Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

2 PEOCEBDINGS OF THE
effect unless it passed through the stages indicated ;
further, that
the Council had received certain suggestions which had been carefully
considered but thought not essential to the proper working
oE the proposed Bye-Laws, even though some were verbal improve-
ments ; the Council had, in the new Bye-Laws, made as few changes
as possible, preserving the original text as far as practicable. He
took the feeling of the Meeting to be that the Bye-Laws should
be voted upon, as a whole, and on that basis the ballot would be
taken. The result was, in favour 72, against 4 ; whereupon the
President declared the new Bye-Laws to be confirmed by a large
majority.
Mr. G. Clabidge Druce, F.L.S., showed specimens of a new-
British Grass, Koeleria valcsiaca, Gaud., which he had found in
the Herbarium of Dillenius at Oxford, and recently refound in
the original locality at Brean Down, Somersetshire, which was
originally given as "Brent" Down. Dr. Stapf and Mr. Henry
Groves contributed some remarks.
The Eev. John Geeaed, S.J., F.L.S., brought specimens of a
proliferous Plantain (Plantago major) from the neighbourhood of
Clitheroe, Lancashire. He drew attention to the figures of the
plant in Lobel and Pena's 'Adversaria' and Dodoen's 'Pemptades,'
which latter block reappeared in Lobel's ' Observationes ' and
'Icones,' and Johnson's edition of Gerard's 'Herbal ' in 1633; the old
herbalists spoke of it as the " Besome plantain with spoky tufts."
He also drew attention to later figures, in Masters's ' Teratology
and the ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' ser. II. xih. (1880) p. 364,
figs. 65, 66. The point of interest seemed to be that this proliferous
tendency was transmitted by seed, for a seedling of the
original plant was also shown. A discussion followed in which
Mr. G. C. Druce, Mr. E. M. Holmes, Mr. J. Britten, and Prof. H.
Marshall Ward engaged, the last remarking that the })lant in
question offered specially good material for experiments as to
mutation.
Mr. Prank Ceisp, Treas.L.S., brought for exhibition a flower of
JSchubertia graveolens, liudl., an Asclepiad, which, deprived of its
corolla and a portion of its calyx cut away, viewed from the side,
presented the genitalia in the shape of a skull. Prof. E. B.
Poulton briefly commented on this exhibition, as an illustration
of mimetic resemblance, paralleled by certain Lepidopterous
markings.
The following papers were read :
1. " A Note on some Points in the Structure of the Gill of the
Ceylon Pearl-Oyster." By the President.
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