SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JULY 26. 



xliii 



Scientific Committee, July 26, 1892. 

 D. Morris, Esq., in the Chair, and five members present. 



Termes at La Bochelle. — Mr. McLachlan having previously 

 stated, at the meeting held on June 21, that the species 

 in question was a native of the Old World alone, though 

 Mr. Warburton is still under the impression that it was 

 introduced to La Bochelle from America, he added the folio vv in g 

 observations : " Termes was first noticed at La Eochelle about 

 1789, and was supposed to have been introduced from St. 

 Domingo, with which place there was much trade at that time. 

 This erroneous idea evidently still exists at La Eochelle as a 

 tradition, having been handed down from generation to generation. 

 A much more probable explanation has been suggested, namely, 

 that it was introduced into La Eochelle with firewood from 

 Landes, where it is very abundant. Termes lucifugus has never 

 been found in any part of North or South America, or in the 

 West Indies. In geographical distribution it is essentially 

 circum- Mediterranean, but extends into Spain, Portugal, and as 

 far north as La Eochelle. I possess the insect from several 

 localities on the European coasts of the Mediterranean, and also 

 from Egypt and Algeria." 



Dianthus attacked by Fungus. — Mr. Massee reported upon 

 the specimens sent to the last meeting by Eev. C. W. Dod as 

 follows : " The fungus is Helminth osporium exasperatum, Berk, 

 and Br., and is present in various stages of development. As to. 

 whether the fungus is the cause of the disease or not it is im- 

 possible to say without experimenting on healthy plants. This I 

 am now doing, and will report later. I may add that Helmintho- 

 sporium has been shown to be the cause of disease in other cases." 



Bouillie Bordelaise, Cause of its Failure. — The following com- 

 munication was received from Dr. Eussell : — " I send you now 

 the result of my examination of the bouillie bordelaise used at 

 Chiswick. Mr. Barron, I find, took 7 lbs. of sulphate of copper 

 and 10 lbs. of quicklime ; he slaked the lime in 10 quarts of 

 water and dissolved the copper sulphate in 7 quarts of water, and 

 afterwards diluted these liquids so as to make the total quantity 

 up to 100 quarts. The clear solution from the lime was added 

 to the sulphate of copper solution, and the precipitate allowed to 



