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ON THE

MAURITIUS,

BY CAPTAIN J. R. MANN.

To L. BOUTON Esq.,

Secretary Royal Society of Arts and Sciences.

My dear Mr. Bouton,

I send you the paper we were speaking about yesterday.
I am afraid you will find it more bulky than valuable, but if
you think that it is not likely to interest the members of the
Society, pray destroy it or do what you please with it.

Yours very truly,

J. R. MANN.

7th February 1860.

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE

WATER SUPPLY OF MAURITIUS.

The subject of Wood and Water has been much written
and spoken about, but the question does not seem to have
been yet exhausted. No great variety of opinion has been
elicited on the subject ; most of those who have the want of a
better supply of water have made up their minds that the
Forests must be in one way or other preserved, yet the public
opinion is far from being decided upon the manner in which
this should be done, or as to the extent to -which the princi-
ple which has been so generally admitted, should be carried
out.

In this, as in other cases, there are two sides to the ques-
tion, and besides those who are calling out for more water*
there are many who are wishing for more sugar. On one side
of the question are those who connect the destruction of Fc
ests with the cessation of rain, and on the other side those (who
perhaps happen to be proprietors of Forest lands fit for culti-
vation), who are anxious to clear and plant canes, either dis-
believing or disregarding the popular theory of the connexion
between the existence of Forests and the fall of rain.

The object of the following observations, is to bring toge-
ther some of the considerations bearing upon the question of
water supply ; in the hope that some help, however slight,
may be thereby given to the determination of the principle
which should be our guide.

— 64 —

The endeavour to follow out to precise mathematical results
the phenomenon of rain, would be met by at least as many
difficulties, as would a similar attempt, in the case of any
other of the natural phenomena.

The great number of agents at work in the production of
rain, and the manner in which they act and re-act upon one
other, each being at the same time influenced by local cir-
cumstances in an infinite variety of ways, makes the pheno-
mena of atmospheric condensation extremely complicated.

For instance, suppose the process to have just commenced,
by the influence of a cold mountain summit upon a warm and
humid atmosphere, the first step is the transformation of the
vapour into the watery vesicles of which clouds and fog are
composed, simultaneously the latent heat of the condensed
vapour becomes sensible, and is distributed around, tending
to check the energy of the scarcely begun process. Then, the
opaque clouds assumes a power which the transparent vapour
had not ; — it becomes capable of losing heat by radiation, as
well as of intercepting the radiant heat coming from the sun
or earth, or neighbouring clouds.

Again, the two component parts of the atmosphere, name-
ly the aqueous and the dry, have different affinities for heat ;
that is they are not equally affected by the same increment or
decrement of temperatui*e, so that when a change of tempera-
ture takes place a disturbance of their relations ensues, and
each component part of the atmosphere acted upon, has to go
and seek a new place of equilibrium in the vertical column.

Besides all this, the act of condensation is accompanied by
electrical action, which no doubt introduces new modifications
into the result.

Thus each step of the process causes the introduction of
new agents to the work ; all acting upon one another and
tending to modify the energy of action of each of the forces
in play.

Of course, there is nothing like chance, or accident in the
ever changing action of these mingled forces ; they are all
wonderfully adjusted so as to produce a result beneficial to
man, namely, a well regulated supply of rain. Each of the
agents mentioned, and perhaps many others of which we are

ignorant, works in its appointed course, performing with un-
erring certainty the precise amount of work allotted to it;
all of them together contributing to a result so unfailing that
it might be expressed by an algebraic formula, did we know
perfectly the whole of the influences at work, and the laws by
which their varying energies are regulated.

But though we cannot hope to reach a mathematical deter-
mination in so complicated a process, yet we may with toler-
able certainty foretell, in general terms, the result of certain
given conditions ; by considering one by one, the most active
of the known causes of atmospheric condensation, and tracing
the probable manner and amount of influence exercised upon
each, by the conditions stated.

The chief, if not the only way in which forests and vegeta-
tion in general, can affect atmospheric condensation, in the
formation of rain, must be through their influence upon the
temperatui’e of the soil.

. Close vegetation affects the temperature of the soil it covers
in two ways.

Firstly. — It causes the evaporation of moisture, and con-
sequent cooling of the surface of the ground, to proceed slow-
ly, and continuously ; instead of allowing the direct rays of
the sun to first dry up such moisture suddenly, and then to
raise the temperature of the ground to a high degree : so that
in this respect the tendency of the vegetation is to keep the
temperature of ground it shelters lower than that of ground
exposed and bare.

Secondly. — Vegetation acts precisely in the same - manner
as a clothing of a bad conducting medium; preventing the
communication or loss of heat ; so that it checks variation of
temperature, and tends to keep the soil at a mean degree of

heat.

During the hot part of the day, ground so protected will
be cooler than a naked surface of rock or earth, but at night
it will in general be warmer. On the one hand, the foliage
will prevent the full force of the sun’s rays reaching the earth ;
the intercepted heat being returned into space, partly by re-
flection from the surfaces of the leaves, which in tropical
plants are often highly polished ; and partly by radiation from

66

those portions of the plants which have received any heat.
On the other hand, whatever heat which finds its way to the
soil, is there preserved by the vegetable covering from loss by
radiation, a process by which exposed surfaces are reduced to
very low temperatures, when the sun is below the horizon.

We may therefore conclude, that as a general rule, the tem-
perature of ground protected by forests, will be within the
extremes of temperature reached by exposed surfaces ; and
further that the mean temperature of the sheltered land will
be rather below that of the other.

Now, the following are the most important of the recognized
causes of atmospheric condensation.

First. — The mixing together of bodies of vapour having
different temperatures.

Second. — The rising of vapour from low to higher aud colder
strata of the atmosphere.

Third. — The increase of pressure.

Fourth. — The cooling of clouds through the effect of radia-
tion.

The first mentioned of these causes, namely the mixing to-
gether of vapours of different temperatures, is no doubt a very
common cause of rain. The condensation in this case results
from the law by which the capacity of the air, for holding
moisture in suspension increases and decreases more rapidly
than the temperature ; so that when two masses of air satur-
ated with vapour, at different temperatures, have been mixed’
the total quantity of vapour is necessarily greater than the
mean temperature can support, and the surplus is thrown
down as rain. If the masses of air are not sufficiently satur-
ated to cause rain, the effect of the mixing will be to increase
the degree of humidity, and perhaps to form light clouds or
mist.

In this operation the different masses of air are brought to-
gether by some of the numerous causes of disturbance always
present in the atmosphere, such as the meeting of different
winds; sometin es perhaps differences in the electric state of
clouds; the action of rotatory storms; and the variations in
temperature of mountain masses, caused by the change of po-
sition of the sun.

- 67 —

We have frequent opportunities in Mauritius of observing
the operation of some of these processes, and especially of the
last mentioned. Daring the heat of the day, the Trade wind
is often met, and partly overpowered by a sea breeze, drawn
towards the island from the Westward, by the upward current
of air, caused by the great heat of the mountain masses. The
transparent air allows the sun’s rays to pass through it with-
out intercepting much of their heat ; but the earth on which
they fall is quickly raised in temperature ; and it then imparts
heat, by actual contact, to the air brought near to it, which at
once expands and rushes upwards. From this cause we may
often see the phenomenon of a Westerly wind in the Harbour
and neighbourhood of Port Louis, at the same time that the
Trade is blowing over the flat and windward parts of the
Island. At such times the mixing of the two winds is accom-
panied by clouds and mist ; sometimes presenting the ap-
pearance of heavy banks of clouds, driven back by the wind
from the sea, and heaped up above the Island, until their ele-
vation brings them again within the influence of the Trade
wind. The clouds are more or less dense, according to the
degree of humidity of the air, and in general they deposit
rain ; the horizon to the Westward being all the time clear.

In the evening the mountains cool, by radiation, the up-
ward draught of air ceases, and the clouds disappear, or seem
to be swept away by the trade.

The exciting cause in this operation is evidently the variable
temperature of the earth, in relation to the surrounding air.
The transparent air cannot receive heat from the sun’s rays,
nor part with it by radiation ; the air can only be affected by
actual contact with bodies of a different temperature, whereas
the earth is soon treated by the sun, and as readily cooled by
radiation, when the sun is not in a position to act upon it.

There is only one way in which forests can affect the cau-
ses which bring together different bodies of air, that is through
the influence they exercise upon the temperature of the soil ;
but from what has been said upon this subject, it is clear that
the forests will in no way assist the process, but will rather
tend to impede it, by preventing those changes of tempera-
ture which give rise to the opposing currents of air.

t

— 68 —

The second cause of condensation which has been men-
tioned, is the rising of vapour from low to higher and colder
strata of the atmosphere.

In Mauritius, the formation of the ground causes frequent
illustration of this process also. The saturated winds which
come to us along the surface of the sea, are pushed, as it
were, up an inclined plane, until the masses of vapour have
reached great heights, (1400 to 2000 ft.) in passing over the
elevated lands in the central parts of the Island. The greatly
increased cold, due to the elevation, condenses the moisture
and produces rain in great abundance.

By way of example, let us suppose the air at the sea level
to be saturated ; with the Thermometer at 85 ° and Barometer
at 30 in : and that on the high lands of the interior the Ther-
mometer is at /5 ° and Barometer at 28.8 in: Under these

conditions, each cubic yard of the atmosphere at the sea level
would contain in the form of vapour, 1.34 cubic inches of
water ; though when expanded by the diminution of pressure
from 30 inches to 28.8 inches, at the high level, each cubic
yard of the atmosphere would only contain 1.31 cub. in. of
water ; but simultaneously with the diminution of pressure at
the high level, the temperature will be there reduced to 75 °
at which temperature, each cubic yard could support in a
state of vapour only 0.995 cub. in. of water, so that the dif-
ference, namely 0.315, or nearly ^ of a cub. in. of water must
be thrown down, in the form of rain, from each cubic yard of
the atmosphere which passes over the high land.

This is no doubt a favorable instance, for the air as the sea
level was assumed to be saturated, which will not often be the
case ; but the example nevertheless serves to shew the depen-
dance which may be placed upon the source of rain under
consideration.

It will be seen that the quantity of rain will depend upon
the degree of humidity of the wind, and upon the difference
of the temperatures of the lower and higher levels, and that
it is altogether independant of the action of forests. The rain
drops due to the increased cold, have their origin at a great
elevation above the ground, and altogether beyond the in-
fluence of the trees the rain drops increase in size, gradually,

— 69 —

as they descend, partly on account of their originally low
temperature, which enables them to condense additional moi-
sture as they fall ; and also on account of their power of col-
lecting by attraction the smaller watery particles amongst
which they pass, in the same manner as a globule of mercury
may be seen to attract to itself and agglomerate the smaller
particles brought near to it. It is from these causes that a
rain guage placed on the ground collects a much larger quan-
tity of water than on top of a tower.

Another way in which vapour is raised from low to higher
strata, is by the ascending currents already spoken of, caused
by the heating of mountain masses.

An extensive conflagration, likewise, often causes such an
upward draught, that masses of vapour, after having been
heated and expanded, rise to great heights, where the tempo-
rary accession of heat is lost, and much of the moisture con-
densed. Those who have witnessed extensive fires may have
noticed the irregular gusts of wind approaching from all quar-
ters, often accompanied at intervals by light showers of scat-
tered drops of rain.

There can be little doubt that ascending currents take place
during rotatory storms, and it is perhaps to this circumstance
that the lowness of the Barometer in the vortex is due.

The third cause of rain which has been referred to is in-
crease of pressure.

If the air be saturated, any increase of pressure, when un-
accompanied by increase of temperature must cause conden-
sation of moisture.

Variation of pressure may result from atmospheric chan-
ges, though in this case, within such small limits that it can
be scarcely considered an active cause of rain, in itself ; though
it may assist or retard the action of other causes.

Increase of pressure may also take place when a strong
wind, saturated with vapour, strikes with unbroken force
against a mountain range, sufficiently abrupt and extensive to
arrest the onward motion of the air. In such a case, increase
of pressure will be caused, and maintained by the cons v/c
motion of the wind, which continues to arrive faster than the

- 70 -

compressed air can escape, by rising and passing over the
mountain.

The great quantity of rain observed to fall on the Wind-
ward side of mountain ranges, in many parts of the world,
has been attributed to the cause described ; but it seems pro-
bable that the actual increase of pressure has had less to do
with the result than the circumstance that the vapour was
forced to ascend to cold altitudes, before it could escape over
the mountain ; also the air must frequently suffer a loss of
heat, by contact with the mountain, which, by reason of the
constant radiation will often be lower in temperature than the
air. which latter maintains more nearly a mean temperature.

ugh the idea is not without supporters, it seems to be
naite out of the question that the slight impediment offered
to the wind by a forest, or by a line of trees, can cause suffi-
cient compression to produce rain ; the forest could only af-
fect the motion of a thin stratum of air, allowing the chief
mass of the wind and vapour to pass onward above, altoge-
ther unimpeded, so that under the most favorable circum-
stances, only a few drops of rain could be deposited, near the
border of the forest. Neither could the amount of conden-
sation resulting from the contact of the vapour with the trees,
(supposing the trees to be colder than the air) be great, con-
sidering how very slowly the air is changed in a forest, even
when a strong breeze is blowing over the tops of the trees?
and consequently how very small a portion of the vapour
which supplies us with rain is ever brought into actual con-
tact with the trees.

The fourth cause of condensation and the last which it is
necessary to consider, is the cooling of the clouds through
the effects of radiation.

When once an opaque cloud has been formed, their radia-
tion commences, and the cloud is constantly parting with
heat, and at the same time intercepting heat from other bo-
dies ; the loss may often exceed the gain, and the consequent
increase of condensation will cause the rain to fall.

The general eff ect of forests being to impede radiation from
the earth’s surface, the presence of the vegetation would be in
most cases favorable to the cooling of the clouds ; but as the

7i —

total supply of rain from this cause alone cannot be very great,
the trifling increase of quantity clue to the action of the for-
ests cannot be worth taking into account.

It may be said that trees have some influence upon the
electric condition of the atmosphere, but to what extent the
quantity of rain may be modified in consequence, it is not
easy to determine ; it is generally considered, however, that
electric changes are more often the consequence than the
cause of condensation.

Now as there is no cause of rain which may not be traced
ultimately to one, as to the combined action of several of the
processes which have been mentioned, it seems sufficiently
clear that the extent of the forests has very little to do with
the actual quantity of rain.

It will be seen, further, that the permanent physical condi-
tions under which the Island of Mauritius is placed, render it
positively certain that large quantities of rain must fall, whe-
ther forests exist or not. We have huge masses of rugged
mountains, supporting elevated table lands in the centre of
the island, the whole surrounded, to a great distance in every
direction, by an ocean, yielding a constant and enormous sup-
ply of vapour, under the influence of a tropical sun ; it neces-
sarily results from these conditions, that from which ever di-
rection the wind arrives, it comes in a very humid state. ’
almost always at a high temperature, such winds must t > -
sit rain when passing over the elevated and cold parts of the
island.

