ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
197 
vaceus ), which abundantly visits the flowers in search of nectar. If the 
visits of these birds are excluded, the flowers are quite sterile. A some- 
what similar process takes place in L. Dregei , except that the anthers 
themselves are here broken off, scattering the pollen as they fly. The 
visiting birds are here also sun-birds. 
According to Dr. L. Nicotra,* * * § Helleborus siculus is so strongly pro- 
terogynous that self-pollination is impossible. 
Mr. C. Robertson f gives a list of the insect visitors of a very large 
number of species of American Rosaceae and Compositse. With the 
exception of Potentilla norvegica, which is usually self-pollinated, all 
present evidence of adaptation to the visits of pollinating insects. 
Mr. J. H. Burkill f describes the mode in which the flowers of Medi- 
cago (chiefly M. sativa, falcata, sylvestris, and lupulina ) are “exploded,” 
so as to scatter the pollen by the agency of insects, without which pro- 
cess the flowers appear to be infertile. The explosion cannot be effected 
by the wind, and the only insects which seem to be able to bring it 
about (in M. sativa) are species of Bombus and Apis. A long list is 
appended of the insect-visitors of these species. 
From Mr. J. 0. Willis § we have a contribution to our knowledge of 
the arrangements for pollination in Brodisea ixioides, Stanhopea tigrina , 
Pimelea decussata, Cotyledon Umbilicus , Hydrolea spinosa , Nemophila 
maculata, and ZizipJiora capitata. Mr. Willis also discusses the con- 
ditions under which cleistogamous flowers are formed in Salvia ver- 
benaca. 
Mr. A. G. Hamilton || describes the mode of pollination of several 
species belonging to the Australian genera Scsevola , Stelliera, and Bru- 
nonia , of Goodeniaceae. In most of them he considers that the contri- 
vances in the flower all point to cross-pollination by insects, but that, in 
case of that failing, the same contrivances ensure pollination by the 
plant’s own pollen. 
(2) {Nutrition and Growth, [(including-) Germination, and [Movements 
of Fluids). 
Germination of Dormant Seeds.^f — Further experiments on this 
subject by Herr A. Peter have led to no very decisive results, but con- 
firm the conclusion previously arrived at, that the seeds of many plants, 
especially when very small, will retain their vitality, when buried deep 
in the soil, for a much longer period than has generally been sup- 
posed. 
Germination of Keteleeria.** — Sig. R. Pirotta has investigated the 
mode of germination of the seeds of Eeieleeria Fortunei , and finds it to 
differ from that of other Abietineae in being hypogseous ; the number of 
cotyledons is also only two, as in other hypogaeous Coniferse. Both 
* Bull. Soc. Bot. Ital., 1894, pp. 2(!3-4. Cf. this Journal, 1894, p. 589. 
f Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, vi. (1894), pp. 435-80. 
X Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc., viii. (1894) pp. 142-53. 
§ Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.), xxx. (1894) pp. 284-98 (2 pis.). 
|| Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, ix. (1894) pp. 201-12 (1 pi.). 
If Nachr. K. Gesell. Wiss. Gottingen, 1894, pp. 373-93. Cf. this Journal, 1894, 
p. 368. ** Atti R. Accad. Lincei, iii. (1894) pp. 286-9. 
