neously. From the lining membrane of the general cavity, the male and female reproductive organs were also developed, and there, in some species, the ova were hatched, and the young (at first mere shapeless, ciliated germs, swimming rapidly in the fluids of the cavity, chambers, and tentacles) became fully formed, passed into the stomach of the parent, and were ejected from the mouth as perfect Actinias, with mouth, tentacles, and suctorial foot. The author had thought it possible that the prolongations from the foot of Actinia lacerata might contain one of these hatched germs in its imperfect state, and that it might be thus deposited on the surface occupied by the parent, and its safety insured. Having some specimens of dianthus in his possession, he had waited for some time in vain for their multiplication by fissure; he therefore determined to try an experimentum crucis, and for that purpose having placed the specimen in a jar of sea-water, and fed it until it had become fully distended, he examined the edge of the foot, which was perfectly transparent, with a powerful lens, and convinced himself that no ovum or germ existed in that situation. He then separated a piece about a line in length, by half a line in breadth, from the edge of the foot. The parts immediately receded from each other, and the next day he found that the separated portion had crept to a considerable distance along the glass. In two or three days it had raised its divided edge from the surface to which it was attached, and had become a curved column; in a fortnight tentacles had appeared; and in three weeks it had become a perfect Antinia, with a single row of beautiful long tentacles. From the foot of this small Actinia he cut two other exceedingly minute slips, which also became Actinias; and from the foot of the original Actinia he also separated, at various times, fourteen other slips, all of which became developed as the first. The author stated that this case of gemmiparous increase was an instance of the development of a perfect and very complicated organism, from a minute fragment of one similar to itself, all that was essential to the process being apparently the existence of a portion of each of the three elemental tissues of the original, the dermal, the muscular, and the mucous tissue, the last being represented by the lining membrane of the general cavity. And it appeared to be analogous to the instance of gemmation from the water-vascular system observed by the late Professor Edward Forbes in Sarsia prolifera, in which animal the young medusæ pullulated forth from the hollow bulbs which supported the tentacles. 4. Memorandum of Shells and a Deer's Horn found in a cutting of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway, Dumbartonshire. By JAMES M'FARLANE of Balwill, Esq., W.S. (Specimens exhibited.)"

Wednesday, 23d April 1856. W. H. Lowe, M.D., Pres. in the Chair. 1. Account of an Undescribed Marine Animal. By T. STRETHILL WRIGHT, M.D. (This paper will appear in the next number of the Journal.)

2. Note on Indications of the Existence of Bilateral Symmetry, and of a Longitudinal Axis in Actinia, as shown in Living Specimens. By T. STRETHILL WRIGHT, M.D.

The author stated, that he had lately received from the south of England several specimens of Actinia bellis, which illustrated in a striking manner the existence of bilateral symmetry and of a longitudinal axis, maintained by Agassiz as occurring in this and other classes of the Radiata. The members of the Society would at once perceive that the disks of the animals placed on the table were not circular, but oval; and

that the slit of the mouth intersected the long diameter of the oval. Agassiz had noticed that the fœcal discharge in Actinia always took place from one extremity of the mouth, which was indicated by a tentacle of peculiar colour or form. This observation had been confirmed by Dr M Bain of Leith. In some of the specimens exhibited, the focal extremity of the mouth was marked by a brilliant yellow tentacle, while all the other tentacles were of the usual mottled-brown colour. Others of these specimens, again, exhibited still more remarkable markings. At first sight, their disks appeared to be accurately divided into four quarters, three of which were striped with broad lines of white, whilst the fourth was of an unmixed brown colour. A closer inspection showed that this fourth was intersected by the line of the mouth and the long diameter of the oval, so that in these specimens the bilateral symmetry was perfect, and the existence of an antero-posterior diameter very apparent.

3. Specimens of living Madrepores (Caryophyllia Smithii), from Ilfracombe, Devonshire, were exhibited. By T. STRETHILL WRIGHT, M.D. 4. A Collection of Scales of the Holoptichius maximus was exhibited; found on Rule Water, Roxburghshire. By JOHN ALEX. SMITH, M.D.

Botanical Society.

Thursday, 10th April 1856. Professor BALFOUR, V. P., in the Chair. Professor Balfour read a letter from Professor Allen Thomson, Glasgow, in which he remarks:

"I got the other day a curious specimen of a piece of plane tree, with a portion of the metatarsal bone of a large ruminating animal imbedded in it. The bone was about three or four inches in diameter, and so completely imbedded that the turner had worked for some time upon it, and was about to finish the wood for a printing roller when his tool grated on the bone, and he broke up the wood. I have, from the rings of wood, made out its place to have been not far from the centre of a tree of not less than 16 or 18 inches in diameter.

