SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JUNE 21. 



XXXV 



observed that the injury to Carnations was brought to his notice 

 last autumn. The grubs lived beneath the rosette of leaves 

 forming the crown of the plant, and also bored into the stern 

 below the crown. The perfect female insect having now been 

 obtained for the first time, it proves to be Hylemyia nigrescens 

 (End.), allied to H. Cardui, which feeds in the flower-heads of 

 Thistles. He suggests hand-picking as soon as symptoms of 

 flagging is seen in the Carnations. Mr. McLachlan's note 

 upon this subject will be found in the Entomologist Monthly 

 Magazine (2nd ser., vol. iii., p. 135). The Committee will be 

 glad if florists will observe when the Carnations appear to be 

 first attacked, and record any observations they may make, in 

 order to discover the best remedy in future. 



Ground Ivy Gall. — Mr. McLachlan exhibited three large 

 green galls on this plant. They are due to Aulax Glechoms, 

 there being one gall-fly in each. He observed that it was an 

 undecided point whether galls are the result of the mechanical 

 puncture, or due to some secretion by the insect, as different 

 kinds of galls are sometimes produced by different broods of the 

 same species— as the root-galls and " Oak-apples" on the Oak. 

 The latter surmise appears to be most probable. 



Injury by Fog to Plants. — Professor F. Oliver has prepared 

 and exhibited at the soiree of the Royal Society dried plants, as 

 well as drawings, showing the injuries produced by London fog. 

 Dr. Russell remarked, from some examinations he had made 

 near the end of last year, that the amount of sulphuric acid in 

 the fog was even greater than had been proved to exist in the 

 air at Manchester. 



Huskless Barley. — Dr. Bonavia exhibited specimens of three 

 kinds — white, green, and dark purple coloured varieties from 

 India. They were grown in Oude by the Rajah as curious, but 

 were not marketable produce. He also exhibited a small variety 

 of horse-bean called " Bakla," and specimens of the white 

 " gram," a variety of Cicer arietinum. 



MegaoarjpcBa polyandria. — Mr. Burbidge sent a specimen of 

 this remarkable Crucifer. It has twelve stamens instead of six, 

 every one of the usual number being doubled. The fruit has 

 two unequally developed carpels, with a narrow dissepiment, 

 somewhat resembling that of Penny Cress, being quite round 

 and flat. It is a native of Western Thibet, W. Himalaya, 



B 2 