It would have been very interesting to have procured re-
liable statistical evidence shewing the quantity of rain that
hasffallen at different periods, during a long series of years
but that has not been possible, and it would require many
years of carefully conducted observations, made simultane-
ously in different parts of the island, to enable any positive
deductions to be made from that source, as to the relation be-
tween the extent of forests, and the quantity of rain.

As far as the evidence of former legislation may be taken,
it would appear that a periodical scarcity of water has always,
from the earliest times, seemed to be quite as imminent as it
is now ; and at very distant periods measures have been taken

- 72 -

or recommended, for preventing the cutting of timber, for the
sole purpose of ensuring a sufficient supply of rain ; but
though these measures have been ineffectual, and an immense
amount of clearing has been done within the last 60 or 70
years, there is not the slightest ground for supposing that any
change has taken place in the quantity of rain which falls in
the course of a year.

So far back as the year 1771? it was found necessary to un-
dertake the construction of the Bois Rouge Canal, a work of
great magnitude, for the purpose of conveying water from the
upper part of the Riviere du Rempart to the flat and North-
ern parts of the Island ; and this great expense was incurred
to supply the wants of a population probably less than one
tenth of what it is at the present time.

In the year 1810, the British troops suffered great hard-
ships on account of the want of water, whilst penetrating the
thick forests which then extended nearly the whole distance
from Grand Bay to Port Louis ; and the expressions of Ge-
neral Abercrombie’s Despatch imply that the deprivation of
water was not a temporary or accidental occurrence, but that
that part of the Island suffered from a permanent scantiness
of supply. The formation of the ground moreover, proves
that no streams, besides those now in existence, have ever
traversed that part of the country.

In comparing the quantity of water now in the rivers with
what is stated or supposed of their condition at some distant
period, allowance must be made for the enormous consump-
tion of the present day caused by the great increase which
has taken place in the population of the Island, and in the
extent of cultivation. We must expect to find less water in
the rivers when we consider the number of extensive planta-
tions crowded along their banks, and remember the great num-
ber of men and animals to be supplied, and the large quanti-
ties of water made use of in carrying on the improved processes
of manufacture and cultivation.

The simple recollections, or general impressions of persons,
on the subject of the effect s of clearing, upon the water supply, arc
very likely to mislead. For instance, the assertion that a cer-
tain stream had never before been dry, at that particular sea-

~ 73

son, does not prove the quantity of rain to have diminished;
the average flow of water may be unaltered, although a diffe-
rent distribution of the total quantity may have taken place,
between the several seasons of the year ; and with respect to
general impressions on the subject, they would no doubt be
in general, founded on the circumstance of the two conditions
of abundant moisture and luxuriant vegetation being com-
monly found together; the effect being mistaken for the
cause, and the plentiful rain being considered the consequence
of the very vegetation which it has produced and nourished.

Mauritius revels in all the conditions necessary to exube-
rance of vegetation. With a fertile soil, a genial sun, and a
humid and stimulating atmosphere, it is inconceivable that
the conversion of the humidity into rain should be the only
thing to continue wanting for the completion of one of the
great works of Providence, namely the preservation and mul-
tiplication of organic life, in the vegetable creation. We can-
not suppose the laws of nature to have been so disposed that
rain is forbidden to fall until some human hand shall have
first planted and noui’ished trees to invite it. Such a theory
would be altogether contradicted by the wonderful systems of
self-regulation and compensation which may be observed in
all the operations of nature.

The foregoing considerations seem to shew conclusively
that trees have little or nothing to do with the quantity of
rain, and that Mauritius will always receive a fair and suffi-
cient supply, whether forest exist or whether they be swept
away altogether.

The real value of trees, in connexion with the water supply,
consists in their power of preserving and husbanding the rain
water after it has fallen.

When rain falls upon land not sheltered by forests, it rush-
es down the slopes of the ground, at once, without opposition,
to the water courses ; they are suddenly swelled into torrents,
but will soon be left dry, as before.

The very small quantity of moisture which has time to pe-
netrate into the parched ground, or which remains upon the
surface, is quickly dried up by the sun, and the water courses

- 74 -

will receive no further contribution until the fall of another
shower.

Where forests abound, the case is different. The rain is
received by a soft and spongy soil, chiefly composed of de-
cayed leaves, mosses etc. ; it is there preserved from evapora-
tion hv the shade of the trees, and as it cannot rush down the
surface of the slope with great velocity, time is given to the
water to soak well into the ground, which it penetrates to a
greater of less depth, according to the nature of the soil. The
water is then collected and drained away gradually, according
to the arrangement of the subjacent strata, or the formation
of the rocky bed upon which the vegetable covering and po-
rous strata lie, and the water ultimately contributes a well re-
gulated supply to the rivers, often shewing itself as a spring
at the side of a mountain slope, or even on a plain, at a con-
siderable distance from its origin, and wherever the course of
the hidden natural drains may lead it.

Sometimes the gradual soakage from the higher levels is
stopped by hollow or flat formations of the ground, where the
water accumulates and forms marshes or lakes, which serve
as reservoirs, for the regular supply of constantly flowing-
streams.

Mauritius abounds in examples of these processes.

On the shoulder of the Pouce mountain is a constantly run-
ning spring, which is due to the gradual draining oft’ of the
large quantity of moisture received from the atmosphere, by
the cool summit of the mountain, all the year round. Were
all the vegetation stripped from the mountain top, it would ne-
vertheless continue to receive from the atmosphere as much moi-
sture as hefoi'e ; hut the spring instead of producing a nearly
regular and a constant flow, would become intermittent, and
would be sometimes dry and at other times overflowing.

The Table lands of Yacoas and Savanne also furnish illu-
strations of a good deal that has been said. These lands on
account of their elevation * receive a great deal of rain from

* The approxim. altitude above the sea of Mare aux Vacoas is 1706 feet.
,, ,, „ of Grand Bassin is ... 1978 „

,, „ ,, of Bassin Blanc is ...

,, „ ,, of the highest part)

of the ridge between Grand Bassiu and Bassin Blanc j

1360

2279

tlie humid winds which pass over them from the sea level.
The water is collected and preserved in extensive marshes
and lakes, whence are derived the sources of three considera-
ble rivers : the Riviere Tamarin, the Riviere du Rempart and
the Riviere du Poste, and whence a gradual but constant sup-
ply of water is furnished at all seasons of the year. The pro-
gress of cultivation, and the demand for timber are quickly
bringing about the clearing and draining of these lands ;
when once they have been cleared and cultivated, the con-
stantly flowing streams already somewhat reduced during the
dry season, will undergo still further change, and in their place
will be seen swollen torrents in rainy weather, and dry chan-
nels during the rest of the year.

Now such being the real action of forests in connexion with
the water supply, it follows that we must either maintain our
forests, at any cost, or adopt artificial means which may serve
the same purpose, in the preservation of the rain, after it has
fallen.

The choice between the alternative courses open to us will
not be difficult, for it is easy to see that it will be utterly im-
practicable to maintain any sufficient extent of forest land,
whereas there will be little difficulty, and ultimately less ex-
pense, in establishing artificial reservoirs.

The forest laws now in force affect a very small portion of
the existing forests ; and yet if we are to depend upon forests
for the preservation of the water it is clear that present ex-
tent of forest land must not only be reduced, but must be
added to ; for the call for more water has long been heard,
during the dry season, and it will certainly become more and
more urgent, with the increase of population.

All the advocates of the forest system acknowledge this ;
and though no one has been bold enough to advocate the to-
tal prohibition of any further clearing of forest lands, yet it
has been proposed to add to the extent of forests under the
protection of the laiv by requiring each proprietor to set aside
a certain proportional part of his land for the purpose, so as
to divide the burthen equally amongst all. But such isolated
patches of trees, scattered about the Island could have no
appreciable effect upon the water supply ; not only is it ne-

76 -

cessary that the forests be massed together, on a large scale,
to be of any service, but the forests which should be preserv-
ed are those particular forests of Moka, Plaines YVilhems,
Vacoas and Savanne, and no others will answer the same pur-
pose. It would be useless to establish forests about the low-
er parts of the rivers and at the same time leave the sources
naked and exposed. The forests must be regarded as reser-
voirs, and as by far the greater part of the rain falls on the
high lands, the forest intended to preserve it must be placed
there, and not on the low ground ; for by the time the water
reaches the low ground it will have been collected into large
streams, having velocity sufficient to rush onwards to the sea,
no matter whether it has to pass through forests or not. A
reservoir placed near the mouth of a river would merely supply
a small quantity of fresh water to the sea, but if placed around
and about the source, it would give a large and regular supply
to the whole line of country through which the river might
flow. Nothing short of a positive prohibition of all future
clearing on the high table lands before mentioned, will meet
the views of those who trust to forests, for the maintenance
of the water supply, but if these lands are to be protected by
law, they must be purchased from the proprietors, and doom-
ed to be forever unprofitable. Considering the extent and the
value of the land, such a measure would seem both impolitic
and impracticable. If we wish the Island to advance in ma-
terial prosperity, we must adopt an opposite policy, and
find means to throw open to cultivation as much land as pos-
sible.

As facilities and inducements for extending cultivation in-
crease, so will the impracticability of maintaining so much
forest become more evident.

A simple calculation will show that each individual of the
population must use something like one cord of brush wood
or other fire wood in the course of a year ; in all about 240,000
cords; taking the produce of one acre of land at 75 cords, the
consumption will be equivalent to the produce of 3,200 acres
every year. Now it is probable that more than this quantity
of fuel is consumed at the various Sugar Manufactories, Di-
stilleries, Lime Kilns etc., and probably as much more is

used annually for various building purposes, so that it does
not seem unreasonable to conclude that in one shape or an-
other wood, equivalent to the produce of between 9,000 and
10,000 acres is cut every year; land so cleared, must be con-
sidered as permanently abstracted from forest land.

Now if forests are to be kept up, this enormous amount of
clearing must be stopped altogether, and those who advocate
the measure must be prepared not only to pay indemnities to
the proprietors of the forest lands, but also to throw upon
the colony the immense expense of substituting other fuel,
and other timber for building purposes, in place of the fuel
and timber now used.

But even when left to themselves, and when no active steps
are taken for their destruction, there seems to be a gi’adual
decay of the forests, which it is difficult to explain. The
number of dead trees in some of the most important forests
is very great. It may be that the soil is exhausted of the
nourishment required by that particular description of tree,
and that some other species of vegetation may hereafter spring
up, to take the place of the dead trees, but at present there
are no signs of such a process having commenced. A parti-
cular kind of long grass is the chief species of vegetation which
at present flourishes near the dead trees.

In fact it seems certain that everything deserving of the
name of <x forest will sooner or later disappear from Mauri-
tius, either by the operation of natural causes, or to supply
the pressing wants of the inhabitants.

The condition of Mauritius, in regard to the maintenance
of forests exhibits an exceptional case, on account of the un-
usually large proportion which the number of inhabitants
bears to the extent of the Island. The population of Great
Britain and Ireland, (by no means thinly peopled countries),
amounts to 233 to the square mile, whereas in Mauritius we
have about 354 souls to the square mile, or more than one
half as much again as in England. In France the population
is only 175 to the square mile, or less than half that of Mau-
ritius.

Our case therefore is more nearly assimilated to that of a
collection of villages, than to that of a rural district, and ac-

cordingly there is a greater probability of the forests which
still remain being made to disappear.

Instead, therefore, of struggling to prevent a result which
appears to be, for so many reasons, inevitable, our wisest
course is to consider beforehand, now whilst there is time, the
measures which must be adopted to ward off the difficulty.

These measures evidently consist in the formation of arti-
ficial lakes, or reservoirs, which may serve the purpose of for-
ests, and preserve for use during the dry season the rain which
falls during the wet months.

By taking advantage of the form of the ground, and throw-
ing one or more dams across the opening of a valley, the sur-
face drainage of a large extent of country may be easily col-
lected and retained.

The irregular features of most parts of this Island offer
many suitable sites for the construction of such reservoirs,
which with proper canals for the distribution of the water,
would ensure a constant and sufficient supply.

On large estates, planters would in very many cases find it
to their advantage to form reservoirs on their own account ;
in other cases, where the wants of a large district have to be
supplied, they might be formed by the Government or by
Companies, or by the cooperation of the Government with
the parties interested — as is now done in the case of Branch
Roads.

There are no great practical difficulties to be overcome ; all
that is requisite is the exercise of judgment in fixing the po-
sition of the dam ; and care during its construction to render
it impermeable to water. In introducing this system of water
supply on a large scale, it would be desirable to give careful
consideration to method by which the shares of water should
be measured out and distributed, a point of some difficulty
and importance, which is but imperfectly attained at present.

In addition to the argument in favor of the reservoir sys-
tem founded upon the probability of the gradual disappear-
ance of our forests, there is another argument quite as for-
cible, which leads directly to the same conclusion.

It has been already observed that on account of the increase

*of population, there are many parts of Mauritius which have
■quite but all rural character.

The inhabitants and establishments are so closely concen-
trated in some of these places, that in dealing with them, in
all that relates to drainage and water supply, they must be
treated as parts of a town.

Formerly, when the population was more thinly scattered,
little harm was done to the purity of the water of the streams
the drainage and impure matters belonging to a few people
being easily disposed of, without polluting the streams ; at
present the case is far different, and in places where men and
animals, and manufactories are in such large numbers, the
impurities which result cannot be got rid of so easily ; it is
altogether useless to enact that manufactories and objection-
able establishments shall be placed at not less than a given
distance from streams. Whenever there is a great and conti-
nuous deposition of impurities, such impurities will necessarily
find their way to the water courses, unless carried off to the
sea by an artificial system of drainage.

The water courses are the natural lines of drainage of the
country, and are necessarily the lines of lowest level available.
If the surface from which the drainage is collected be unoc-
cupied and clean, the stream will of course be pure, but if the
water course runs through a densely peopled district, it is
impossible, but that the surface drainage will pollute the
stream.

Again, people must wash themselves and their clothes.
How is this to be done, in a crowded district without pollu-
tion to the stream ?

In order to overcome this difficulty, it has been proposed
by some that small basins should be constructed at chosen
spots near the rivers, in whieh basins people might wash,
without defiling the streams, but it does not seem to have
been considered, what is to become of the dirty water of the
basin. It cannot be got rid of, except by allowing it to flow
back into the river lower down.

There are many other ways in which the water of small
streams which traverse populous districts must necessarily be
rendered impure and unfit for drinking; and this more es-

80 —

pecially in a tropical climate. Almost every pedestrian will
stop at the stream to cool his feet, animals wade through the
water and drink, &c. It is quite useless to stop and prevent
all this, by passing laws which can never be enforced, for to
put a stop to defilements of this nature would be impossible
without almost as many Police Constables as there are inha-
bitants. The very attempt at interference seems cruel, these
streams are provided by nature for the benefit of all ; any in-
terference with the reasonable use of the privilege, can only
be at the expense of cleanliness health and comfort.

