SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, OCTOBER 23. 



Cli 



Lawns damaged by Femchafers. — Mr. McLachlan showed 

 the larva of a beetle, Rhizotrogus solstitialis, which sometimes 

 does considerable damage to lawns. 



Phenological Phenomena. — A communication was received 

 from the Secretary of the Royal Meteorological Society alluding 

 to the appointment of a committee to investigate this subject 

 some twenty years ago, since which period that Society has 

 published records occupying some 350 pages of the Journal, as 

 well as maps and diagrams. It is suggested that the whole sub- 

 ject shall be now reviewed by a fresh conference, in order to con- 

 sider whether the observations should be continued or otherwise. 

 It was proposed that the Secretary should confer with the Secre- 

 tary of the Meteorological Society on the matter. 



Scientific Committee, November 13, 1894. 



A. Michael, Esq., F.L.S., in the Chair, and five members present. 



Germinating Black Pepper. — Mr. Henslow exhibited speci- 

 mens received from Mr. T. Christy. Pepper seeds, being usually 

 collected before they are fully ripened, are often deficient as to 

 their embryos ; but the examples shown had germinated well, the 

 large circular cotyledons carrying up the seed into the air. Their 

 tips formed a club-shaped extremity, and were retained within 

 the embryo sac, usually called the amniotic sac. This apparently 

 acts as a " digestive pocket " by secreting a ferment which 

 dissolves the endosperm occupying the greater part of the seed. 

 This is then conveyed into the plant by the included tips of the 

 cotyledons. 



Phenological Observations. — The Secretary, having received 

 the reports for 1891, 1892, and 1893 from the Royal Meteorologi- 

 cal Society, gave some account of an examination of them. The 

 conclusion arrived at was that the first flowering of plants being 

 noticed by one set of observers, and the meteorological data, 

 temperature, rainfall, and sunshine (hygrometric data wanting) 

 being supplied by other observers elsewhere, any accurate adjust- 

 ments between the two, in order to trace out local causes and 

 effects, were next to impossible. Again, although " the observers 

 are required under the new regulations [of 1891] to note each 

 year the flowering of the same individual trees and shrubs, and 



H 



