difference in the state of the carbonate of lime; and that, other conditions being the same, shells which were composed of calcite are preserved, whereas those composed of arragonite have been altered. This appears to depend on the fact of the particles of arragonite being in a state of unstable equilibrium. When prepared artificially, it has a great tendency to pass into calcite; and if this change took place in shells, their organic structure would be very apt to be destroyed, though the shell might remain as a crystalline mass of calcite. If, however, the circumstances of the case were such that the calcite formed at the expense of the arragonite of the shells had a greater tendency to crystallize elsewhere rather than in situ, they would be removed, and leave more or less perfect casts. On the contrary, calcite having no such tendency to change, shells composed of it might, under similar conditions, remain nearly in their original state. On the Comparative Structure of Artificial and Natural Igneous Rocks. By H. C. SORBY, F.R.S., &c. As is well known, Sir James Hall and Gregory Watt, by fusing and slowly cooling basalt, obtained a stony mass, to a certain extent similar to the original rock. Various writers on the subject have since contended that the product is not, like the original, composed of several distinct minerals, but made up of only one kind of crystals. The author, however, showed that, when thin transparent sections are examined with a high magnifying power, it may be seen that the artificial rock is really an aggregate of the three principal minerals of the original basalt, which, nevertheless, are developed and arranged in such a very different manner that it is easy to understand why this fact has been overlooked. Indeed, the difference in general structure is so considerable that, probably, other causes besides a slower cooling were instrumental in producing the peculiar characters of the natural rocks. On Scutes of the Labyrinthodon, from the Keuper Bone-Breccia of Pendock, Worcestershire. By the Rev. W. S. SYMONDS, M.A., F.G.S. The remains of this Triassic reptile have been found in the Keuper sandstone of Warwick and Leamington, but had not hitherto been detected in the Trias of Worcestershire or Gloucestershire. The scutes and bones found by Mr. Symonds were submitted to Prof. Huxley. They occur chiefly in the "bone-breccia," described by Mr. Symonds in the 'Transactions of the Geological Society,' and are associated with numerous spines of fishes. On the Geology of a Part of Sligo. By A. B. WYNNE, F.G.S. In this paper the author stated that he had put together a few notes upon an extensive district. They were made during a short tour to the co. Sligo and part of Leitrim, in the summer of 1862; and he alluded to papers by Sir R. Griffith, Archdeacon Verschoyle, and Mr. John Kelly, in the 'Proceedings of the Geological Society,' all of which referred to the country under consideration. He then proceeded to describe the district as composed of a widely spread, nearly horizontal series of stratified rocks, consisting of sandstones below and above, with a thick band of limestones interstratified with other sandstones between. This horizontal group represents the Carboniferous formation, from the Millstone-grit downwards, and probably a part of the underlying Old Red Sandstone; and the thickness of the group is little less than 2000 feet, roughly estimated from the heights of the mountains formed by these rocks. Cutting across the country formed by these horizontal beds is the rugged chain of the Ox Mountains, extending from Mayo into the co. Leitrim. Some of the most picturesque valleys in the district, like that of Lough Gill, are the lateral ones along the Hanks of the Ox chain, which, being formed of gneissose, micaceous, and quartzose rocks, have a totally different aspect from the mountains formed of the limestone and other horizontal beds. The serpentine garnet rock and trap-rocks of these older mountains were next alluded to, and it was stated that, although they seemed to occupy fissures running in various opposite directions, their master-joints or divisional planes were nearly parallel. The denudation which exposed the Ox Mountains, and removed the thick series of Carboniferous rocks which curves round the eastern end of the chain, was alluded to; and the circumstance of the occurrence of beds of sandstone interstratified in the limestone portion of the horizontal group was given as an instance of the splitting up of the Carboniferous formation into alternations of numerous arenaceous and calcareous strata, as observed in the northern parts of the British Isles. limestone was stated to be traversed by greenstone trap-dykes, and metalliferous mineral deposits were stated to occur at Lurganboy, King's Mountain, &c. The In conclusion, the drift was alluded to, and sea-shells were stated to have been found therein, in one place at a considerable depth, and at a distance of two miles from the sea; and the horns and skulls, &c., of deer and other extinct animals were mentioned as overlying this deposit, or being just within it. The paper was illustrated by drawings of different portions of the country, and a list of the fossils sent for determination to W. H. Baily, F.G.S., was appended. ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, INCLUDING PHYSIOLOGY. BOTANY. On the Ennobling of Roots, with particular reference to the Parsnip. The author, in this paper, explained the processes which he had adopted to convert the woody-branched root of the wild parsnip into the smooth, succulent, fusiform root of the esculent parsnip. The growth of wild seed was commenced in 1847, in prepared garden-ground, and roots carefully selected and transplanted for the next generation, and so on, selecting roots for seeding until the desired form was attained. This new variety of parsnip is now well known to the gardener under the name of the Student Parsnip The author concludes that his experiments with parsnips sufficiently show that this esculent, as well as the carrot, beet, turnip, &c., have nowhere in the wild state that large, fleshy, smooth appearance which belongs to their cultivated forms; and hence, that all the varieties of these that we meet with in cultivation must be considered as derivatives from original wild forms, attained by cultivative processes. He states that the facility with which new sorts can be induced, and the constancy with which they are maintained, under great diversities of soil, climate, and treatment, are evidences of the derivative or ennobled nature of our crop plants, which are indeed maintained by the very changes to which their aboriginals have been subjected. Experiments with Seed of Malformed Roots. In this paper it was shown, as the result of direct experiment, that seed derived from malformed, i. e. misshapen, crop-roots of both turnips and parsnips resulted in even greater deformities than those presented by the parent. Thus, a much-forked root of parsnip and another of a swede were selected for seeding, the produce of each being sown in plots side by side with that of good roots, the result of which was that in both instances the bad seed produced only about half the weight of the good, and all the examples of roots from the bad seed were misshapen in a most extraordinary manner. From these experiments the author draws the following conclusions: 1. That a degenerate progeny will, as a rule, result from the employment of degenerate or badly-grown seed. 2. That, besides ugly, malformed roots, degenerate seed does not produce nearly the weight of crop of good seed under the same circumstances of growth. *It gained the first prize at the International Show at the Horticultural Society for 1862. 1862. 7 3. That, by means of selection, we may produce roots that are well shaped and have the capabilities of yielding the best crop. 4. That, by designedly selecting malformed or degenerate roots for seeding, we may produce a seed that will result in a great or greater degeneracy. The bearings of this subject are of interest, not only in a physiological point of view, but in the more practical one concerned in every-day cultivation; for upon a due observance of the principles involved will depend the stability or permanency of any particular sort; and as sorts are only arrived at as the result of great care (that is, by successful breeding), so care must be taken for their maintenance. Reply to the Remarks of M. F. Marcet on the Power of Selection ascribed to the Roots of Plants. By Dr. Daubeny, F.R.S. Dr. Daubeny replied to some remarks by M. F. Marcet, published in the 'Bibliothèque Universelle de Genève,' with respect to the power of selection exerted by the roots of plants, as mentioned in a paper read by him before the British Association at the last Meeting held at Manchester.-See vol. xxx. p. 141. On a Botanical Chart of the Barony of Burren, County Clare. This district is composed of the Upper Carboniferous Limestone, and is remarkable as being the habitat of many rare and interesting plants. Certain lines were laid down on the map, representing the limit of the ranges of these plants through the district. Among others, the author enumerated and commented briefly on the following:-Arabis hirsuta, Arenaria verna, Cerastium arvense, Geranium sanguineum, Rubus saxatilis, Rubia peregrina, Galium pusillum, Galium boreale, Asperula cynanchica, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Orchis pyramidalis, var. flore pleno, Thalictrum majus and minus, Helianthemum canum, Spirea filipendula, Dryas octopetala, Sedum rhodiola, Arbutus uva-ursi, Pyrola media, Gentiana verna, Orobanche rubra, Epipactis ovalis (of Babington), Potentilla fruticosa, Adiantum capillus Veneris. The last-mentioned plant (the beautiful Maiden-hair Fern) occurs in great abundance in several separate stations in