ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. xli. 



V. Botanical classification for purposes of nomenclature of genera, species 

 and varieties is based on morphological characters. 



Under (I.) the author takes the following characters 

 seriatim, and shows that they all vary: — Habit, bark, 

 timber, exudations, petiole, leaf — a. suckers, b. cotyledon 

 leaves, c. venation, d. young stems, e. essential oil, f. 

 stomata — galls, inflorescence, anthers, pollen-grains, calyx, 

 fruit. The author concludes with the following remarks : 

 "It seems strange to me that with evidence (as I contend), 

 simply inexhaustible, of variation in Eucalyptus, both as 

 regards spontaneous and cultivated plants, where it is 

 sometimes necessary (I believe) to name a plant with the 

 qualifying note that another botanist may have good grounds 

 for placing it in an allied species, this doctrine of variation 

 apparently does not command universal acceptance. It 

 seems to me that the "non-variation" theory runs counter 

 to some of th^ most generally accepted sets of practical 

 observations on which the doctrine of evolution of species 

 is based, and there is just a little danger of what Darwin 

 terms " arguing in a circle " in presenting the observations 

 that are interpreted to destroy the dogma which many of 

 us consider as built upon unassailable facts." 



Remarks were made by Mr. R. T. Baker, Dr. Walter 

 Spencer, Mr. Henry G. Smith, and Mr. O. A. Benbow. 



The following is an abstract of the fifth Science Lecture 

 of the present Session, delivered on the 27th November, 

 by W. H. Warren, wl sc, m. inst. ce., m. Am. soc. c.e., Ohallis 

 Professor of Engineering, President of the Royal Society. 



The lecturer stated that the most significant feature of 

 the Nineteenth Century is to be found, not so much in its 

 ideas, as in its material attainment. Beyond doubt the 

 Nineteenth Century carries the stamp of Engineering, and 

 it will probably be the best known to the future historian 

 as the Century of Engineering. It is now clearly established 



