162 Proceedings of Societies. 
IT. Remarks on a Peruvian Skull. By James M‘Bain, M.D., R.N. 
Dr M‘Bain stated, there was no foundation for the assumption that the 
crania of the ancient Peruvians always showed additional or wormian 
bones in the lambdoidal suture of the skull. 
III. On the Occurrence of the Rosy Feather-Star, Comatula rosacea, on 
the Eastern Shore of Scotland, especially that of Caithness. By 
Cuartes W. Peacu, Esq., Wick. 
IV. The Kjokken-Méddinger of Denmark, and their similitudes on the 
Elginshire Coast. By the Rev. Gzorcr Gorpon, LL.D., Minister of 
Birnie. 
V. Notes of Bones of the Ox and Dog, and a curious Bronze Implement 
found in a bed of wndisturbed gravel at Kinleith, near Currie, Mid- 
Lothian. By Joun Avex. Situ, M.D. 
The bones and bronze implement (exhibited) were found in the valley 
of the Water of Leith, at a depth of about 12 feet from the surface, in a 
bed of gravel, which was covered by a bed of undisturbed sand and silt, 
about 5 feet in thickness. Dr Smith had seen no notice of any weapon 
of a similar character having been found in Britain or Ireland; it was, 
however, closely analogous to ‘“‘a crescent-shaped’’ implement of bronze 
discovered at Steinberg, one of the ancient piled lake-dwellings of Swit- 
zerland, which is figured in M. Troyon’s work on these lake habitations. 
Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 
Thursday, 12th March 1863.—Professor Batrour, V.P., in the Chair. 
The following Communications were read :— 
I. Notice of Pandanus odoratissimus (Fragrant Screw-pine), now flower- 
ing in the Palm-house at the Royal Botanic Garden. By Professor 
Batrour. (Plate III.) — 
Pandanus odoratissimus has recently produced pistilliferous flowers 
in the Palm-house at the Royal Botanic Garden. The plant is a native 
of the East Indies, China, and the Islands of the Pacifie Ocean. The 
plant in the garden is about fifty years old, and has attained a height of 40 
feet, with a stem about two feet in circumference. It has sixteen large 
alternate branches, and is provided with sixty aerial roots, some of them 
five feet long. (Plate III. fig. 1.) The leaves vary in length from three 
and a half to five feet. The plant has produced two globular spadices of 
pistillate flowers (fig. 2). As no staminate flowers have appeared on any of 
the plants in the Palm-house, the fruit will not be perfected. The fragrance 
is chiefly confined to the staminate flowers. The plant is used for hedges 
and for various economical purposes, such as the preparation of matting, 
bags, baskets, &c. A specimen of the pistilliferous spadix was exhibited. 
The species, so far as known, has not previously Erodnacy flowers in the 
botanic gardens of this country. 
Explanation of Plate III. 
Fig. 1. Sketch of plant in the Palm-house of the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. 
Fig. 2. Branch with leaves and globular cluster of fruit. 