Burren. A few years ago it was only recorded as plentiful from the South Isles of Arran, and sparingly from Connemara and Cahirconree Mountain, county Kerry. On the Inflorescence of Plants. By JOHN GIBBS. On the Toot-poison of New Zealand. By W. LAUDER LINDSAY, M.D. and F.R.S. Edinb., F.L.S., &c. During a tour through the New Zealand provinces in 1861-1862, the author was struck with the abundant evidences which everywhere presented themselves of the ravages produced among the flocks and herds of the settlers by the Tootplant, one of the most common indigenous shrubs of these islands. In many cases of losses by individual settlers brought under his notice, the amount from this source alone had been from 25 to 75 per cent. In Otago particularly were such losses felt during the height of the gold mania there, from July to December 1861: the traffic between Dunedin and Tuapeka gold-fields required the service of large numbers of bullocks, a great proportion of which were lost by Toot-poisoning. In colonies which as yet, at least, have depended for their prosperity almost solely on pastoral enterprise, such losses form a material barrier to prosperity; and the concurrent testimony of the colonists in every part of New Zealand proves the great desirability of determining the nature of the Toot-poison, the laws of its action on man and the lower animals, and its appropriate antidotes or modes of treatment. With a view to assist in the attainment of these aims, the author had made notes, on the spot, of a large number of instances of the poisonous or fatal action of the plant on man-adults as well as children—and the lower animals, and had brought specimens home for chemical examination. The chief results of his investigations may be thus stated :: 1. The Toot-poison belongs to the class of Narcotico-irritants. a. Its action on man includes the following symptoms:-coma, with or without delirium; sometimes great muscular excitement or convulsions, the details differing in different individuals; during convalescence, loss of memory, with or without vertigo. b. In cattle and sheep, they include vertigo, stupor, delirium, and convulsions; curious staggerings and gyrations; frantic kicking, and racing or coursing; tremors. 2. The poisonous portion of the plant, a. To man, is generally the Seed, which is contained in a beautiful, dark purple, luscious berry, resembling the blackberry, which clusters closely in rich pendent racemes, and which is most tempting to children; occasionally the young Shoots of the plant, as it grows up in spring: b. To cattle and sheep, in almost all cases, is the young Shoot, which is tender and succulent, resembling in appearance and taste the similar state of asparagus. 3. The following Peculiarities exist in regard to the action of the Toot-poison:— a. A predisposition must exist, such predisposition being produced in cattle and sheep by some of the following conditions or circumstances:-The animal is not habituated to the use of the plant; it suddenly makes a large meal thereof after long fasting, or long feeding on drier and less palatable materials, or after exhaustion by hard labour or hot, dry weather. From some such cause, the digestive system is deranged, and is susceptible of more serious disorder from the ingestion of food to which the animal is, at the time, unaccustomed. Hence Tootpoisoning frequently occurs in animals which have just been landed from a long and fatiguing sea-voyage during which they have been underfed or starved, to whom the young Toot-shoots present the most juicy, fresh, pleasant diet. b. On the other hand, the same kinds of animals, habituated to the use of the Toot-plant, not only do not suffer at all, but for them it is regarded as quite equal in value to, and as safe as, clover as a pastoral food. It is an equal favourite with cattle and sheep, whether they have been habituated or not. c. The predisposition in man is probably produced by analogous conditions depressing the tone of his nervous and digestive systems, or directly deranging them. Children are affected out of all proportion to adults. d. Adults who have suffered from the poisonous action of Toot under certain circumstances have been exempt from such action under certain others--the same parts of the plant having been used, and apparently in the same way, in both sets of instances. Moreover, the Toot-berries enjoy, both among the Maoris and colonists, an enviable notoriety on account of the agreeable and harmless wine and jellies they are capable of yielding, the former whereof especially has long been greatly prized. The seeds, however, in these cases probably do not enter into the composition of the said wine and jellies. 