The following Papers were then read:

1. Remarks on the State of the Forests in Pegu, and other parts of India. Communicated by Professor BALFOUR.

The statements in this communication were taken from Dr M'Clelland's Report as given in a Madras paper transmitted by Dr Cleghorn. It was stated that that report, taken in connection with Dr Falconer's report on the forests of the Tenasserim provinces and Dr Cleghorn's on the forests of Madura and Malabar, prove

1. That the forests of Southern India and Pegu are approaching rapidly to exhaustion. 2. That the first step necessary to check this process is a more effective organisation of the forest department of the government of India. Instances are recorded in the Tenasserim provinces of the indiscriminate felling of teak trees of all ages. Trees with a straight bole of 100 feet, and trees with the wood not yet hard, were all hewn down alike. In some forests the axe never ceased for twenty years. In others, every teak tree was removed. In Malabar the destruction had not been so extensive, and steps had been taken to prevent the further deterioration of the forests.

In Pegu, it appears that the Burmese Government and the squatters

have overworked the forests in a most reckless manner. Trees of all sizes and ages were allowed to be cut, and it was stated that upwards of 70 per cent, of the trees cut were under-sized. In some places the forests have been worked unceasingly for thirty years. Exclusive of trees felled or killed, there remain in the northern forest about 520,000 teak trees, which at the utmost will allow thinning to the extent of 25,000 trees a year. This number will soon be exceeded, and the forests will thus speedily disappear, unless measures are taken for renewal of the trees, which it is not the interest of the lessees to provide for.

The conservancy of the valuable forests in India is a matter of great importance, and calls for the immediate attention of the Indian Government. Steps have already been taken in some of the Presidencies; but much still remains to be done in order to secure that the timber of these extensive forests shall be preserved and turned to good account.

2. Remarks on some Edible Sea Weeds. By Dr DAVY. Communicated by Professor BALFOUR. (This paper appears in the present number of this Journal.)

3. On Fibrous substances used in India, as communicated in the Report of the Jurors of the Madras Exhibition. By Professor BAL

FOUR.

4. Notice of the Flora of the Cumbrae Islands. By Professor BALFOUR. The Cumbrae Islands are situated on the Firth of Clyde, between the coast of Ayrshire and the Island of Bute. In their geological structure, as well as in their flora, they present many points of affinity with the latter island. Red sandstone, with limestone and trap, constitute the chief rocks of the Cumbraes. The rarer plants are found on the rocky grounds near the shores. The species are in general those which characterize the western parts of Scotland. The climate is mild, and some species are met with which are usually considered characteristic of more southern situations. The Great Cumbrae is about three miles long, and one and a half broad, and its surface embraces about 2500 acres, one-half of which is arable. The land rises in the centre of the island to about 400 feet. It consists of a mass of red sandstone traversed by trap veins, some of which form very conspicuous dykes. Two of these to the east of Millport have received the name of Reppel walls. Greenstone, basalt, and porphyry are met with in the veins. In some parts of the island, limestone occurs and is worked.

The Little Cumbrae lies about half a mile south of the Great Cumbrae. It is about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth. It is composed chiefly of trap, with here and there portions of sandstone. There are several caves in the island, one of them of large size.

During a short residence at Millport last autumn, Dr Balfour took the opportunity of examining both the Cumbraes, in company with Mr Macfarlan and some other pupils who were very zealous in the promotion of practical botany. He was indebted to Mr Levack for information in regard to the muscology of the island, and Dr Stoddart pointed out some interesting localities for plants.

The Mosses collected have been examined by Mr Nichol, and the Lichens by Macmillan, while he has received from Mr Hennedy of Glasgow a full list of the Algæ of the islands. The best botanical stations are the rocks near the coast, aad the wooded ravines which run up from the shore.

The Phanerogamous plants seen by Dr Balfour and party amounted to about 420. These consisted of

Among the more interesting of these may be enumerated the following -Brassica monensis, on the sandy shores; Sagina subulata, Malva moschata, Hypericum Androsæmum, Geranium sanguineum, Radiola Millegrana, Rubus discolor, Lythrum Salicaria, Cotyledon Umbilicus, Sedum Telephium, Carum verticillatum, Conium maculatum, Eryngium maritimum, northern shores of the Great Cumbrae; Haloscias scoticum, Helosciadium inundatum, nodiflorum; Enanthe Lachenalii, Dipsacus sylvestris, naturalized; Hieracium gothicum, vulgatum; Jasione montana, Calluna vulgaris, var. tomentosa, Pyrola media, Erythræa littoralis, Convolvulus Soldanella, sandy northern shores of the Great Cumbrae; Mertensia maritima, western shore of the Great Cumbrae; Solanum Dulcamara, Hyoscyamus niger, Linaria vulgaris, Lamium intermedium, Lycopus europæus, Scutellaria galericulata, Stachys ambigua, Pinguicula lusitanica, Utricularia minor, vulgaris; Anagallis tenella, Samolus Valerandi, Littorella lacustris, Atriplex Babingtonii, erecta; Salicornia herbacea, Suæda maritima, Polygonum Raii, Rumex viridis, Habenaria viridis, Listera cordata, ovata; Juncus maritimus, Alisma ranunculoides, Zostera marina, var. angustifolia, Carex extensa, paniculata, vulpina; Eleocharis uniglumis, Schoenus nigricans, Scirpus maritimus, Catabrosa aquatica, var. minor, Festuca arundinacea, Pseudo-Myurus; Melica uniflora, Phalaris arundinacea, var. picta, Schlerochloa maritima, Triticum laxum.