We do not hear in other countries of prohibitions against
bathing or washing in rivers. The reason is that when it is
found that such pollutions have become (in consequence of
increase of population) too common to allow of the water be-
ing made use of for domestic purposes, another and an inde-
pendent source of supply is sought for, and provided. The
same course must evidently be followed in our own case.

In Mauritius, the water for domestic purposes, must be sup-
plied in populous parts of the Island, by means of canals or
pipes, in connexion with reservoirs, as already described.
Wells cari only be made use of to a limited extent, on account
of the geological formation of the Island.

The following conclusions seem to be established by what
has been said : —

1st. That forests are not indispensable to the maintenance
of water supply.

2nd. That it would be impolitic to attempt, and impracti-
cable to secure tbe permanence of any great extent of forest
in Mauritius.

3rd. That the density of the population in many parts of
the Island requires that means be adopted for supplying pure
water, independently of the rivers and streams.

These conclusions point to the establishment of reservoirs,
and the extension of the Canal system, as the necessary and
simple means of avoiding both present and prospective diffi-
culties.

Protective laws mightbc applied with vigour to preserve
from waste or pollution the water of the reservoirs and ca-
nals; but there would then be no need to prevent proprietors

81 —

from cultivating their own lands, nor to inflict penalties upon
those who have only made a reasonable use of the streams of
running water which Providence has provided for them.

The work of establishing reservoirs and canals is one which
might proceed gradually ; it is only requisite that the neces-
sity be appreciated, and means will soon be found for carry-
ing on the work. The projected restoration of the Bois
llouge Canal, is an important step in the right direction, and
if followed up by similar works in other parts of the Island,
will assuredly tend to the great object we all have in view — *
the prosperity of Mauritius.

J. R. MANN.

TRATPTPflDTMP

Sur le Hcmoire «lu Doctcur Henri Seneque, intitule : <( (luelques
Considerations sur le mot Tambave,” lu a la Societe Hojale des
Arts ct des Sciences, le 31 Aout 1801.

Messieurs,

Le Docteur Henri Seneque a communique a la Societe un
Memoire intitule : Quelques Considerations sur le mot Tam-
have. Nous avons ete charges, les Drs, Philip Ayres, Ed.
Lejuge et moi de vous en rendre compte.

Messieurs : Tous les prejuges du monde sont venus cher-
cher a Maurice, un droit d’asile qui ne leur a ete que trop
facilement accorde. Entre cent autres, il en est un que nous
quahfierons d’homicide, car il porte une atteinte funeste a la
sante publique. Il est un mot, derive de nous ne savons
quelle langue, que chaque mere prononce avec epouvante au
chevet de son enfant. Ce prejuge, ce mot fatal, cet epouvan-
tail dont chacun parle, mais que personne ne peut decrire,
e’est le Tambave.

Port-Louis possedait une Societe Medicale. Cette Societe
n’a survecu que deux ans a Phomme intelligent qui Pavait
fondee. Theodore Poupinel avait propose a tous ses confreres
Petude difficile des caracteres particuliers que peuvent offrir
les maladies a Maurice, et celle, non moins difficile des ver-
tus specifiques ou autres des plantes medicinales du pays, dont
la Flore est si riche sous ce rapport.

— 84 —

La Societe Medicale, pour remplir sou mandat, avait mis a
Petude, en 1849, la question du Tambave. Chacun voulut
participer a Paccomplissement d’une oeuvre aussi importante.
Les travaux commencerent, puis eomrae nous l’avons deja
dit, cette Societe cessa d’exister,

Le Docteur Seneque, un des anciens membres de cette So-
ciete, s’est charge a lui seul de realiser ce que tant d’autres
avaient voulu faire en commun, et c’est le fruit de son travail
qu’il est venu vous offrir, apres bien des annees de patientes
observations. Void Panalyse de ce travail.

Dans un avertissement, M. Seneque passe en revue les opi-
nions emises sur le Tambave par un certain nombre de mede-
cins qui ont fait partie de Pancienne Societe Medicale. Nous
n’avons pas a les refuter.

Le premier chapitre a pour titre : Du mot Tambave et de sa
signification vulgaire.

“ Le mot Tambave, dit le Dr. Seneque est, dit-on, derive
du malgache, et sert a designer cbez ce peuple, une cer-
t: taine maladie des enfants.” Et plus loin : “ On appelle
“ vulgaircment Tambave dans cette colonie, tout etat patholo-
logique presentant le caractere debilitant et cbronique, ac-
“ compagne de troubles dans quelques-unes ou dans toutes les
“ fonctions organiques, principalement dans l’assimilation, la
“ nutrition et les secretions, et caracterise exterieurement par
“ Pamaigrissement ou la bouffissure, par des eruptions diver-
“ ses et des excretions morbides.

Ainsi sont generalement appeles Tambave, par le vul-
“ gaire, lo. le ramollissement gelatiniforme de Pestomac ; 2o.
“ la gastro-enterite cbronique et l’entero-colite chronique ;
“ 3o. la lienterie ; 4o. le Carn au ou tuber culation desglandes
tc mesenteriques ; 5o. les affections syphilitiques, dartreuses
“ et scrofuleuses des enfants, hereditaires ou acquises, mais le
plus souvent hereditaires ; 60. les inflammations chroni-
“ ques essentielles ou qui succedent a des etats aigus ; (les
“ engorgements glandulaires) (foie parotide etc.), les epan-
“ chements (hydrocejfliale) ; 7o. aussi, certain cas de cholera
“ sporadique, des eruptions aphteuses, pseudomcmbrancuses,
“ pliagedeniques etc.”

A ce tableau de Pauteur, nous ajouterons : le ramollissc-

'meat intestinal qui succede quelquefois a l’enterite chronique,
la diarrhee catharrale et l’entero colite aiarue.

o

“ On voit done par remuneration qne nous venons de faire,
a dit l’auteur, que le medecin appele pour voir des enfants
“ malades que les parents disent atteints de Tambave, y trou-

vent des maladies fort differentes, et que de tous les etats
u pathologiques qualities de ce non^ il ne s’en rencontre pas
“ pas un seul a l’etat aigu, car toutes les maladies qui ont ce
Ci dernier caractere ne sont pas regardees comme Tambave ;
“ elles ne prennent cette denomination que lorsque l’etat chro-
“ nique y succede.

“ Pour notre compte, nous avons ete appele pour un tres
Ci grand nombre d’enfants qu’on disait atteints du Tambave,
“ et nous avons trouve cbez eux des maladies tres connues
“ dans la nosologie des auteurs et tres differentes entr’elles,
t( Ainsi, entr’autres cas, nous avons trouve :

“ lo. Une hydrocephale congeniale cbez un enfant de 8
u mois, dont la mere suivait un traitement contre le Tambave.

“ 2o. Une syphilis constitutionnelle congeniale.

cf 3o. Une dentition difficile avec constipation et fievre
lente.

“ 4o. Un ramollissement de l’estomac.

ee 5o. Un cas de Carreau.

“ Plusieurs cas de diarrliee provenant d’ulcerations intesti"
u nales, accompaguees d’eruptions apliteuses a la bouche et
<£ au pharynx.”

Et enfin, l’auteur termine son premier chapitre par des
considerations sur la question du Tambave, comme maladie
des parents : le complement du prejuge. Tout ce qui est
ecrit dans ce chapitre est, a notre point de vue. Messieurs, la
relation helas trop exacte de ce que les medecins du pays ont
journellement sous les yeux, et, si nous ne craignions de gros-
sir inutilement ce rapport, nous y ajouterions nos observa-
tions personnelles.

Dans son deuxieme chapitre, Du Tambave comme entile
morbide , l’auteur passe en revue les speculations des empiri-
ques, l’incertitude facheuse de certains membres du corps me-
dical, qui se trouvent en dissidence d’opinion avec leurs con-
freres, et une faiblesse coupable cbez quelques uns d’entr eux.

— SG-

en outre ii fait deja voir Pirnpossibilite de reconnoitre Ie Tam
have comme une entite morbide. Nous ne saurions trop in-
sister, Messieurs, sur ies sages reflexions que M. Seneque a
renfermees dans ce chapitre, la surtout oil il a parle de per-
sonnes habiles a saisir tout moyen de lucre et qui ne craignent
pas de speculer sur le sentiment maternel. Nous reviendrons
d’ailleurs sur cette question.

Le troisieme chapitre, Du Tambave sous le point de vue
scientifique, pent se resumer dans ces deux phrases de Pauteur

lui-meme : “ La science ne connait point ce mot.”

“ Toutes ces considerations demontrent Pirnpossibilite de
“ faire entrer ce mot dans la science, comme designant une
6C maladie speciale, accompagnee de ses caracteres particu-
K liers.”

Refutation des opinions des medecins, sur la maladie dite
Tambave : Tel est le titre du quatrieme chapitre, dans lequel
nous trouvons les deux paragraphes suivants, auxquels nous
adherons completement :

« Nous affirmons done que quelques maladies de notre lo-
“ calite peuvent, parvenues a une certaine periode, celle de
“ cachexie, de marasme, etats auxquels nous synonymisons le
“ Tambave, etre empreintes d’une physionomie particuliere
“ qui peut meriter une denomination quelconque sans que
“ cela soit rigoureusement necessaire, et a laquelle nous con-
serverons celle de Tambave que le vulgaire lui a deja con-
f< sacree.”

« Mais nous nions qu’on puisse faire du Tambave, qui n’est
qu’un etat particulier dont les influences climateriques, hy-
gieniques et alimentaires locales impriment le cachet a des
w maladies tres differentes dans le debut, et qui conservent
“ toujours leur nature primitive, malgre cette physionomie
“ nouvelle, nous nions, disons-nons, qu’on puisse en faire une
“ entite morbide ayant sa nature, son etiologie, sa symptoma-
“ tologie et sa therapeutique speciales ; cette ressemblance
u pathologique que revelent des maladies differentes arrivees
“ a la periode que nous avons dit etre celle de cachexie ou de
“ marasme, est due a la coincidence des influences climateri-
ques avec leurs elements speciaux.

w Le Tambave demande-t-il un traitement particulier,” dit

87

Pauteur dans son cinquieme chapitre intitule Du Tambave
sous le point de vue therapeutique. “ Les elements primitifs
u qui constituent cet etat pathologique etant tres varies, la re-
“ ponse a cette question est indubitablement negative.”

Le dernier chapitre est plein de conseils judicieux, il a pour
titre Traitement prophylactique. C’est un expose des moyens
prophylactiques que doivent employer les parents pour arriver
a detruire l’etat pathologique appele Tambave.

Terminons cette analyse, un peu succinte peut-etre, par
une petite critique. II s’agit du titre du Memoire que nous
avons examine : Quelques considerations sur le mot Tambave-
A ce titre qui nous semble trop restreint, 1’auteur aurait pu
ajouter : Des maladies que Von designe vulgairement sous ce
nom, et du traitement prophylactique de l’ etat particulier qu’il
sert a designer. Mais l’imperfection d’un titre est peu de
chose assurement, et c’est l’ceuvre en elle-meme qu’il s’agit
d’apprecier. Sous ce rapport, hatons-nous de le dire, 1’auteur
a heureusement accompli la tache qu’il s’etait imposee. Me-
decins et malades trouveront leur compte dans le Memoire du
Dr. Seneque, et le sentiment de modestie, joint a un noble
but d’utilite qui y domine, est aux yeux des membre de votre
Commission, un attrait trop rare aujourd’hui a Maurice, pour
qu’ils n’y applaudissent de tout coaur.

En consequence, votre Commission a l’lionneur de vous
proposer :

lo. De remercier le Docteur Seneque de son interessante
communication ;

2o. D’inserer son Memoire dans les Transactions de la So-
ciete.

Permettez-nous, Messieurs, de terminer ce Rapport, en
faisant le vosu que la population de Maurice, malheureuse-
ment egaree par un prejuge que nous avons qualifie d’homi-
cide, comprenne enfin que le moment est venu ou justice doit
etre faite de l’influence d’un miserable charlatanisme, sur la
singuliere credulite d’un grand nombre de personnes de notre
communaute. Credulite augmentee par les pretendues gue-
risons de Tambave qu’on peut expliquer par la nature medi-
catrice, si puissante chez les enfants, et quelquefois aussi, par
la cessation de moyens intern pestivement employes.

88 —

Cliacun de nous ne sait-il pas que la ou le mal est parfaite
merit defini, et ou P ho mine de Part avoue son impuissance>
Pempirisme a tous les droits possibles ; mais ea verite, que
peijser de Peffet de certains simples reputes inoffensifs. quand
ceux-la qui savent en tirer un si beau profit pecuniaire ne
savent meme pas distinguer entr’elles les nombreuses affec-
tions auxquelles ils les appliquent et qu’ils confondent sous le
nom tant de fois prononce dans ce Rapport et par lequel nous
terminerons : “ Tambave.”

Dr. C. REGNAUD, — Rapporteur.

Ph. B. AYRES, M. D.

Dr. LEJUGE.

INFLUENCE IMS GUANOES PLI IKS SIR LA VEGETATION.

La note suivarate est communiquee par le Secretaire dans,
la seance du 22 Mars 1860 :

“ Les pluies abondantes que nous avons eues, et l’excessive
chaleur qui s’est fait sentir pendant les intervalles ou a reparu
le soleil, toutes conditions si favorables a la vegetation tropi-
cale, ont produit sur les pi antes un developpement luxueux de
rameaux, de tiges et de feuilles.

ec En resume, c’est un grand bien, du moins il faut le pren-
dre ainsi, quoiqu’il arrive parfois qu’a cote du bien se trouve
le mal, occasionne souvent par la meme cause.

“ Dans eertaines parties froides et elevees de Pile, les Cannes
nous l’avons entendu dire, ont evidemment souffert de ce sur-
croit outre mesure d’eaux pluviales. L’experience et les faits
ont appris que dans les terrains ou le sol n’absorbe pas la
quantite d’eau qui tombe et ou le soleil, cache par les nuages,
ne peut l’enlever par l’evaporation, il survient chez la plante
sejournant longuement dans un sol trop humide, une decolora-
tion des feuilles qui pi’ennent une teinte jaunatre ; plus tard
le tissu de la plante subit une decomposition dont la mort est
la consequence indubitable.

“ Cette couleur jaune, dit le Dr. Lindley, provient, d’apres
quelques chimistes, de la destruction par l’eau d’une matiere
bleue particuliere a la plante, laquelle melee de jaune produit
la couleur verte naturelle a la vegetation.

