58 
Mr. John Barrow read a paper On the microscopical 
structure of some seeds.” This paper was illustrated by a 
large number of beautiful double-stained sections of seeds, 
&c., shown by means of an oxy-hydrogen lantern microscope 
on a screen of transparent paper. 
Mr. Barrow said : I have undertaken to show you a few 
slides to-night, which exhibit the position of the nutrient 
vessels in certain seeds. Secondly, I shall show you a few 
other sections illustrating the provision made after germi- 
nation has commenced for absorbing the material stored up 
in the Cotyledons and applying it to the use of the young 
plant; and lastly, I shall show another set of sections which 
may possibly give rise to some discussion, and which may 
probably change a widely-held opinion that the stores of 
nutrient material laid up in the Cotyledons is used alike for 
the development of the Badicle and the Plumule. 
The first section, that of the Testa or integument of the 
Broad Bean, will show the outer covering of the seeds made 
up of cellular tissue arranged in the same way as muriform 
tissue, and inside this another layer of cellular tissue, the 
Perisperm; the inner cellular layer or Endopleura is not 
shown, as it remains attached to the Endosperm, which 
breaks away in the process of staining ; also the Funiculus or 
attachment of the ovule to the Placenta, with vessels en- 
tering by the Chalaza and embedding themselves within 
the Perisperm, and distributing themselves round the nucleus 
but not entering it. On the opposite side of the Hilurn to 
the Chalaza is the Micropyle, and a hollow indentation of the 
Perisperm shews the position of the Radicle approaching 
the Micropyle. 
Sections in different stages of growth were shown, illus- 
trating the same thing, namely, the distribution of the 
vessels round, but not in, the nucleus of the seed, as, for 
instance, the Bean, the Gooseberry, the Plum, the Cherry, 
the Hazel-nut, and lastly the Walnut. In the slides of the 