4. The current Remedies for Toot-poisoning among the settlers are, in regard toa. Cattle and sheep-mainly bleeding, by slashing the ears and tails. Belladonna has been variously tried, and favourably reported on; by others, stimulants are regarded as specifics (carbonate of ammonia, brandy, or a mixture of gin and turpentine, locally known as "Drench"). Whatever be the nature of the remedy, there is no difference of opinion as to the necessity for the promptest treatment, since, at a certain stage of the action of the poison, all remedies appear equally inefficacious. b. In man the nature of the remedy is still more varied, though emetics and stimulants seem the most rational of those usually had recourse to. 5. The Toot or Tutu-plant is the Coriaria ruscifolia, L. (the C. sarmentosa, Forst.). The plant is variously designated by Maoris and settlers in different parts of the New Zealand islands; and this of itself indicates how familiar it is, and how abundantly and widely distributed. The genus Coriaria is a small one, and, if not belonging to a subdivision of the natural order Ochnacea, probably represents a separate order closely allied thereto and to the Rutacea. The most distinguished botanists, however, are at issue as to its precise place and alliances in the vegetable system. They are in similar dubiety as to the species of the genus, and the varieties of the species C. ruscifolia, L. În New Zealand there appear to be at least three Coriarias, which some botanists regard as mere varieties of C. ruscifolia, L., and others consider separate species. The author had made, in July 1862, an examination of all the species of the genus Coriaria contained in the Hookerian and Benthamian Collections at Kew, the result whereof was a strong conviction of the necessity for a critical revision of the whole genus, throughout all its species, wherever distributed. The author considers the specific names of the Toot-plant (both ruscifolia and sarmentosa) objectionable, as not truly applicable or descriptive; and proposes the specific term C. tutu-the Maori name of the plant, as more convenient to indicate the type of the species, leaving such terms as ruscifolia, thymifolia, and sarmentosa to represent varieties or other species, as a subsequent critical examination of the genus may render necessary or desirable. In contrast to, and in connexion with the toxic action of C. ruscifolia, the author remarked on the better-known poisonous properties of C. myrtifolia, familiar as an adulterant of senna, and on those of other species of the genus Coriaria. He announced his belief that the whole genus Coriaria must be considered endowed with poisonous properties, probably of the narcotico-irritant class, and that, as such (especially in reference to the extent and importance of the economic losses caused by such species as Toot), it is eminently deserving of thorough scientific investigation. Under this head he pointed out the fact that— a. While certain animals seem to be themselves exempt from, or insusceptible to the action of the poison, they may, by feeding upon certain species, or certain parts of certain species of Coriaria, and assimilating thereby or secreting the contained poison in their tissues, communicate poisonous effects, or become poisons, to man or the lower animals, to which they (the animals first mentioned) have become articles of diet. He cited a recent instance in connexion with C. myrtifolia, in which several persons, near Toulouse, were poisoned by a dish of snails which had been fattened on its leaves and shoots *. b. That Royle in reference to the fruit of C. Nepalensis, Peschier of Geneva in regard to C. myrtifolia, and other authorities in regard to other species of Coriaria, have published instances of their harmless or even beneficial effects, under certain circumstances, on man or the lower animals. Such conflicting statements would appear to indicate that there are peculiarities in the action of the poisonous principles of all the Coriarias, or discrepancies in the records of instances of the said action, which discrepancies or peculiarities demand reconciliation or explanation at the hands of competent scientific experts. On the Occurrence of Asplenium viride on an Isolated Travertine Rock among the Black Mountains of Monmouthshire. By the Rev. W. S. SYMONDS. Mr. Symonds drew attention, at the Meeting of the British Association held at Oxford in June 1860, to the selection of a peculiar geological habitat by some of the rarer British plants. Asplenium viride was found in 1862, by Mr. George Roberts, of the Geological Society of London, growing in considerable abundance on an isolated rock of travertine, Capel-le-fin, Llanthony, Monmouthshire. This Asplenium is not known elsewhere in the district. ZOOLOGY. On the Generative Zooid of Clavatella. By Professor ALLMAN, M.D., F.R.S. In this communication the author confirmed the observations of Hincks and Krohn with regard to the generative zooid of Clavatella prolifera, Hincks, and stated that he had succeeded in fully demonstrating the gastro-vascular system described as existing in it by Krohn. * Medical Times and Gazette, Sept. 13, 1862, p. 282. |