“ Dans quelques cas, quand Phumidite se prolonge, les ar-
ticulations de la tige se separent ; dans d’autres cas, la plante
pourrit dans la terre par les racines. Ces resultats varient en
raison du plus ou moins d’affaiblissement de la lumiere et
d’abaissement de temperature dans le sol. Decandolle est
d’opinion que la quantite d’eau qui sejourne autour du collet
de la plante, intercepte a l’oxigene de Pair tout acces aux
yacines.

Quoiqu’il en soit, trop d’eau peut nuire a la plante, soit en

— 90 —

produisant la decomposition dont nous venons de parler, soit
en lui donnant des dimensions en dehors de ses formes et de
ses habitudes ordinaires, et la transformant en monstre, phe-
nomene dont bananas que je presente ici, est un exemple.

“ On y voit le pedoncule principal -considerablement renfle
vers la base, se subdivisant en d’autres pedoncules qui se bi-
furquent, et se terminant par de tout petits fruits dont quel-
ques uns sont soudes par leurs ovaires les uns aux autres.
Ces fruits sont surmontes comme d’ordinaire par le bourgeon
central ou couronne qui a pris un assez grand developpement.
L’ensemble de toutes ces couronnes terminales a l’apparence
d’une touffe de jeunes plantes sortant du sol.

“ Un autre inconvenient peut provenir de cet exces de pluie
et nous en avons vu des exemples.

“ On a pu remarquer que certains de nos fruits a pulpe char )
nue, la mangue, par exemple, ayant perdu sa saveur accoutu-
mee, avait, comme on dit communement, gout cVeau. Les
melons gorges de sue aqueux en ont absorbe plus que leur
etat physiologique le leur permet. La transpiration si neces-
saire a la plante n’a pu s’effectuer dans les conditions voulues
et les fruits se sont fendus, ou ont coule.

c< C’est quand les fruits sont au moment de murir que les ar«
rosemens doivent diminuer et cesser ; et le contraire a eu lieu
ici: “ The quantity of water in the soil, dit Lindley dans

“ dans son traite d’horticulture, should be diminished when
“ succulent fruit is ripening. — Not only is the quality of such
“ fruit impaired by a wet soil, but, because of its low perspi-
“ ratory power, the fruit will burst from excess in moisture,
“ as occurs to the Plum and Grape in wet season.”

“ Les plantes a racines charnues et nutritives ont egalement
souffert dans ce sens que toute la vegetation s’est portee sur
les tiges et les feuilles qui se sont developpees d’une maniere
prodigieuse au detriment des racines reduites a des lilets gre-
les. On en a des exemples dans des tiges de patates qui se
sont elancees comme de grands Convulvulus sur de jeunes ar-
bres qu’elles ont entortillces et couvertes de leurs feuilles trop
abondantes et trop touffues.”

— 91

La Societe Royale des Arts et des Sciences s’est reunie
mardi, 3 Avril 18G0 a la Chambre d’ Agriculture.

Le but de la seance a ete la communication faite par l’hon.
M. Fropier du Rapport qu’il avait ete charge de preparer sur
l’Exposition Intercoloniale d’Aout et Septembre derniers.

Le Rapport a ete ad<Jpte seance tenante, et le Secretaire a
promis d’y faire les additions necessaires, telles que la liste des
jures, celle des objets exposes, etc., et entrer dans d’autres
details dont M. Fropier, presse par le terns, n’a pu s’occuper.

Ce Rapport sera immediatement traduit et imprime, et un
exemplaire adresse a S. E. le Gouverneur, pour etre transmis
au Secretaire d’Etat.

Au moment de lever la seance, le Secretaire a demande la
parole et s’est adresse a la Societe en ces termes :

“ Messieurs,

“ Nous ne devons pas, ce me semble, rester silencieux en
presence du depart tres prochain de notre President, l’Hon.
M. Fropier; pour ma part, j’ai cru de mon devoir, en ma qua-
lite de Secretaire de la Societe, d’exprimer a notre President
nos regrets sinceres au moment d’une separation dont les ef-
fets seront vivement ressentis et par notre Societe et par le
pays lui-meme.

“ Je commencerai done par souhaiter a notre digne Presi-
dent l’entier accomplissement de tous ses souhaits dans le vo-
yage qu’il va entreprendre, la realisation du but qu’il se pro-
pose, son arrivee prompte et heureuse en Europe et par des-
sus tout son retour encore plus rapide et non moins heureux
dans ses Penates.

“ Mais autant cette absence sera-t-elle regrettable pour la
Societe, autant la Societe doit-elle souhaiter, comme compen-
sation de ses regrets, que le President ne laisse echapper au-
cune occasion de lui etre de quelque utilite.

“ Le souvenir des services qu’il lui a rendus sera religieu-
sement conserve, mais il peut etre appele a lui en rendre de
bien plus grands encore, si les circonstances lui permettent
d’approcher de ceux dont dependent les destinees du pays.

“ Notre President sera probablement en situation de faire
remarquer au Congres ou il aura pleine liberte de formuler ses

opinions et sa pensee, les faits merveilleux auxquels sous le
point de vue statistique, Maurice sevt de theatre. 11 excitera
sans doute quelque attention quand il parlera d’une lie mesu-
rant a peine 150 miles de circuit, et donnant a elle seule plus
de produits, depensant plus d’argent que ne le feraient, reu-
nies ensemble, d’autres colonies beauc^up plus grandes qu’elle ;
recevant et consommant tous les tributs qui lui sont payes
par PEurope, PAsie, les deux Ameriques et plusieurs points
de PAfrique et de PAustralie, et entretenant dans cette en-
ceinte de 150 milles de circonference, une population de trois
cents mille antes, c’est-a-dire, comn.e Pa deja rcmarque un des
membres distingues de notre Societe, 354 individus par mille
carre, quand la Grande-Bretagne iPen contient que 233 et la
France 1/5.

P

“ Notre President ne manqnera pas non plus de faire ob-
server que cette population^ compose principalement d’hom-
mes arrives pauvres et ignorants du dehors pour simplement
gagner leur vie en travaillant. Qu’elle contUnt une faible
proportion d’etres pensants et raisonnants, dans Pacceptation
que nous donnons ici a ces mots, quand tous les autres au
contraire cherchent a realiser les instincts qui les poussent a
jouir de la vie materielle, tout en sauvegardant leurs interets
pecuniaires.

“ Notre President dira le peu qui a ete fait en vue d’assis-
tance intelleotuelle a donner a une population aussi conside-
rable qu’est devcnue celle de Maurice, et comment et pour-
quoi cette population se montre de son cote si peu soucieuse
de recourir a cette assistance.

“ II fera voir d’un autre cote, et en presence de ces masses
humaines, la partie eclairee, quelque peu inquiete parfois de
Pattitude que ces masses pourraient prendre, et faisant tous
ses efforts pour rcsister a un choc ou prevenir une collision,
qu’elle cherche a eviter en sc maintenant et en maintenant
ses enfans dans la voie devenue si etroite du progres et des
lumieres.

cc Notre President fera observer que sous ce point de vue,
notre Societe a droit ii tout encouragement, et qu'il est de
toute raison, com me de saine politique, de la soutenir. Mais
nous n’avons pas besoiu d’indiquer a notre President les

— 93 —

points qu’il aura a traiter, il le sait mieux que nous et s’en.
tirera mieux que nous.

“ Nous terminerons done en le priant de nouveau de gar-
•der souvenir de notre Societe, et de la recommander ainsi que
notre Museum a ceux.qui pourront leur etre utiles et arae-
liorer leur situation. II se peut faire que ces deux Institu-
tions jouissent en Europe, ou du moins aupres de certaines So-
cietes d’Europe, de plus de credit ^ et de consideration que
dans le pays oil elles ont ete fondees. II se peut done que la
voix de M. Fropier soit comprise et entendu'e. II se peut
meme qu’en s’adressant a ceux qui ne connaissent de Maurice
que ses produits en sucre, M. Fropier remarquera la double
surprise qu’ils eprouveront en apprenant d’abord, ^existence
de semblables Institutions dans une lie si eloignee du centre
des lumieres, en meme temps que la faible assistance donnee
■a l’une et a l’autre.”

JFhon. M. Fropier a remercie la Societe, s’engageant autant
que ses moyens et les circonstances le lui permettront, a faire
tout ce qui pourra dependre de lui pour etre, pendant son se-
jour en Angleterre, de quelque utilite a la Societe.

OBSERVATIONS SI R LA CULTURE RE LA CANAE.

M essieurs,

Ja vais entamer un sujet de grande importance pour notre
cblonie, c’est-a-dire que je vais vous exposer un petit travail
theorique et pratique sur la canne, fruit de mes etudes de
plusieurs annees et d’experiences successives. Ce travail ne
sera pas, je le pense, sans suite, car les champs de l’experience
et de la science sont vastes; une fois la banniere levee, les
moissonneurs y entrent en masse, comme l’a fait judicieuse-
ment remarquer M. le Dr. Fressanges dans son travail sur
les disinfectants, a la seance du mois de septembre dernier.

La canne est une plante epuisante, parce que c’est surtout
dans le sol et dans les engi’ais, qu’elle prend la quantite d’azote
qui fait partie de sa tige et de ses feuilles ; de la vient la ne-
cessity de renouveler sans cesse par de nouveaux engrais les
materiaux nutritifs qu’elle absorbe. Ainsi, en resume, les
principes elementaires qui constituent la plante dont nous
nous occupons, sont: le carbone, l’oxigene, l’hydrogene et
l’azote qui lui sont founds, tant par le sol que par l’atmosphere,
n>a>s plus par celui-ci que par celui-la.

ulamrnent de ces principes elementaires et constitu-
dans cette plante des matieres salines,
do soude et de chaux a acides varies qui,
lorsqu’on la brfde, constituent la majeure partie des cendres
qu’elle laisse pour residu. Les matieres minerales out toutes

ete puisees dans le sol, toutes sont egalement necessaires a la
constitution de la plante. Quant aux aeides, ils peuvent
changer a l’infini dc bases, ou etre reduits et remplaces par
les aeides organiques que la vegetation engendre.

II est done de toute necessite que les racines trouvent ces
sels mineraux dans la terre, soit qu’ils y existent naturelle-
ment, chose douteuse, puisque la canne les epuise, soit qu’on
les y ajoute dans un engrais. Aussi, les engrais n’agissent-ils
pas toujours par les matieres azotees qu’ils contiennent, mais
encore par les sels qui y sont contenus, De meme encore la
necessite d’employer des cendres qui, placees a propos, impri-
ment a la vegetation languissante une vigueur, une activite
que les engrais seuls ne pourraient lui communiquer.

Le carbone, I’oxigene, l’hydrogene et l’azote sont les veri-
tables aliments de la canne, comme ils le sont de toutes les
plantes ; mais une fois qu’ils y sont entres, ils ne restent
plus isoles les uns des autres. Par suite des phenomenes de
la vegetation, il s’opere de nouvelles et de nombreuses
combinaisons ; les elements de la plante en s’unissant deux a
deux, trois a trois, ou meme tous les quatre ensemble, don-
nent naissance a tous ces principes immediats qui y existent
et qui s’y sont formes de toutes pieces par les seules for
ces de la vegetation unies avec les sels, les oxides ou leurs
radicaux reduits ; tels que soufre, phosphore, etc., seules ma-
tieres qui soient empruntees par la plante aux milieux dans
lesquels elle vit et se developpe.

L’ Agriculture de Maurice laisse encore beaucoup a desirer ;
il y a des proprietes ou l’on ne s’occupe pas des engrais pre-
paratoires ; pourtant, un sol ne peut pas toujours produire,
s’il n’a pas les elements voulus pour cet efFet ; je pourrai dire
a ceux-la ce que le fameux cliimiste Liebig repondit aux pay-
sans qui avaient ete le trouver pour s’enquerir aupres de lui, de
la cause qui empechait leur sol de donner toujours les memes
recoltes, qu’ils voyaient diminuer tous les ans.. “ Rendez au
sol, leur dit ce celebre chimiste, ce que vous lui prenez en
principes, et vous n’aurez pas de deceptions a la fin de vqs
recoltes. ” Selon ma conviction, je dirai : Ne laissez pas

votre sol s’epuiser en y laissant les souches de vos Cannes
vieillir ; ne plantez vos Cannes que sur un bon engi’ais que

— 9G —

rous pouvez aisement fabriquer, car toutes les niatieres dont
vous avez besoin se trouvent chez vous et vous les laissez
perdre.

Je ne citerai, a l’appui de ce que j’avance que l’etablisse-
ment Bonne Mere, a Flacq. Get etablissement qui marclie
en premiere ligne a Maurice et qui, avec le peu d’etendue de
ses terres, donne de tres beaux produits, n’entreprend jamais
de plantations que sur un bon purin, compose des detritusde
la propriety ; l’herbe ne pousse jamais dans ses champs ; ses
plantations sont achevees lorsque les voisins pensent a com-
mencer les leurs. Aussi, quels sont les resultats qu’on ea
retire ? Ils sont, au dire des personnes intei’essees, invaria-
bles ; les terres s’ameliorent cbaque annee ; le meme sol/apres
les deux seules coupes que Pon se contente d’y faire, est re-
troue avant meme que les racines de la plante n’aient pu
s’etendre ; peu apres, le carreau est replante et les Cannes y
viennent toujours avec une vegetation nouvelle.

Je vais maintenant vous parler de la propagation de la canne
a Maurice. Les premieres plantations sont generalement
faites avec de bonnes tetes ; plus tard on prend tous les plants,,
quels qu’ils soient, pour les confier a la terre ; quelquefois, on
va chercher au’ milieu des carreaux abandonnes, des Cannes
epuisees par l’herbe, dans laquelle on les a laissees grandir
pour les planter. Quels sont les rejetons de ces mauvais
plants, que font-ils voir en se montrant au jour ? Des Cannes
degenerees. Ce fait seul denote les taches de maladie qui out
eu lieu dans plusieurs localites sur la canne Bellouguet et qui
menacent cette espece d’une destruction prematuree.

J’ai pense aussi a une chose qu’il est de mon devoir de si-
gnaler a la Societe, afin que Pon puisse la mettre en pratique,
si la chose est jugee convenable ; c’est de faire Pechange
des tetes entre les quartiers secs et les quartiers humides. Je
crois que cette alternation serait encore d’un grand secours
pour empecher la degenerescence complete de la canne Bel-
louguet qui est la scule, jusqu’ici, qui ait pu remplacer la
canne blanche avec avantage, par sa ricliesse en vesou. La
sommite de ces Cannes dans les quartiers humides est d’une
belle venue, mais quelquefois trop tendre pour etre plan-
tee dans le lieu qui lui a donne naissance ; car, pour peu.

