r905. Pr^^EGER. — Distribution of Fumitories in Ireland. 163 



of these plants which can at present be checked (eight out of 

 eighteen) proves, according to Mr. Piigsley, to be incorrectl)- 

 named. He states that this plant appears to be extremely 

 rare in the British Isles, former records resting on a mis- 

 conception of its identity. Till further information is forth- 

 coming it appears wise to withhold it from the Irish list. 



NOTES. 



BOTANY. 

 Further note on the Vitality of Seeds 



Can seeds which have absorbed water and have swelled, be again dried 

 up and afterwards germinate ? Or, is this absorption of water and con- 

 sequent sweUing up to be regarded as the first stage in germination, and 

 if the seed be now dried up will it lose its vitality To settle this ques- 

 tion, I took a number of dry seeds of Pea, Barley, Flax, Red Clover, and 

 Swede, and soaked them in water — the Barley for 48 hours, the others 

 for 24 hours. They were then taken out and allowed to dry up in the 

 laboratory. When thoroughl}' dry they were put in a pot and germi- 

 nated in the usual way with the following results : — 96 per cent, of the 

 Peas germinated, 73 per cent, of the Barlej-, 93 per cent, of the Flax, 65 

 per cent, of the Red Clover, and 87 per cent, of the Swede, so that the 

 soaking and drying seems to have had little effect on them. I have 

 lately found that no species of seed when in the swelled condition as the 

 result of absorbing moisture can survive being subjected to a temperature 

 of - 190'' C, (- 310^ F.) for 6 hours. 



J. Adams. 



Royal College of Science, Dublin. 



ZOOLOGY. 

 An Irish Enteropneust. 



A new species of Dolichoglossus is described by Mr. W. M. Tattersall in 

 the British Association Report, 1904, pp. 603-604. 



This is the first Enteropneust which has been recorded from British 

 waters. It was discovered by Mr. Farran in a dredging from Ballinakill 

 Harbour, Co. Galway, and later on other specimens were obtained by 

 dredging in a mixture o( wet coarse sand and mud at low tide. This 

 interesting addition to the Irish fauna will also be more fully dealt with 

 in the Department of Agriculture's Report. 



