200 H. T3. GUPPY, M.B., F.R.R.E.^ ON PL ANT-DISTEIBCTION^ ETC. 



and the prevailing colour of both is a deep red or scarlet; but the 

 Anemone, like all its genus, is without a calyx, while the Banunculus^ 

 of course, possesses one ; and Avhereas the lovely shades of colour in 

 the Anemone, varying from a pure white to deep mauve, found in 

 comparatively few districts, are never seen in the Banunculus, the 

 rare tints of bronzy yellow, sometimes seen in the Ranunculus 

 are never displayed in the Anemone — the plant that has no calyx 

 never exchanging tints with the plant that has one. Again, the 

 plant without a calyx always begins to bloom two or three weeks- 

 before the other. So there is no hybrid between Anemone and 

 Ranunculus. And yet they have bloomed in company for ages and 

 in all positions and climates of Palestine — on the low plain of Sharon 

 near the sea, by the Lake of Galilee, 700 feet below sea-level (where 

 tropical plants thrive), and on the slopes of Mount Carmel, 1,500 feet 

 above sea-level (where hail and snow are frequent) ; which fact, as 

 Mr. Sutton points out, ought, on the theory of evolution, to have- 

 wrought some lasting change of form in both plants : but there has 

 been neither hybridizing nor differentiating Avhatever. Similarly, 

 the few plants that have been found in Egyptian mummy coflfins are 

 identical with their present-day representatives ; and in the parallel 

 case of animals Mr. Sutton cites a work published by Messrs. Lortet 

 and Gaillard, of Lyons, entitled La Faune Momifiee de VAncienne 

 Egypte, which " shows clearly that the species embalmed 20, 30, or 

 even 70 centuries ago have not changed in the least." 



Two instances alone are insufficient to support the author's first 

 argument ; one would like to know how many more he has in 

 reserve.* And as regards his third argument, since the surface of 

 actual land is far greater than that of lakes, rivers, and streams, and 

 has been so ever since the creation of man, and since fresh-water 

 plants can grow only along their borders or in their slower currents, 

 we should expect to find a smaller variety of fresh-water plants than 

 of land-plants in the world ; and, as a fact, we have a smaller number 

 of families and genera as well as of species of the former. 



A cordial vote of thanks to the Author was then put from the 

 Chair, and carried unanimously ; the meeting then adjourned. 



* Perhaps these may be found in his voknne referred to by the 

 Secretary. 