— 97

qu’il fasse pendant la saison une grande quantite de pluie,
elle pourrit et la plantation manque ; car cette tete contient en
elle assez d’eau pour que, alimentee par la chaleur atmosphe-
rique des mois favorables a la plantation, elle puisse germer
et faire la canne vegeter en attendant que ses racines puissent
atteindre le sol et s’y nourrir. Au contvaire, dans les quar-
ters secs, il arrive, lorsque le plant subit une secheresse,
que la plantation manque ; parce que la tete des Cannes dans
ces quarters ou la vegetation est tout-a-fait arretee lorsqu’arrive
la coupe, est naturellement seclie et tend encore a secher par le
soleil ardent sous lequel elle est nee ; e’est pourquoi je propose
P alternation des plants, essai deja fait a Flacq, sur l’etablisse-
ment Mon Reve et qui a parfaitement reussi. II est evident
que les tetes tendres des quartiers bumides, plantees sur un
bon fumier pousseront mieux dans les quarters secs, rechauf-
fees par le soleil, et que celles des climats secs qui ne deman-
dent que de la pluie, fructifieront mieux dans les conditions ou
elles se trouveront. Quant a la question du Borer, les quartiers
humides en seront toujours exemptes par les pluies qui les arro-
sent, et ils diminueront dans les quartiers secs par les tetes
saines que leur fourniront les quartiers eleves. D'ailleurs, la
chose est prouvee par l’usage etabli en Europe de faire venir
les semences d’Egypte, parce que ce pays produit de plus
beaux grains, par le fait du renouvellement du sol et par les
depots qu’y apporte le Nil pendant la crue des eaux et qu’il
y laisse en rentrant dans son lit. De meme, la tete de canne
des regions humides jouissant d’une vegetation continuelle est
plus belle et promet de plus beaux resultats aux quartiers
secs en y apportant ses premiers elements de vegetation, et la
tete des quartiers secs, en retrouvant dans les quartiers humi-
des les elements nourriciers dont elle a besoin. Ce moyen
employe a l’unisson regenerera cont^nuellement notre espece
de Cannes et la rendra exempte des maladies sous lesquelles
la canne blanche a succombe.

Pour abreger ce travail deja assez long, je vais vousrparler
des engrais. Commenyons par l’engrais preparatoire qui doit
etre forme par :

1. Les herbes de vos champs, pour rendre a vos terres les
principes que ces plantes y ont puise.

98 —

2. Les produits de vos ecuries qui serviront a rendre au sol
les substances qu’il a perdues, et qui sont fournis par la nour-
viture que Pon donne aux mules, par leurs excrements et les
urines qui imbibent les litieres et dont voici, d’apres deux
chimistes, l’analyse telle qu’elle est donnee dans la chimie or-
ganique de Liebig :

Crottin de cheval ou de mulet.

Urine de cheval ou de mulet.

(Jackson,)

Phosphate de chaux 5,00

Carbonate de chaux 18,75

Phosphate de magnesie... 36,25
Silice 40,09

100,00

(Vauquelin.)

Phosphate de chaux 11

Carbonate de soude 9

Hippurate de soude 24

Chlorure de potassium... 9

Uree 7

Eau 940

1000

3. Les produits du pare a bceufs et de l’etable dont la com-
position chimique est :

Urine de vache. — ( Blande.J

Chlorure de potassium et

sel ammoniac 15

Sulfate de potasse 6

Carbonate de potasse 4

Carbonate de chaux 3

U rde 4

Eau 968

1000

Bouse de vache. — ( Haidhlen .)

Phosphate de chaux 10,9

,, de magnesie... 10,0

,, de fer 8,5

Chaux 1,5

Sulfate de chaux 3,1

Silice et perte 66

100,0

4. Cendres a bagasse, ecumes de vesou, recouverts, dans la
proportion d’un pied d’epaisseur, d’un pouce de chaux et noyes
dans une lessive composee en meme proportion d’eau douce,
d’eau salee et de sirop. Get engrais doit etre fabrique dans
m bassin et ne doit stre employe que trois mois apres,
pour donner le temps a l’acide acetique produit par la fer-
mentation de se combiner avec d’autres substances pour for-
mer des sels utiles a la vegetation ; deux ou trois livres de cet
engrais suffisent pour un fosse.

L’analyse de plusieurs echantillons de terre de differentes
loealites m’a suggere l’idee de vous parler encore des engrais
que vous employez dans vos plantations; il m’a fallu coinpa-

— 99

rer l’analyse du vesou, celle du sirop, celle ilu sucre, pour me
rendre compte de ce qui manque et des moyens d’y pourvoir.

Generalement nos sols contiennent de la silice, de l’alu-
mine, peu de silicate de chaux, peu de magnesie. Les par-
ties hautes de Pile contiennent du fer en quantite notable, mais
les parties du littoral ne laissent voir que des traces de ce
metal.

L’analyse de la canne varie en :

Silice

40

V

a

50

Acide phosphorique

3

a

9

„ sulfurique

5

V

a

12

Chlorure

1

a

10

Chaux

4

V

a

15

Magnesie

2

V

a

16

Potasse

10

V

a

28

Soude

1

V

a

5

Cependant les terres de Maurice, a l’exception de la silice,
ne peuvent guere fournir a la plante ces elements que vous
avez tous chez vous et qui se trouvent en pure perte et qui
fourniraient a la canne la nourriture dont elle a besoin.

Peu de planteurs savent profiter de ces avantages, qu’il leur
serait facile d’utiliser. Les herbes de leurs champs, les pail-
les de leurs Cannes, les cendres, les sirops, les ecumes, voila
des elements qui se perdent et qui pourraient leur rendre de
grands services.

I Is pourraient avoir des plateformes sur lesquelles seraient
dresses en meules, tous les produits qu’ils pourraient reunir ;
preparer des lessives composees de leurs sirops, d’eau salee,
de chaux ' et d’ecumes de vesou ; l’arrosage par cette lessive
hxerait les sels qui se perdent. Cependant on neglige de ras-
sembler ces produits, qui formeraient une grande partie des
substances dont la canne est composee et dont elle a besoin
pour se nourrir.

Les cendres conservees dans des endroits, a l’abri de la
pluie, appliquees en Janvier ou Fevrier donneraient a la plante
une vegetation luxuriante. Les charbons des usines joints au
fumier imprimeraient une grande amelioration au sol, qui de-
viendrait plus riche, pourrait facilement supporter les engrais
commerciaux et doublerait la valeur des produits.

100 —

Le sirop desseche produit environ cinq pour cent de cen-
dres dont une partie est composee pour op de :

Carbonate de potasse 30

„ de chaux 15

„ de magnesie 15

Oxide de fer 6

Chlorure de potassium 22

„ de sodium 9

Acide sulfurique . 3

100

Voila les matieres dont la canne a besoin pour se nourrir
ce sont celles qu’il faut rendre au sol.

Ne pouvant m’etendre plus longternps sur ce sujet, je me
mets a la disposition des personnes qui auraient besoin de
plus amples renseignements.

Je prierai en terminant M. le President de faire un appel
d MM. les planteurs pour leur demander des echantillons du
sol de leurs proprietes, pris entre quatre et six pouces de pro-
fondeur, ceux que j’ai eu et dont je fais connaitre plus bas la
composition n'etant pas assez suffisants pour l’etude d’une
question importante a P agriculture de Maurice et a la fabri-
cation d’engrais speciaux.

Analyse cl’un echantillon de terre de V etablissement Belle
Mare sur lequel on venait de couper des\ Cannes de re-
pousses.

Alumine . .
Silice . .
Magnesie . .
Chaux.. ..
Fer . .

2(1

72

1,06

04

Trace

]<)<),()()

— 101

Etablissement Argy. — Terre ev f riche.

Silice 75

Alumine 10

Chaux 2,06

Magnesie 1,00

Humus 5,08

Fer 5

100,00

Ate. Paruit D’Esmery.

«

MW ZEALAND FLAX.

(Communicated by Mr. Jm. Diore.)

This plant is indigenous to New Zealand, and was known
from the time Tasman discovered these islands in 1642. This
fact is so true, that the New Zealand Flax is to be found
throughout the land, both in the North and in the South. It
is employed by the Natives (Maories) for the manufacture of
their garments as well as for various packages in which they
make up the Wheat, Gum, Potatoes, &c., which they grow
for their bartery with the European settlers.

The Natives equally make use of it for “ fishing Nets” and
tc fishing Lines,” and is frequently exported to Europe where
it is mixed with Hemp for the purpose of making Ropes.

I have no doubt that this plant would be well adapted for
making bags in which Sugar could be packed ; it being much
stronger and more supple than the Vacoa, the brittleness of
which is sometimes the cause of heavy losses to shippers and
exporters.

The New Zealand Flax will grow in any middling good soil,
provided it be pretty well watered.

The ordinary mode of planting it is to place three or four
seeds in a hole of about eight inches in diameter and four in
depth, covering the same with not more than one inch of soil,
taking care, at the same time, to place the holes at a distance
of three feet one from the other. When the shoot is suffi-
ciently long, it should be earthed up in order to give it sup-
port.

The plant attains the height of seven feet two years after
the sowing of the seed, at which time the leaves are fit to
be cut; — and, after the first crop, every eighteen months; —
but different from the Vacoa, it does not grow any branches,
the leaves shooting from the stem out of the earth ; these
leaves grow in a bushy (touffu) form and are abundant.

When the leaves are cut, they are split like the Vacoa into

— 103

proper widths and dried during two or three days by hanging-
up in a shed or in the shade, (and not in the sun) previous to
manufacturing the mats or packages. The Flax must not be
too dry when manufactured, and cutting the same three days
before employed will be found quite sufficient. Soaking the
leaves for a couple of hours after drying in the shade, is also
a great assistance for softening the fibres.

The accompanying specimens of Native workmanship,
namely :

1 . A war cloak,

2. An ordinary cloak,

3. A kit (Maorie name for a bag),

will give an idea of the use made of the New Zealand Flax.

Having resided during a period of five years in New Zea-
land, and returning to my native land, I ventured to import a
small quantity of this seed with the view of demonstrating its
utility for agricultural purposes, and, shall be satisfied if a
trial thereof should prove successful.

In conclusion, I may mention that this seed is abundant
and easy to be procured.

•»»>>»

London, 19th November 1860.

To the President and Gentlemen of the Royal Society
of Arts and Sciences.

Gentlemen,

Nothing but confusion exists in the accounts of the early
navigators in reference to the islands now called Bourbon and
Mauritius, a ad there is even no authority for proving that
they were discovered by the Portuguese at all ; though if di-
scovered by them it was decidedly not in the first year of the
Governor Almeida in India, as is clearly proved by the ex-
tracts from the works of Faria Y Souza already transmitted
to the Society. Nothing is clearly distinguishable until the
first real settlement on the island of Mauritius by the Dutch
under Van Neck in 1598. Grant is the authority for all the
subsequent English writers on the subject who copy his
pages without any trouble whatever to verify his statements ;
but it is quite clear that Grant had no oi’iginal documents to
consult for the early Portuguese portion of his history. So
with the French writers ; even in the excellent map Afrique
published by Sanson in 1674, the island is put down as “ lie
Maurice ” though at that date it could only be known by the
name of Cirne or one of its many corruptions, as it was not
until 1698 that any appellation like that of Mauritius was be-
stowed upon it ; a fact which proves either the ignorance of
Sanson, or that the map cannot be so ancient as marked, viz.
16/4. As the Society has a copy of this map, as far as I can
remember in the collection of maps made the originals by
Mr. E. Froberville, the Society can consult it for themselves.

With regard to the term f Cirne/ it has no relation what-
ever to the Portuguese word signifying “ Swan ” on account
of the number of the “ Dodos ” seen on the island, but is
simply a misconception of the geographical position of the
aucient “ Cirne,” and can be clearly seen from Mr. Lemaire’s
notes to Pliny (Nat. Hist. IV. 9) as well as from the very
learned dissertations of Falconer on the voyage of Hanno.
(Greek Text, explained from the accounts of modern travel-

— 105 —

lers ; London 1707.) With regard to the term ‘Apollonia’
this also is an imaginary one, though having no reference to
the ancient town Apollonia, of which there were 33 ; but to
the St. Apollonia whose feast is in December, and it being
the common practice of the Portuguese to attach the names
of saints to places they saw, or imagined they saw. With re-
gard to the dates of the first discovery of this £ Cerne,’ they
vary in a remarkable manner, such as 1500, 1507, 1505, 1528,
1545, 1502 etc. evidently showing there was no certainty in
the matter. It was even called “ Diego Roys ” by some na-
vigators ; and was even confounded with4 Juan de Lisboa,’
though in the early charts, (some rare copies of which I shall
be able to forward to the Society next month) Juan de Lis-
boa is placed many degrees to the South of it, and even of tire
south point of Madagascar. In some of the very early maps
“Cerne” is even represented as North East of Madagascar,
Mascarenhas lying between them and St. Apolonia (someti-
mes San Polonia) a smaller island, holding a North West po-
sition of Mascarenhas towards Madagascar. In an ancient
chart of 1546, this is their relative position : —

— 106 —

Juan de Lisboa lying so far to the South, may possibly
have been what is now called “ Amsterdam Island.”

In some of the early charts, an island holding the position
of Bourbon is designated under the name of “ Drmobaz” and
‘ Cerne ’ under that of “ Dinaroby ; ” in others of rather later
date, Cerne is also named under the following : Ilhada Cirne ;
Do Sirne; Do Cirn: Le Arone ; le Arene ; Cygnoea ; and the
geographers of the 16th century have mentioned, what I
fancy from its position, must be intended for Mauritius, un-
der the following names : Ilha Draarco ; Alhadaarco ; Dala-
dladarco ; Y Daladia ; Y Darca ; I de l’arca ; Do Aro ; x\lia-
doro ; Aldabarne ; Adarno ; Area ; Atces ; Atques. These
strange names are not found in the Portuguese Historians,
but only in their charts, and exemplifies that tendency to cor-
ruption of names of which Dr. C. Regnaud has given an in-
teresting instance in the “ Quelques mots sur le veritable nom
de l’lle Diego Garcia.” (See Transact. 1860, p. 280.)

The Ilhas de Mascarenhas give their name to a group of
islands near the Equator ; and tracing the route of the ear-
liest Portuguese navigators, these, it seems to me, must have
been the islands they came across in the Viceroyship of their
first governor in India, Almeyda; and not Bourbon, which lay
quite out of their track, which was to Coast Africa all the
way, visiting Natal, Cape Corrientes, Quiloa, Mombaza, up
to Aden, at which point they seemed to have kept a strict
watch on all merchant ships, which they obstructed in their
passage up the Red Sea, importing by this way their commerce
into Europe. They then crossed over to the Coromandel and
Malabar Coasts, and naturally came early upon Taprobana
or Tapropana, now Ceylon ; from this island they directed
their course through the straits to Bantam and the various
spice islands, China etc. On the return voyage they followed
the same route, unless driven by contrary winds, as they were
invariably in pursuit of other ships richly laden with similar
merchandise to what they carried, and which were steering
their course to the Red Sea. It was only by chance that the
West Coast of Madagascar was visited by Soarez, his ship
having been driven too far Eastward in making his way up
Mozambique Channel to Quiloa, Juau de Nova is, I fancy,

107 —

one of the Comoro group, or some rock to the Southward of
them, and should be, according to the ancient Portuguese
charts, placed between Quiloa and Mozambique. Some set
down two different islands for Juan de Nova; but the island
between Madagascar and Africa is that usually accepted as
Juan de Nova ; it is quite clear, however, that the early navi-
gators, such as Juan de Nova, Mascarenhas, Acunha etc. were
in the habit of giving their names to different islands. Such
gentlemen, are a few observations on this obscure point ; the
maps which will reach you next month, and which are of
great rarity, will be an additional confirmation ; but the whole
of the early Portuguese portion of Mauritian history requires
to be re-written.

