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 quoting inter alia the researches of Mr. Lawson Tait, he told as he had filled six soup plates with moss in water, and planted them last June with as many plants of Drosera as they would hold. Each plate was then superficially equally divided by a piece of wood, (a slip of zinc in a previous experiment haying killed the plants,) and the whole of the plates were exposed to precisely similar conditions as to light and air, and covered with the (now historical) gauze frame to prevent the access of insects. In July Mr. Darwin commenced and continued to feed all the plants on one side of ouch plate with roast beef, (raw meat kills.) in morsels weighing only 1-50th of a grain, taking great care none should fall into the surrounding moss and serve as manure. This is the result, and its accuracy is unquestioned:—The fed plants were individually and collectively larger, heavier, and greener, they threw up more flower stems which bore each a larger number of flowers. and a greater number of larger seeds, the proportion in weight of the seeds on the starved as compared with the fed side being as 100 to 379.7. Dr. Masters remarked that there could now be no doubt as to the absorption through leaves, and that the whole present theory of plant growth, involving largely the entire system of vegetable physiology, must be reconsidered, probably entirely changed. There was no attempt to contradict Mr. Darwin's facts, which are accepted by some of the greatest naturalists in the world, and another great era in change is imminent.—Dr. Darwin is so like 's etching of ' portrait, that I heartily commend that grandest of the etchings of this century to your readers.—The loss of Mr. Andrew Murray, the Entomologist, is munch greater than will be at once seen. His services to the Horticultural Society, and to the entomological collection at Bethnal Green are incalculable, and as an acquaintance or friend all who knew him deeply deplore him. He told me only a month ago that his second volume on Economic Entomology was in the press; but who will complete the series I do not know.—W. J. S.

. heave read with considerable interest the first article in your (may I say our) new Journal, on "Abnormal Ferns." The importance and value of this contribution, as an incentive to the practical study of vegetable development, has induced me toe offer a few friendly remarks on one point, which the composition of this article suggests, It is this: Assuming that the "Midland Naturalist" is intended to have a direct bearing on the progress of Science, all the articles it contains should be written, not merely in an attractive style—which should always be aimed at—but with rigid scientific accuracy as to the terms employed by its contributors. Confusion in terms leads to confusion of thought; and vice versa. The employment of entomological and other zoological terms—haying a very specific meanings—to describe, or illustrate, simple botanical processes of growth, for which there are true botanical terms, equally expressive and far more accurate, appears very likely to mislead a young enquiring naturalist. Now, these remarks have been suggested by a few illustrations, used by the author of the paper referred to, in his otherwise very valuable and instructive article. In speaking of the fertilisation of ferns, certain "spiral filaments" are described as having "swarmed about the pistillidium in numbers," as though they were a collection of independent individuals, clustering together like a swarm of bees] Again, in the next paragraph, these filaments are spoken of as being "tossed into the air," and by landing in certain "cups" are said to "fertilize the plant in its caterpillar stage, and thus enable it to put on its butterfly life or fronds.” Now the phrase "caterpillar stage," suggests one of the most definite and peculiar stages of insect development. So peculiarly animal; so utterly unlike anything to be found in the vegetable