SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MAY 9. 



xxvii 



given in the Gardeners' Chronicle, where it is called the " Hen 

 and Chickens" Forget-me-not, as the flowers on the central 

 axis terminate in a synanthic condition, while numerous scorpioid 

 racemes radiate from below it. The stems are often strongly 

 fasciated. "With regard to the separate multipetalous flowers, Dr. 

 Bonavia contributed the following additional observations : " I 

 have no doubt whatever that this monstrous form does seed, 

 and for the following reasons : (a) The pistil is conical, like the 

 neck of a bottle in the middle of a circle of nucules ; and the 

 stigma is well formed, consisting of six or seven lobes, often 

 covered with pollen. (b) "When the corolla has fallen off 

 for some time the stigma is shrivelled, and several of the nucules 

 are much larger than their companions, indicating that their 

 contents had been fertilised. I have two forms before me — one 

 of a turquoise blue with all the flowers elongated, and with an 

 oval centre ; the other is much paler, and with all its flowers 

 circular, the centre being also circular. Both varieties have 

 eight, nine, or ten petals and stamens." A further examination 

 of the pistils made by Mr. Henslow reveals that either another 

 pistil or a cluster of stamens may be found within the ovary. In 

 the last report a number of free central ovules was described ; 

 but as this observation has not been confirmed, they were 

 probably rudimentary papillae of undeterminable character. On 

 removing an ovule from a nucule it is found to be oval, with a 

 remarkably long " beak " turned towards the funicle. Many 

 consisted of a hollow bag-like structure, being presumably 

 the primine only. Those which had become larger possessed 

 pro-embryos, while the fully formed nucules, with black polished 

 surfaces of the " seeds " issued by Messrs. Carter, had large, 

 perfect, oily embryos. The thanks of the Committee were given 

 to Dr. Bonavia and Mr. Henslow for their investigations into the 

 structure of this remarkable variety. 



Sugar-cane Moth. — Mr. Blandford exhibited specimens re- 

 ceived from Mr. Morris of moths, the caterpillars of which attack 

 the Sugar-canes in Teneriffe. It appeared to be a variety of or 

 perhaps a different species from Diatraea saccharalis, which bores 

 into the Maize stems, from which it is said to have spread to the 

 Sugar-canes. It was first figured by Rev. L. Guilding in the 

 " Trans. Soc. for the Encouragement of Arts" 1828, vol. xlvi. 

 p. 149 (D. sacchari, Guild.). It is also figured and described as 