Of Ferns and their allies collected on the island the following is the number:

The proportion of Ferns, as compared with Phanerogamous plants, is large. Among the more interesting of these may be noticed-Asplenium marinum, Botrychium Lunaria, Hymenophyllum Wilsoni, Lastra a fœnisecii, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Osmunda regalis, Polypodium Phegopteris, Polystichum angulare, Scolopendrium vulgare.

Among other plants gathered may be mentioned Chara flexilis, Palmella cruenta, which formed a covering of the sandstone in many of the streams, and Batrachospermum moniliforme.

The following is a list of the Cumbrae Mosses, partly determined by Mr Nichol, and partly from a list given by Mr Levack :-Sphagnum cymbifolium, acutifolium, cuspidatum, squarrosum; Pleuridium subulatum, Gymnostomum tenue, Weissia controversa, Dicranum heteromallum, varium, cerviculatum, Scoparium, palustre; Campylopus flexuosus, Fissidens bryoides, adiantoides, taxifolius; Pottia Heimii, truncata; Tortula muralis, subulata, unguiculata; Didymodon rubellus, Ceratodon pur

pureus, Trichostomum homomallum, Orthotrichum affine, Grimmia pulvinata, maritima; Racomitrium lanuginosum, canescens, aciculare; Ptychomitrium polyphyllum, Physcomitrium ericetorum, Entosthodon Templetoni, Splachnum ampullaceum, Bartramia fontana, pomiformis; Bryum capillare, carneum; Mnium punctatum, undulatum, hornum, rostratum; Atrichum undulatum, Pogonatum nanum, alpinum; Polytrichum commune, Fontinalis antipyretica, Neckera complanata, Pterygophyllum lucens, Pylaisea polyantha, Homalothecium sericeum, Thamnium alopecurum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Hylocomnium splendens, triquetrum, loreum, squarrosum; Plagiothecium undulatum, Eurhynchium longirostre, Stokesii; Brachythecium rutabulum, velutinum, populeum, plumosum; Hypnum commutatum, revolvens, cuspidatum, scorpioides, Schreberi, fluitans, purum, cupressiforme; Jungermannia asplenioides, tamarisci, furcata.

The following list of Lichens collected on the Cumbraes, has been prepared by Mr Macmillan :-Nephroma resupinata, in fruit; Parmelia caperata (barren), pulverulenta, parietina, stellaris; Sticta scrobiculata, barren; Borrera tenella, Placodium plumbeum, Sphærophoron coralloides (in fruit), compressum: Parmelia glomulifera (barren), omphalodes (in fruit), perlata, barren; Cladonia rangiferina, uncialis; Roccella tinctoria, Parmelia conspersa, in fruit; Peltidea canina, horizontalis ; Scyphophorus alcicornis, Ramalina fraxinea, fastigiata; Parmelia saxatilis, Lecanora tartarea, Parmelia Aquila, in fruit; Evernia prunastri, Usnea florida, Squamaria murorum, Ramalina scopulorum, Lecidea geographica, sulphurea; Lecanora atra, Sticta pulmonaria, barren; Parmelia olivacea, Variolaria velata, Lecanora parella, Collema lacerum, Sticta fuliginosa, barren; Squamaria affinis, Parmelia perforata, barren; Stereocaulon paschale, in fruit.

Mr Macmillan remarked, "In the above list of the more conspicuous Lichens of these islands, it will be observed that several species occur which are usually found only in the depths of shady woods in situations far inland. The Parmelia glomulifera, Sticta scrobiculata, Placodium plumbeum, Nephroma resupinata, and Sticta fuliginosa, are almost peculiar to the extensive forests of mountainous regions where there is a great deal of moisture and shade; and hence their occurrence not merely as stray or isolated individuals, for the Lichens are sometimes very erratic in their choice of habitats, but in considerable quantities on islands almost entirely destitute of wood and very much exposed, is a somewhat singular circumstance. It is also curious to notice in the list no less than eight species, which we should scarcely expect beforehand to find, inasmuch as they belong to a somewhat Alpine zone, which usually commences at a greater elevation than that of the highest ground on the islands. The region in which the Cladonia rangiferina, Lecanora tartarea, Lecidea geographica, Sphærophoron coralloides, Parmelia omphalodes, &c., prevail in the greatest quantity, and attain to their greatest luxuriance and beauty, commences about 500 feet, and terminates at a height of 1000 feet or a little more. Of course extensive patches of these Lichens may sometimes be found at much lower elevations; indeed, I have repeatedly gathered considerable quantities of each of them, but very diminutive and ill-developed, all along the west coast of Scotland in immediate proximity to the sea-but it is only within the above limits that uniformly large and perfect specimens furnished with fructification can be obtained. There are two Lichens occurring on these islands which are found on almost all our sea coasts, and are never found far inland, the Parmelia Aquila and Ramalina scopulorum. The former has never been found, I believe, at a greater distance from the sea than some 20 or 30 miles, and always grows on rocks fully exposed to the sea breeze; it is found in considerable abundance on rocks so