Abstract
LONDON Linnean Society, June 5.—Prof. Allman, F.R.S., president, in the chair.—Attention was called to an article on Cinchona in India, by Mr. J. E. Howard. Calisaya Ledgeriana is shown to yield excellent results, as much as 10 per cent, of quinine, and of excellent quality, being obtained.—Prof. Parker read a memoir on the structure and development of the skull in the Urodelous amphibia. Several forms are here worked out, the Spotted Salamander serving as a type. Some of the so-called skin bones appear early, other investing bones appear later, and the investing cartilaginous roof of the nose comes after the ear capsule cartilages. Some Urodela show a stapes absent in Ceratodus and Lepidosiren. The transformations of the Anoura are carried on in the plastic larva and young to a greater extent than in the Urodela.—A paper on the Lichens collected during the English Polar Expedition of 1875–76, by Prof. Fries, of Upsala, was communicated by Sir J. D. Hooker. In Dr. Hayes's Arctic journey lichens probably were not brought away from a more northerly position than 78° N. lat., but Julius Payer, in the German Expedition, with certainty obtained specimens at Cape Fligely, 82° 5′ N. lat. With the exception of these last, but three species of lichens hitherto have been published as found beyond 81° N. lat. Thus considerable interest is attached to those got under Capt. Sir G. Nares by Capt. Feilden, of the Alert and Mr. Hart of the Discovery. As these vessels wintered in different quarters, the localities where the lichens were obtained correspondingly are more numerous, thus adding to their value as indicative of vegetable life in the frozen regions. Mr. Hart, got his at thirteen stations, Discovery Harbour, 81° 42′ N. lat., being the most northern; Capt. Feilden records twelve stations, Westward Ho Valley, 82° 41′ N. lat. being the limit. But Lieut. Aldrich gathered Gyrophora cylindrica on the shore of the “Palseocrystic Sea,” the northernmost spot trodden by man, viz., Cape Columbia, 83° 6′ 30″N. lat. Prof. Fries notes that the so-called “fruticolous” and “foliaceous” lichen species are feebly represented, doubtless accounted for by the severe climate, but seemingly at variance with the presence of musk oxen; added to which the reindeer nioss is absent. This anomalous circumstance of the presence of large ruminants and deficiency of their usual lichen food, Capt. Feilden explains by stating that the musk ox in Grinnel Land does not feed on lichens, but on mosses and grasses. The same officer has also pointed out that the lichen growth curiously enough increased in size of species with increase of altitude. Prof. Fries concludes that, without the least credit being given to an open Polar sea (existing, no doubt, only in fancy), lichen vegetation may exist at the very Pole, if only land be there, and occasionally free from snow or ice. Among the series obtained in the Expedition, save a very few, all the forms of lichens of over loo are already known. The abstract of a fourth contribution to the Mollusca of the Challenger Expedition, by the Rev. R. Boog Watson was read. This dealt with the Trochidæ and Turbinidæ .—The Secretary also read a communication on a remarkable new form of Helvella, this fungus being described by Mr. W. Phillips.—Mr. C. B. Clarke summarised a lengthened memoir by him, viz., a “A Review of the Ferns of North India.” He showed that many of the localities given by Dr. Wallich, and doubtfully received by botanists were doubtless correct.—Mr. A. D. Michael was elected a Fellow of the Society.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Societies and Academies . Nature 20, 210–212 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/020210b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/020210b0