400 Proceedings of the British Association. 



27. Dr William Barker made some observations on the pas- 

 sage of electricity along a platinum wire.- Black spots were ob- 

 served at regular distances, the rest of the wire being luminous. 



28. Mr Scanlan exhibited a beautiful specimen of hematine 

 crystallized in the centre of a mass of logwood. 



Section D Zoology and Botany. 



President — Dr All man. 

 Vice-Presidents — Dr Daubeny ; Dr Geaham. 

 Secretaries — Mr Curtis; Dr Litton. 

 Committee Mr Babington. Dr Coulter. Mr Cristy. Mr Allan Cunning- 

 ham. Mr D. Don. Mr J. T. Mackaj . Mr Maund, Mr W. Nicol. 

 Dr Neill. Mr Parker. Col. Svkes. Mr It. Taylor. 



Monday, 10th August. — 1. A paper was read by Mr Niven on 

 the formation of a natural arrangement of plants for a botani- 

 cal garden, together with a drawing to illustrate his views. 



% Mr Ball, M.R.E.S., exhibited Pentacrinus europceus* and 

 Beroe ovatus, in a living state, from Howth. Mr Babington 

 exhibited Scirpus Savii, which he found in abundance in An- 

 glesea, near Holyhead, and Dr Graham mentioned that he had 

 observed it on the coast of Galloway. A letter was read from 

 Mr William Hamilton, inclosing remarks on some of the vege- 

 table productions of Mexico, from the pen of Dr Schiede, but 

 which have already appeared in foreign journals. Dr Graham 

 stated that he had lately found in Galloway the Orchis pyra- 

 midalis, and Dr Knapp that he had met with the same plant 

 near to Edinburgh. Dr Graham also stated, that he had dis- 

 covered, among the rocks of the coast of Galloway, the Ononis 

 reclinata, an annual species, and new to Britain. Mr Babing- 

 ton stated, that M. Reichenbach says there are decidedly three 

 species confounded under Orchis bifolia, and that two of them 

 are British, and are readily distinguished by the form of the 

 anthers. The Rev. Dr Drummond informed the members, that, 

 from observations lately made by him, the Gordius aquaticus 

 seemed to be viviparous. 



Tuesday, Uth August.— 8. Mr J. T. Mackay, of the College 