I remain, gentlemen, very truly yours,

James MORRIS,

8 Gt. Ormond street, Queen Square,
19th December 1860.

To the President and Members of the Royal Society
of Arts and Sciences.

Gentlemen,

Since my last communication, I have carefully examined
four important Portuguese Historians at whose disposal, for
the purpose of composing their various histories, tho whole of
the papers preserved in the Archives of Portugal were placed.
Little relating to early Portuguese history may be supposed
to remain in Lisbon and elsewhere which has not been seen
by the historians of whose works I am about to speak. In
addition to this I have been allowed to inspect and have co-
pied some of the unique and rare maps in the collection of
the British Museum, and I have received some valuable in-
formation from the learned Curator of that department, whose
admirable work on early Australian History has already been
published by the Hakluyt Society. All the information I

— 108 —

have collected, goes to prove most incontestably that Mauri-
tius was not discovered by the Portuguese, either by the per-
sons, or at the time mentioned by all the modern writers on
the subject. No mention of such a discovery, or of such an
island appears in the great Historians from whose works I
have copied those passages which, while detailing the lives
and exploits of the persons supposed to have made the dis-
covery, prove collaterally by the silence of the Historians,
that such was not the case.

Barros, the author of the Asia Portuguesa, is always rec-
koned the greatest and fullest of the Historians of Portugal ;
it is an extremely rare work, and rarer still to meet with all
the Decades complete, as Decade VI for instance, was nearly
all destroyed by fire. Only the First Three Decades also are
by Barros ; the rest are by Diego Couto up to XII, and the
XHIth is by A. Bocarra. The First Decade begins with the
first voyages to India under Vasco Gomez, Pacheco, Cabral
etc., and the voyage of Governor Aln.eida (1505) to India as
the first Viceroy, does not begin before the 8th Book of the
First Decade. The whole of the principal events and voya-
ges to and from the Indian Ocean in his time which were in
any way near Madagascar, or connected with the discovery of
that Island, or Ceylon etc. have been copied. The names of
the various captains of the different fleets sent out to explore
in these seas, have also been added. Those chapters contain-
ing nothing bearing on the subject, have had merely their
contents put down, so as to connect them with the rest of the
history. The voyage of Joao Gomez D’Abreu, (one of
D’Acunha’s fleet), to the River Matatana on the East Coast,
where he was left behind with some of his men who after-
wards set out (it is said) for Mozambique, is evidently the
only time they were likely to have come across the islands of
Bourbon or Mauritius, though no mention of such islands, by
any names whatever, occurs, as will be seen by the Extracts
copied from the Decada Sequerela liv. T. C. I and II etc.

The voyages and adventures of the famous Albuquerque
and other celebrated captains have been extracted ; at Ch.
VII is mentioned his ship which is called the Cirne ; and also
in Book V. C. III. In Book VII Decada II occurs the first

— 109 —

mention of D6 Garcia Noronha, in whose fleet of 16 ships
which left Portugal in 1511, the name of Pedro Mascarenhas,
one of his captains first occurs. (Cap. II.) This Chapter is,
of all others, the one most bearing on the point, and his vo-
yages in these parts, as well as his route from Madagascar is
copied in full ; and his whole career up to his return to Por-
tugal in 1527, is extracted. In this Cap. there is mention of
a ship called Galeya ; but not the most distant intimation of
anything bearing on the discovery of the Islands, afterwards
Bourbon and Mauritius, is to be found.

CASTANHEDA (1552.)

This historian is one of the most complete and elaborate of
the Portuguese writers. The extracts made from his work,
particularly from Books II and III at the time of the Gover-
norship of Almeida when Bourbon and Mauritius have been
set down as having been discovered by Mascarenhas ; the
account of the discovery of Ceylon and Madagascar, showing
how they reached those islands and by what route they left
them, will show what authority there is for any such asser-
tion. No mention is made of these islands under any of their
many names, nor does the name of Mascarenhas occur at all,
even as a subordinate, in any of their ships, of which, at the
commencement of every expedition, it was the custom to re-
cord the names of the commanders and officers in full. Some
writers, Strickland among the number, surmise that it is pos-
sible the Portuguese may have come across those Islands
when they reached the River Matatana on the East Coast o^
Madagascar, at which point they were the nearest to them,
being nearly opposite to Bourbon : (See Extracts C. XXIII
C. CVII Book II.) Near this point some of the ships were
dispersed. (See also Barros, Dec. II Cap. I and VI of lib.
1.) In this expedition, there was no Mascarenhas, nor does
his name occur until Book VI Cap. CL (Lie of the ships of
the expedition was called irne, (Book II Cap XXXV.) A
list of the Islands known at that time to the Portuguese, is
appended, selected with considerable trouble from Castenhe-
da’s Great History.

— 110 —

If Mascarenhas was mvarded, as Grant, and other AArriters
affirm, for his discovery of these tAvo islands in 1505, it Avas
certainly long after the time he is said to haATe discovered
them. He Avas more likely reAvarded for his Avarlike and cou-
rageous attack on Bantam and other places which he subject-
ed to the authority of Portugal.

There is also another group of Islands near the Equator
which bear his name; it Avas common among the early navi-
gators either to name, or have named after them, various
islands, and this circumstance has tended to increase the geo-
graphical confusion so prevalent at this period. There is no
entire translation of Castanheda, except the extremely rare
one into Italian by Ulloa ; the first Book only has been tran-
slated into German 1554, and into French, by Grouchy 1553.
This Book only has also been translated into English.

OSORIUS.

The principal parts of this learned and copious historian
have been extracted, and translated mostly from the latin for
this occasion, bearing in the viceroyship of Almeida in India.
The Avhole of the chief events, vcyages and discoveries during
his governorship in India; the voyages of Albuquerque, and
all that is mentioned of Pedro Mascarenhas, until he return-
ed to Portugal in 1527. (Bks. VIII to XVII) He Avent out,
Osorius says, in the fleet of Garcia Noronha, the nepheAv of
Albuquerque, as Captain, about 1511. It appears singular
that at Cap. XVII there is a mention of the Admiral’s dag
ship as the St. Denis, in Avliich the Governor Sampayo wished
to sail, but Avas forced by his rival, Mascarenhas, to go into
another. The names of the tAvo other Aressels Avere also sin-
gular,— the St. Louis and the Zamorin .

The AA'ork of Osorius contains more details of Mascarenhas
than even the other historians. At the end of the extracts is
appended a list of all the islands then knoAvn and described
in this very voluminous work of 20 books, all of Avhich have
been carefully gone over by me.

— Ill —

SAN ROMAN.

This likewise is one of the early and important Historians
of Portugal. The extracts from his “ Historia ” aomprise only
a short resume of the time of Almeida, and the chief points
in the career of Mascarenhas, which completely confirm the
view taken above, as no mention of the Islands or any disco-
very of them, is anywhere made.

MAPS.

The Maps sent are all extremely rare, and are facsimiles
Pigafetta, and a few others deny that Taprobana is Ceylon,
(see Blactin Behaim’s Map.) The Map of the early part of
the 16th century, is an Arabic one and very curious ; the
names. Din Aroby and Dimo-Bay seem to be the Arabic po-
sition for the islands afterwards Bourbon and Mauritius. Juan
de Lisboa must evidently be some rock or islet to the South
of Mauritius, for the place of this island is the same in all the
early maps. I fancy that Apolonia (Apolina etc.) is a much
more ancient name than Cirne or Mascarenhas, and is found
on much earlier maps than either of these, and has been given
to Bourbon, and probably comprehended both the islands to-
gether. Madagascar, in most of the early charts, is the real
Cirne (Othiopica) Yel Insula Manuthias, Vel Manupias. The
Illuminated Chart from the grand Vellum Altas of Diegus
Homen (1558) is unique, and is carefully preserved in the
King’s Library. Sir Frederick Madden gave me special per-
mission to have it copied. This map is one of the first in
which these Islands are called u Mascarenhas.” The other
Illuminated Map by Johann Rotz, the most ancient Portu-
guese Portulan in England in which the name c' Mascarenhas ”
is given to these Islands. It has been copied from the vellum
original in the King’s Library, the only' copy extant. In this
Map, Bourbon is called Apolina, and Mauritius, Mascarenhas .
The Arabic Maps and Books will be examined by me when 1
can find time ; for the above reseai’ches have occupied me an
entire month, and I have had the work copied in the most
economical manner possible for the Society, consistent with

J

the care required in making the extracts etc. which have to be
done by regular and competent copyists. I wish to call at-
tention to one Map of the Froberville Collection, “ Extrait
de la Novissima Africa de"criptio” Amsterdam, Apud I.
Blaev 1569. There must be an error of date here, for this
Map is nearly 100 years later. The curious papers connected
with the French Revolution shall also be examined when I
can find time.

*

James Morris.

I remain gentlemen,

sincerely yours.

SIR LE MODE DE REPARTITION DE CERTAINES PLANTES

A MAURICE.

J’ai pu constater, dans une tournee que j’ai faite il y a quel-
ques mois a la Nouvelle-Decouverte, en suivant la route qui
forme au sommet d’une des chaines de la Montagne des Ca-
lebasses, le passage appele la Coupee, la marche qu’ont suivie
certaines plantes tant exotiques qu’indigenes, sur la croupe de
la montagne et tout le long du chemin. Les unes ont adopte
une marche ascendante dans leur mode de reproduction ;
d’autres au contraire, semblent etre descendues du haut de la
montagne pour venir s’etablir dans la plaine, et jusqu’a une
assez grande distance au bord des rivieres.

Je parlerai d’abord du Tridax procumbens, connu sous le nom
vulgaire de “Herbe Caille.” Cette plante est aujourd’hui
disseminee sur presque tous les points de File, et croit meme
dans les rues de la ville, sur les murs et les montagnes avoisi-
nant Port-Louis. Son point de depart vers 1830 ou 1831, a
ete le Jardin Botanique des Pamplemousses, ou elle avait ete
cultivee dans le parterre dn Directeur, comme plante d’agre-
ment, a une epoque ou l’on se montrait probablement moins
difficile qu’on ne l’est anjourd’hui, dans le choix des fleurs
propres a orner un jardin. De la, elle a pris son vol pour
aller s’ebattre partout ou les vents ont transports ses aigrettes*
qu’ils ont disseminees dans toutes les directions.

TFautre plante egalement introduite dans le pays et qui sem-
ble offrir dans son mode de reproduction plus de difficulte que
la premiere, puisque son fruit est une baie charnue que le vent
ne peut enlever, sortie egalement du Jardin Botanique des
Pamplemousses, s’est d’abord repandue dans les plaines au
has de la montagne et s’est progressivement elevee jusqu’au
sommet. C’est le Daphne viridiflora ou Wickstroemia viridi-
Jlora Meisn. in DC. P. Elle s’est egalement propagee sur
d’autres points, en suivant touj ours une marche ascendante.

Une troisieme plante, V Elephantopus scaber suit une ligne
diametralement opposee a celle du Wickstroemia viridiflora ,

— 114 —

c’est-a-dire que de nombreux individus sont sortis des fo-
rets elevees a Pombre desquelles on en rencontre des masses,
pour descendre et s’etablir dans les plaines, au bas de la mon-
tagne. J’ai pu en observer jusqu’au bord de la Riviere des
Calebasses. Cette derniere plante est indigene a Maurice.

Dans une exploration subsequente, j5ai pu constater l’en-
vahissement dans les forets d’une espece de Rubus originaire
de PInde ou de Java, le R-Ramiltonicums introduit a Mau-
rice il y a une trentaine d^annecs, et d*un Passiflora P. fcetida
qui se sont aussi considerablemcnt repandus sur les limites des
forets. On peut se rendre compte de la propagation du Ru-
bus en question par la dissemination des graines faite par les
oiseaux. II est plus difficile de se rendre compte de la natu-
ralisation du Passiflora.

Ces plantes sont devenues si communes dans plusieurs lo-
calites de Maurice, qu’on pourrait les croire indigenes. Toutes
cependant sont exotiques, a l’exception seulement de VEle-
'phantopus scaber, et j’aitenu a signaler ce fait, afin que les
botanistes dont nous recevrions plus tard la visite, pusseut se
tenir sur leurs gardes et ne pas confondre ces plantes avec
celles propres au pays meme.

L. Bouton.

1 -yy »>-

ETUDES SIR LA PLANTE.

( Article communique par un membre de la Section d’Histoire

et de Litterature.)

L’homme a, dans tous les temps, voue a la plante une sorte
de culte. Si vous remontez a l’origine des siecles, dans les
temps fabuleux, vous voyez chacune d’elles ou du moins les
plus utiles d’entre elles, placees sous les auspices de divinites
protectrices. Pour parler le vieux style, nous vous dirons, par
exemple, que Flore et Pomone produisaient pour nous leurs
bouquets et leurs fruits — que Ceres, semblable a line mere
nourriciere, nous offrait ses gerbes de ble ; Bacchus, ce Dieu
eonsolateur, sur lequel toutefois il ne faut pas trop se tier,
nous donnait ses raisins a pressure!’, tandis qu’Esculape prc-
parait de ses mains des remedes aux maux que devait neces-
sairement susciter, a des creatures, loin d’etre aussi raisonna-
bles qu’elles le sont de nos jours, l’usage immodere de tous
ces dons prodigues par les Dieux.

La plante n’en est pas moins restee jusqu’aujourd’hui l’ob-
jet d’une vive sollicitude de notre part. Elle s’etend cette
sollicitude ou plutot elle se concentre sur cette foule de vege-
taux si necessaires a nos besoins, sur nos cultures de grains,
de ble, d’orge, d’avoine et ici a Maurice sur nos champs de
Cannes a sucre. Partout c’est un hommage rendu a la plante
et corame un devoir que nous remplissons envers elle ; c’est
un soin religieux donne a son entretien et a sa culture, source
intarissable de nos richesses, de notre bien-etre et de nos
jouissances.

