Miscellaneous. 303 



Mr Hope read a paper " on the probability that certain Opinions of the An- 

 cients were derived from their observations upon Insects," in which he particu- 

 larly noticed the apparently spontaneous generation of many of these from the 

 mud of the Nile, and the metamorphoses which others must have been observed 

 to undergo. From hence he considered that they had derived their notions of 

 the vivifying influence of the sun, and their doctrine of the metempsychosis. 



Mr G. Webb Hall made some remarks upon the value of lime as a manure ; and 

 stated, that he had found by experience the advantage of employing it fresh from 

 the kiln, and ploughing it into the ground within twelve hours of the time when 

 it was first scattered over the surface. 



Wednesday, 24th August. 

 Col. Sykes laid before the Section a manuscript volume containing an ac- 

 count of the fruits of the Deccan, which he had compiled during an extensive 

 and minute statistical inquiry undertaken by him when in India. Most of the 

 species enumerated were accompanied by accurately coloured drawings prepared 

 by a draughtsman in his service, and each was furnished with a scale taken from 

 actual measurement. His manuscript contained also the opinions of the Hin- 

 doos respecting the various medical and other properties of most of these fruits ; 

 and these he had compiled from five very ancient works obtained by him in the 

 country, and written in Sanscrit. Col. Sykes then selected some of the more 

 interesting species, both of the wild and cultivated fruits, upon which he com- 

 mented, mentioning such peculiarities as he considered most worthy the atten- 

 tion of the Section. Of these, the golden plantain was remarkable for bearing 

 fruit only once, and was a tree of great beauty. A plant, which he considered 

 might be looked upon as the origin of the whole Citrus family, was abundant in 

 a wild state over the western parts, and became a good sized tree. Near the 

 source of the river Becara, he had found the wild nutmeg, also assuming the 

 character of a large forest tree. A species of mulberry was noticed which he 

 considered new. The Anona, Anacardium, and Carica are universally cultivat- 

 ed, though supposed to be natives of the new world. 



Mr Mackay read a short report which he was requested last year to prepare, 

 '' on the Geographical Distribution of the Plants of Ireland." He enumerated such 

 species as were common to the neighbourhood of Dublin, Edinburgh, and the 

 south coast of Scotland, and selected 195 of the more remarkable species by 

 which to illustrate Ids subject. The more southerly position of Ireland, and the 

 comparatively lower elevation of its mountains, deprived this country of many 

 species, chiefly alpine, which Scotland possessed, and of these Mr Mackay enu- 

 merated not less than 55. Many natives of the west coast are not found in 

 Scotland, but belong equally to the mountains of Spain and Portugal. A list of 

 21 species was given of plants indigenous to Ireland, but not hitherto met with 

 in any other part of Great Britain. Mr Mackay considered that he had not sa- 

 tisfactorily completed his researches on this subject, but proposed to give the Sec- 

 tion an enlarged report on some future occasion. 



Professor Royle then read a paper " on the Properties of Caoutchouc, and the 

 various plants from which it was possible to obtain it." He had learnt from the 

 proprietor of an extensive manufacture of this substance, that there were great 

 difficulties in the way of obtaining it in a pure state, especially that which came 

 from the East Indies, where Professor Royle knew that any quantity might be 



