supposed hybrid between the Common 

 and Red-legged Partridges; but in the opinion of ornithologists present it 

 was merely a variety of the former species. 



Mr. J. C. Mansel Pleydell exhibited a pair of malformed horns of the 

 Roebuck, found at Whatcombe, Blaudford, Dorset, their peculiar growth 

 resulting from exostosis consequent upon injury sustained while in the 

 sensitive condition. They resembled those figured in 'The Zoologist' for 

 1884, p. 364. 



Mr. D. Morris communicated some further notes upon the Tick-pest of 

 Jamaica, upon which au animated discussion took place. 



A paper was then read by Mr. F. E. Weiss, " On the development of 

 Caoutchouc-containing cells of Eucommia ulmoides, Oliver." He found 

 that the bark and leaves of this tree, used medicinally by the Chinese, and 

 called by them " Tu-chung," contain numerous elastic threads of silky 

 appearance, which proved to be of the nature of Caoutchouc. They are 

 contained in long un branching cells, somewhat like latex cells which are 

 found in the cortex and in the secondary phloem, and accompany in large 

 numbers the ramifying bundles of the leaf and the pericarp. Unlike the 

 ordinary latex cells, they are not derived from specialized cells of the 

 embryo, but originate in all new growths, and can be seen forming in the 

 cortex, the pith and the parenchyma surrounding the bundle of the petioles. 

 They originate in twos, by longitudiual division of a very granular cell, 

 both daughter cells growing out at their two extremities into a long tube 

 which makes its way along the intercellular spaces by sliding growth. They 

 never contain more than one nucleus, and the large granules of caoutchouc, 

 which soon make their appearance, finally coalesce into a single solid mass, 

 which has, when the tissues are broken, the appearance of a silky thread. 

 Mr. Weiss regards these cells as a primitive form of latex cells, similar to 

 those from which the more elaborate ones of the ordinary Euphorbiacea 

 may have been derived. 



The meeting was brought to a close with a paper by Dr. Jean Miiller 

 on the Lichens of Manipur. 



February 4. — Prof. Stewart, President, in the chair. 



A letter was read from General Sir Dighton Probyn, conveying the 

 thanks of the Prince and Princess of Wales for the expression of condolence 

 with their Royal Highnesses in their severe bereavement, which had been 

 forwarded by the President on behalf of the Society. A similar acknow- 

 ledgment on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen was subsequently received 

 from the Home Secretary. 