Et cependant quel que soit l’hommage qui lui est rendu, la
plante, sous le point de vue ou nous voulons Penvisager, n’est
pas placee dans l’echelle de la creation au rang qu’elle devrait
occuper — du moins nous le pensons — et voila pourquoi nous
voudrions la rehabiliter, et nous assurer si cet etre croissant,
vivant, souffrant et mourant comme les autres etres places
plus haut que lui, n’est pas en definitive quelque chose de

— 116 —

mieux qu’un etre inerte — insensible — passif — s’il n’est pas cn-
fin, tranchons le mot, doue d’une sensation quelconque.

“ Les vegetaux sont des corps qui se nourrissent et peu-
vent se reproduire, mais qui ne sentent, ni ne se meuvent vo-
lontairernent.” Telle est la definition que les botanistes nous
donnent de la plante — selon eux, la plante est done indubita-
blement un etre vivant, mais attachee par ses racines au sol
ou elle puise sa nourriture, et se developpant a sa partie su-
perieure, et vers le ciel en tiges, en rameaux et en feuilles.

Le professeur Lindley, un des plus grands botanistes de
notre epoque, la decrit ainsi :

<s A plant is a living body composed of an irritable, elastic,
hygrometrical matter, called tissue. It is fixed to the earth by
roots, and it elevates into the air a stem bearing leaves, fl ow-
ers and fruit. It has no power of shifting its place except
when it is acted upon by wind or other external forces ; it is
therefore peculiarly susceptible of injury or benefit from the
accidental circumstances that may surround it, and having no
free agency, it is above all other created beings submitted to
acknowledge the power of man.”

“ La plante est un corps vivant, forme d’une substance ir-
ritable, elastique et hygrometrique appele tissu. Elle est fixee
a la terre par des racines et s’eleve dans l’air en une tige sup-
portant des feuilles, des fieurs et des fruits. Elle ne peut
changer de place, excepte par la force du vent ou par toute au-
tre cause exterieure ; elle est consequemment exposee a toutes
les influences bienfaisantes ou nuisibles provenant des cir-
constances au milieu desquelles elle se trouve. Et ne posse-
dant aucun libre arbitre (no free agency ) elle est plus que
tous les autres etres de la creation, soumise a la volonte de
l’homme.

Mais les racines de la plante, ne sont-ce pas comme des
pieds sur lesquels elle se tient ? Son tronc, si e’est un arbre,
ou si e’est une herbe modeste, sa tige, n’est-ce pas un corps ?
Ses rameaux et leur cime, ce sont ses bras, e’est sa tete qui
s’cleve plus ou moins haut, selon le role humble ou superbe
qu’elle est appelee a, remplir sur la terre.

Vivre et se multiplier ! telle est, disent encore les botanistes,
la destince des pi antes. Triste ou joyeuse destinee, sans

117

doute, selon les circon stances ou se trouve place le vegetal,
mais en tous points conforme a celle predite autrefois aux en-
fants du premier homme : Allez, croissez et multipliez-vous.

Precepte scrupuleusement suivi sur toute la surface du globe,
depuis le plus humble d’entre nous jusqu’aux maitres de la
terre. Et il n’y aurait sous ce rapport aucune difference
entre les descendants de la premiere plante et ceux du pre-
mier homme.

Les plantes croissent et vivent, a dit notre maitre Linnee,
vegetabilia crescunt et vivunt, mais elles ne sentent pas, non
sentkmt. Cependant, il nous semble les voir passer dans le
cours de leur existence, et de meme que les autres etres de la
creation, par toutes les phases des plaisirs et de la douleur*
Tantot arbres grands et majestueux, ils developpent au soleil
leurs feuilles humides encore de la rosee du matin, et rayon-
nant de force et de sante, semblent se complaire dans les
jouissances qu’ils nous donnent.

Tantot ces raemes rameaux s’affaissent sur eux-memes,
leurs feuilles contournees se renversent, dans certaines saisons
de secheresse et de chaleur, comme pour demander au ciel de
la fraicheur et de l’eau, ou bien leurs corps tombes sous la
hache meurtriere et couverts de blessures saignantes, accusent
par leur attitude toutes les souffrances qu’ils eprouvent.

Ces signes ne sont-ils pas suffisants ? faut-il pour se faire
comprendre, et quand de profondes blessures dechirent et font
mourir la plante d’une longue agonie, comme dans la canne,
par exemple, qu’elle exprime sa douleur par des cris, ou que sa
joie s’echappe par de bruyantes acclamations, quand verte et
luxuriante elle charme tous nos sens a la fois ? Plus sage que
nous, elle sait jouir tranquillement du bonheur qui lui tombe
en partage, et mieux que nous elle sait se resigner a la mala-
die, aux souffrances et a la mort. “ Le coeur dela femme, dit
Leon Gozlan, est un sanctuaire ignore oil se celebrent souvent
des joies inconnues et ou plus souvent encore les plus nobles
sacrifices se consomment sans que les cris de la victime se
fassent entendre au dehors.” En serait-il ainsi de nos plantes
si precieuses et de leurs fleurs si dedicates ?

Et cependant, il est convenu, scientifiquement parlant, que
la plante ne sent pas. “ Charles Bonnet et Smith, dit M.

— 119 —

Decandolle ont soutenu il est vrai la sensibilite cles plantes,
mais ils Pont fait par un sentiment vague et poetique de leur
coeur et par l’idee qu’il etait conforme a la bonte de Dieu de
distribuer la connaissance et la jouissance de leurpropre exis-
tence a tous les etres; tandis que d^autres la repoussent en
soutenant qu’il etait contraire a la bonte de Dieu et presque
blasphematoire d’admettre que des etres fussent doues de la
faculte de desirer le bien sans pouvoir Patteindre et de sentir
le mal sans pouvoir Peviter.”

Mais en appliquant ce principe sur une plus grande echelle
et en Petendant j usque [sur la race humaine, il s’ensuivrait
que le bien est aisement accessible a tous tant que nous som-
mes sur la terre, et le mal facile a eviter. Les annales histo-
riques des nations, les evenements qui se sont passes et qui
se passent encore sous nos yeux, sont la pour prouver la
grande difficulty d’atteindre le bien, ou du rnoins de faire que
le bien puisse dominer, comme aussi Pautre grande difficute
de se soustraire au mal et d’en eviter les effets.

Cependant Decandolle dit plus loin et en donnant une des-
cription physiologique de la sensibilite : “ On ne peut sen-

tir qu’a Paide dffine pulpe nerveuse ; cette pulpe nerveuse
forme un volume assez^ considerable chez les mammiferes,
dans tous les animaux dits, articules, vertebres. Mais elle
devient impalpable pour ainsi dire chez les molluques et les
zoophytes ou elle est disseminee dans tout le systeme. Elle
peut l’etre egalement dans la plante, du moins dans certains
de ces vegetaux qui se rapprochent du regne animal par la
complication de leur organisation.” C’est presque un aveu
que Pauteur est sur le point de faire ; il est au moment de re-
connaitre, malgre Pabsence d’une pulpe nerveuse, quelque
chose comme de la sensation dans certains vegetaux. Ces li-
gnes, du reste, ont ete ecrites il y a pres d’un quart de siecle,
mais la science semble avoir pris depuis ce temps des allures
plus tranches et plus degagee.

Un chimiste celebre de nos jours, M. Boussingault, a pro-
pos d’experiences tentees pour forcer certaines de ces plantes,
si utiles a nos besoins, a y pourvoir peut-etre au-dela de leurs
moyens a Paide d’engrais excitants, a emis cette pensee :

„ Vous admettez que la nourriture que nous allons donner a

— 119

cette plante lui convient ; mais avant tout l’avons-nous con-
sultee et connaissons-nous son opinion ? ” — L’opinion d’une
plante est quelque chose d’assez etrange !

Cette personnification dc la jdante formulee par un homme
tel que M. Boussingault, [m’a frappe et me semble d’une
grande justesse.

Et en effet, comment M. Boussingault accoutume aux ana-
lyses chimiques, et voyant dans des combinajsons d’etres
inertes, inorganiques, dans des gaz, dans des acides, des mi-
neraux, tout un systeme d’affinite et de repulsion, ne recon-
naitrait-il pas dans le vegetal l’expression de ce meme systeme
se reproduisant en degres plus eleves de sympathie et d’anti-
pathie, en une sorte de sentiment.

On est convenu d’appeler ce sentiment principe vital ; c’est
ainsi qu’on nomme egalement le principe qui existe chez nous
et chez les animaux.

“ Une des causes, dit Lindley, qui ont le plus entrave la
march e et le progres de la culture, c’est d’avoir meconnu ou
de ne point apercevoir chez les plantes le principe vital. Parce
que les plantes ne marchent, ni ne fuient, ni ne reculent, parce
qu’elles ne resistent pas, nous sommes alors trop disposes a
oublier qu’elles existent, et a les traiter consequemment com-
me si elles etaient des morceaux de fer ou de cuir. Mais du
moment oul’on aura reconnu que ce sont des etres vivants,
qu’elles respirent, bien que nous ne leur voyions pas de bou-
ches ; qu’elles digerent, quoiqu’on n’y decouvre pas d’estomac,
et, par-dessus tout, qu’elles sentent, quelque minimes’- que
soient leurs sensations, la moitie des modes de°culture suivie
par des jardiniers ignorants deviendrait autant d’erreurs pal-
pable s.

“ Demontrez seulement que les plantes sont douees d’une
existence identique dans sa nature’a la vie animale, et le pre-
mier soin de l’homme sera alors d’etudier cette existence et
d’eloigner tous les moyens qui en poun’aient comj^romettre la
surete et le maintien. Cela une fois bien compris, le jardi-
nier n’empoisonnera plus ses plantes en les renfermant dans
une atmosphere insalubre, delebile, il ne les paralysera plus
par des immersions abondantes d’eau froide, ou ne courra pas
le risque de les voir suffoquer en les plajant dans des lieux

120 —

depourvus d’air — corame aussi il ne les reduira pas a la fa-
mine en ne leur donhant pas toute la nourriture dont elles ont
besoin — ou ne les gorgera pas sans cesse d’aliments d'une di-
gestion difficile, propres a en faire des gloutons predisposes a
Papoplexie.”

“ Because plants neither walk, nor fly, nor crawl, because
they are not endowed with the sense of pain or pleasure, be-
cause they neither struggle nor shriek, we are too apt to for-
get that they are alive, and consequently to treat them as il
but rods of metal or plates of leather.

“ Once grant that they are lining beings, that they breathe
although we see no mouths, that they digest although no
stomachs are discoverable by common eyes, and above all
things, that they feel, however low their sensation may be,
and half the modes of cultivation employed by unskilful gar-
deners will stand conspicuous as palpable errors. Only show
that plants are endowed with a life, identical in its nature
with that of animals, and men must necessarily make it their
first business to study the history of that life, and to master
all which interferes with its healthy exercise. Such a step once
taken, no cultivator would poison plants by a contaminated
atmosphere, or paralyse them by an eternal footbath of cold
water, or suffocate them in places where no air can reach them
or starve them by withholding the food without which they
cannot exist, or cram them with incessant meals of heavy in-
digestible matter, which can but reduce them to the condition
of an apoplectic glutton. ’

“ La puissance qui force le bourgeon a se developper, qui
fait la feuille s'ouvrir, le pollen se mouvoir et transforme la
semence en ernbrion, cette meme puissance qui fait que la
plante respire, se nourrit et croit, celle qui distingue tous les
elres organiques de la matiere brute dont ils sont composes,
est la merne qui eonstitue chez I’homme les hautes attribu-
tions de sa nature — e’est la vitalite — mot dont les soit-di-
sant philosophes peuvent rire, dans leur ignorance et leur pre-
somption, rnais qui n’en est pas moins en realite, la force
inconnue qui controle la matiere dans son energie et la con-
duit it ses fins.”

<’ That power which causes the bud to sprout, the leaves to

form, the pollen to act, the seed to produce its embryo; which
enables vegetables to breath, and feed and grow ; which di-
stinguishes all organised beings from the brute matter of which
they consist, is the same as what gives to man the high attri-
butes of its nature. It is vitality, a word which so called
philosophers in their ignorance, or presumption, may sneer
at, but which in truth is the unknown force that controls the
energy of matter, and directs it to special ends.”

Et Pauteur ajoute en faisant Papplication de ce principe a
la culture des plantes :

“ It is only when cultivation is conducted with a full ap-
preciation of this fundamental truth that Horticulture rises
above the level of unreasoning custom, and acquires a solid
base upon which the rationalia of the practices which expe-
riences seem to sanction can be permanently secured.” — (Lind-
ley Theory and Practice of Horticulture, p. 12.)

Bernardin de St. Pierre qui voyait la vie partout, et jusqu’a
des etres animes dans la creation meme, a imagine cette hy-
pothese que les plantes pouvaient etre de meme que les ma-
drepores Pouvrage de myriades d’insectes imperceptibles. En
admettant cettc poetique et gracieuse idee, Pouvrage ferait
honneur a l’ouvrier, et la creature a son createur.

Nous allons voir tout a Pheure et par des reclierches plus
recentes qu’il y a dans la plante une action, un mouvement
qui semble etre Peffet d’une volonte^ et qui la rapproche de
Panimal. Cherchons des exemples sous nos yeux memes.

II y a, chacun de nous le sait, tendance de la part des plan-
tcs, a tenir une des pages de leurs feuilles tournee vers le ciel
et Pautre vers la terre. Quelque effort que vous fassiez pour
obtenir un resultat different, vous iPy reussirez jamais. Si
vous abaissez l’extremite d’une branche vers la terre, de ma-
niere que Pordre du feuillage soit interverti, c’cst-a-dire que
la page inferieure regarde le ciel, ses feuilles se contournent
sur elles-memes pour reprendre leur position naturelle. Or
quelle est Paction, quelle est la cause qui opere ici, ne voit-on
pas une volonte, comme celle qui nous pousse a changer de
place, quand notre corps a pris une position qui n’est pas na-
turelle ?

II y a des plantes grimpantes qui s’enroulent toujours de

122

droite a gauche et d’autres dans un sens inverse, c’est-a-dire
de gauche a droite. On ne parvient jamais a leur faire pren-
dre une autre direction. D’autres encore ne semblent-elles
pas se mouvoir volontairement, quand leurs feuilles et leurs
sarments s’accrochent d’eux-memes aux branches et qu’elles
grimpent sur les arbres places a de grande distance et vers
lesquels elles savent si bien se diriger ?

Les racines franchissent le plus souvent pour trouver la
nourriture de la plante, tous les obstacles qui s’opposent a leur
marche. On en a vu s’alonarer d’une maniere extraordinaire

o

dans le sens horizontal, passer au-dessous de fondations de
maisons, de murailles, percer des puits, des tuyaux en terre
pour la conduite des eaux et en entraver le cours ; plusieurs
exemples semblables sont arrives ici aux tuyaux des deux ca-
naux qui conduisent l’eau a la ville.

On cite l’exemple d’une racine qui, pour penetrer dans
l’epaisseur d’un tuyau, s’etait amincie comme une feuille
de papier, et une fois dans l’interieur du tube avait repris
son volume ordinaire, et par le developpement d’un epais che-
velu arrete le cours de l’eau. C’est a peu pres comme un de
ces souples animaux le chat, le serpent, l’anguille s’amincis-
sant aussi pour passer par un trou en apparence plus petit que
le diametre de leur corps.

II existe encore un rapprochement singulier entre les spon-
gioles des racines, ou du moins entre les fonctions qu’elles
remplissent, et celles de certains animaux a la recherche de
leur nourriture. Laissons encore parler Lindley : “ Roots,

being furnished with the power of perpetually adding new liv-
ing matter to their points, are then enabled to pierce the so-
lid earth in which they grow, to insinuate themselves between
the most minute crevices, and to pass on from place to place
as fast as the food in contact with them is consumed, so that
plants although not locomotive like animals, do perpetually
shift their mouths in search of fresh pasturages, although
their bodies remain stationary.” (Theory of Horticulture p. 19.)

On verrait done, si cela se passait sous nos yeux, les spon-
gioles des racines, comme autant de bouches appartenant a
autant d’animaux, s’avancer vers leur nourriture et semblables
aux troupeaux qui paissent sur la terre.

— 123 —

II vient cle se faire un grand pas en Sylviculture. Je vous
ai parle de la hache dont Fhomme est arme, et qui, dans des
mains souvent inhabiles, menace de destruction les arbres de
nos forets. II n’y a pas longtemps qu’en France meme et en
Angleterre on abattait, on coupait les bonnes et les mauvai-
ses branches. Aujourd5hui on traite les nobles representants
de nos forets d’une fagbn mpins brutale, on agit plus humai-
nement, s’il est permis de s’exprimer ainsi.

On ne veut plus les faire souffrir. M. de Courval s’occupe
de la taille des arbres et de leur elagage, et s’y prend de la
meme maniere qu’on le ferait pour enlever a Fhomme lui-
meme, les parties inutiles qui se developpent aux depens des
parties principals et indispensables.

On ne doit done pas hache r, amputer, faire a un arbre des
blessures profondes sinon pour lui venir en aide ; de la il en
est resulte cette consequence, que les arbres ont maintenant,
comme les homines, leur chirurgie.

Yoici ce qu’on lit dans un journal de Paris du 28 Juin
1860: K Le vieux Systeme d’elagage sous forme de chicots,
moignons et rabats, chirurgie forestiere empirique, aussi gros-
siere dans son nom que dans ses procedes, cede la place a
tout un systeme de soins preventifs, de tailles progressives et
de pansements delicats qui preparent et facilitent le travail
reparateur de la nature.”

“ Apres avoir cree Porthopedie vegetale, M. de Courval est
encore 1’ intelligent praticien qui succede aux empiriques. II
arrache des mains de Fignorant et brutal ouvrier la serpe
commune a bee recourbe, pour lui donner d’abord le leger
ebranchoir, puis la serpe d’elagueur renforcee et confectionnee
par un de nos plus habiles fabricants d’instruments, M. Ar-
neither. La grifFe de fer, qui multiplie des plaies souvent in-
curables, est remplacee par l’echelle. Le mot que Schiller
met dans la bouche de son Guillaume Tell : “ Sous les coups
de la hache le sang jaillit du tronc des sapins,” ce mot est
pris a la lettre par M. de Courval lorsqu’il s’oppose aux bar-
bares mutilations par lesquelles la seve, veritable sang des vege-
taux, s’ecoule avec leur force vitale. Enfin, e’est par un habile
pansement au coaltar qu’il ferme et cicatrise completement
les plaies que le vieux systeme laissait beantes et difFormes.”

— 124

Son systeme est par lui appele : “ Taille et conduite pro-
gressives des arbres a haute tige, forestiers et autres.” Cette
vitalite dont parle Lindley n’est-elle pas ici bien constatee ?
n’est-elle pas consideree comme douee des meines principes,
remplissant les memes fonctions, et semblable en tout a celle
qui existe dans I’homme et l’animal ?

Passons ii d’autres exeraples et continuous nos rapproche-
ments. Quand des pluies excessives out profondement mouille
et detrempe la terre et appele a la vie les semences qui ysont
depuis longtemps deposees, toutes se developpent a la fois.
Les plantes soumises a une culture reguliere, et placees au
haut rang de la hierarchie agricole, dont elles constituent l’a-
ristocratie, sont assaillies par le nombre toujours grossissant,
serre, mena$:ant,je dirais, des plantes dites adventives compo-
sant. le peuple, la foule, la multitude, la populace — donnez-lui
tel nom que vous voudrez. Tout cela sort de terre, comme
le jour d’une emcute, ou comme la faim fait sortir le loup du
bois. Aux plus vigoureux l’assimilation des principes nutri-
tifs que le sol elabore et dont s’emparent les plus affames et
les plus hardis absorbcurs de ces vegetaux. Tel le grain que
l’on jette a un essaim de poulets, les plus forts s’en empa-
rent, les faibles et les timides n’ont rien, comme dans les af-
faires et les querelles des homines, et sont repousses a coups
de bee. II faut qu’une main puissante vienne ici intervenir,
et de la cette necessite urgente de nettoyage apres les grandes
pluies et l’extirpation des mauvaises herbes dont la nourriture
et l’entretien s’operent aux depens des plantes utiles.

En continuant ma comparaison, j’ajouterai que les soins de
l’homme tendent a preserver les champs soumis a la culture,
de Pinvasion des plantes nuisibles — comme on repousse ceux
d’entre nous qui troublent l’ordre public — et comme les peu-
plades sauvages disparaissent et se retirent devant les nations
civilisees.

Maintenant,”si notre attention se porte sur ce que j’appelle
l’aristocratie chez les vegetaux, ou plutot sur ceux de ces ve-
getaux qui, soumis a une methode de culture, representent la
partie eclairee de la population chez les plantes ; nous ver-
rons quels soins elle reclame, quelle extreme proprete il faxit
entretenir dans son feuillage, quelle education il lui faut don-

— 125 —

ner pour la conservation cle sa race, pour qu’elle puisse se
maintenir a son rang et ne pas degenerer.

CPest surtout chez les plantes annuelles et delicates que la
preservation de la variete ou de la race est difficile et exige
tous les soins et toute l’habilete du cultivateur. “ Si une
plante, dit Linne, peut avoir certaine tendance a devier de
son etat originel, elle en a une bien plus grande encore a re-
tourner a Petat sauvage.” II en resulte cette consequence,
que si Pon venait a abandonner pendant quelques annees seu-
lement, la culture des plantes, et qu’on les laissat livrees
a elles-memes, toutes les varietes annuelles de nos jardins, re-
marquables par l’eclat et la beaute de leurs fleurs, nos arbres
a fruits etc. disparaitraient pour etre remplaces par les memes
plantes retournees a Petat sauvage. Ce seraient autant d’in-
dividus chetifs, rabougris, insignifiants — en tous cas inuti-
tiles — et peut-etre meme a charge et dangereux.

Le meme resultat ne s’ensuivraii-il pas egalement dans la
branche superieure du regne organique, si par exemple, on
venait a fermer dans les contrees eclairees les colleges, les
universites, a suspendre toute espece d’enseignement ; ou s1
les gouvernements etant debordes, les lois qui concourent au
maintien de Pordre et de la civilisation cessaient d’exister.
Les hommes alors ne retomberaient-ils pas dans l’ignorance
et la barbarie ?

D’ un autre c6te il semble que certaines de ces plantes aux-
quelles Phomme donne tous ses soins, le paient de recon-
naissance. De meme qffiil est des personnes que leur vo-
cation pousse au professorat, a Peducation, a Pinstruction de
la race humaine, de meme aussi il en est d’autres que leur
amour pour les plantes tient encliainees, toute la vie.

Pourquoi, demandait-on a Pun de ces hommes, vos legumes et
vos fleurs viennent si bien, et qu’il n’en est pas ainsi chez
votre voisin ? C’est que j’aime mes plantes, je les soigne, re-
pond le jardinier, et elles me paient de retour.

Yoici ce qu’un autre jardinier, Andre Fair Service dit
a Francis Osbaldistone dans le Rob-Roy de Walter Scott :
“ Il ne m^appartient pas de parler de mon savoir-faire, je con-
nais mon etat — et a vrai dire, voila vingt-quatre ans que je
vais de terme a terme, mais quand le jour arrive, il y a tou-

— 126 —

jours quelque chose a cueillir que je voudrais voir cueilli ou
quelque chose a murir que je voudrais voir mur, ou quelque
chose a semer que je voudrais voir leve — et corame cela de la
fin d’une annee a la fin d’une autre. Et si je vous disais que
pour sur je quitte a la Chandeleur, je n’en serais pas plus cer-
tain qu’il y a vingt ans ; apres tout je me retrouverais encore
ici bechant mes plates-bandes.”

L’histoire de Fair Service est celle de tous les jarainiers ;
attaches au sol qu’ils ont cultive; et identifies a la plante qu’ils
ont mise en terre, ce n’est qu’a grand’peine qu’ils consen-
tent a s’en separer.

Aussi quelle admirable transformation s’opere sous la main
habile et intelligente du cultivateur. — Allez visiter ces magni-
fiques serres de Londres et de Paris — Allez a Kew, au Jardin
des Plantes, examinez toutes ces pepinieres. — Les vegetaux
eleves dans tous ces etablissements ne sont-ils pas superieurs
en grace, en elegance, en force et en sante, a ces memes plan-
tes qui croissent sans soin et sans culture ? Ce sont les bien-
faits de l’education, ce sont les resultats d’une solide et bril-
lante instruction, comme celle donnee dans les colleges et dans
les universites a ces hommes qui en sortent au-dessus des au-
tres hommes.

Maintenant, penetrons jdus en avant, allons jusqu’au coeur
de la plante, et nous verrons qu’elle a comme les autres etres
vivants ses amours et ses mariages. Vous savez que Linnee a
pris pour base de la classification le nombre des maris et ce-
lui des femmes. Vous savez qu’il est des arbres qui portent
dans la meme fleur les deux epoux, comme il e^t d’ autres ar-
bres ou les epoux vivent eloignes les uns des autres. II est
des dattiers males et des femelles, des papayers males et des
papayers femelles. Les amours n’en ont pas moins leur
cours, l’air en est la messager ; ces amours sont bien simples,
bien touchants. Le mystere s’accomplit a l’ombre d’une co-
rolle, dont les petales se referment quand a sonne l’heure de
l’hymen.

Dans certaines plantes, comme dans les Arum ou Songes
qui croissent au bord de nos rivieres et dont l’attitude froide
et compassee cache une ardeur concentree, l’amour se trahit

— 127 —

par de vives et chaucles etreintes et ces plantes degagent
pendant leur floraison une chaleur remarquable.

M. Hubert, a Bourbon, a ete le premier a faire remarquer
a Bory de St.-Vincent, une elevation considerable dans la tem-
perature peu de temps avant la fecondation de Povaire dans
PArum.

Un thermometre place au centre de 5 spadices a marque
131 ° p. et au centre de 12 spadices 142 ° \ quand la tem-
perature de Pair ambiant etait a 74 ou 75 ° .

La temperature varie dansle cours de la floraison ; quand le
spath s’ouvre, les etamines emettent la plus grande chaleur,
et lorsque le pollen a ete detache, cette temperature baisse et
la partie superieure des spadices devient chaude. On a aussi
remarque que les organes males de PArum avaient une tem-
perature plus elevee que les organes femelles.

Ici je m’arrete, avec l’intention de revenir plus tard peut-
etre sur cette question. Nous dirons done avec Lindley que
les faits recueillis j usqu’ici par ceux qui ont etudie la physio-
logie de la plante demontrent l’existence chez elle, sinon d’une
sensibilite, du moins d’une vitalite d’un ordre plus eleve qu’on
ne Pavait suppose. De sorte que ce n’est pas trop s’avancer
d’emettre aujourd’hui cette opinion que certaines classes du
regne vegetal occupent un rang tout aussi distingue dans
l’echelle de la creation que beaucoup d’etres organiques ap-
partenant aux ordres inferieurs du regne animal.

On FROPIERA, a New Mauritiau Genus of Falyciiloral Exogens,

or doubtful Affinity.

BY J. D. IIOOKEB, ESQ., M. D., F.R. S„ F.L.S.

[From the Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, v. V p. I.]

In a letter lately received by Sir William Hooker from M.
Bouton in the Mauritius, that gentleman announces the de-
spatch of specimens of a remarkable plant, which he is unable
to refer to any genus, and which, if new, he desires should be
published, and bear the name of the Hon. Mr. Fropier, mem-
ber of the Legislative Council of the Mauritius, and a liberal
and zealous promoter of science. On the arrival of the spe-
cimens, they proved to be specifically identical with a plant
of which there are two specimens in the Hookerian Herba-
rium,— one in an indeterminable state, and referred to J\Ie~
•mecylon by its sender. Prof. Bojer ; the other, also in bad
condition, collected by Sieber (FI. Maurit. ii No. 123). This
latter I had already examined, and, being unable to determine
its affinities, had placed it amongst the Plantae Dubise of the
Herbarium. An analysis of the specimens sent by M. Bou-
ton have enabled me to draw up a complete character of it,
but not to indicate its nearest affinity with any certainty.

The habit of Fropiera is very much that of some Ilicinece ;
and the pure-white bark (of the branches) and foliage resem-
ble, very closely indeed, those of Leucodermis , in the same
family with which genus, however, Fropiera has no other
character in common. The dotted leaves and sepals, close-
set parallel veins, intramarginal vein, and entire coriaceous
leaves very greatly resemble those of a Eugenia and other
Myrtacece ; but its superior fruit entirely removes it from that
Order. Upon the whole, I am disposed to regard it as ano-
malous ally of Myrtacece , but do not place any confidence in
this conclusion. The strucrure of the flower and fruit is re-
markably simple, and presents no salient characters of any
kind.

129 —

Fropiera, Bouton, MSS.

Calyx 5-tidus. Petala 5. Stamina 10, disco perigyno in-
serta filamentis subulatis eestivat. subincurvis , antlieris
oblongis. Ovarium liberum, 3-gonum, 3-loculare, stylo
brevi, stigmate trilobo. Oval a ao , placentis axillaribus af-

iixa. Bacca globosa, calycis basi sutfulta, stylo persistente
terminata, 3-locularis. Semina co , exalbuminosa, minima ;
testa Crustacea, profunde cancellata ; embryone ovoideo,
carnoso, oleoso; cotyledonibus plano-convexis, radicula
magna obtusa. — Arbuscula Mauritiana ; ramis teretibus,
ramulorum corticc ulbo ; foliis alternis, exstipulatis, coria-
ceis, integerrimis, pellucido-punctatis, margine incrassatis ;
floribus parvis, pedicellatis, fasciculatis, vel in racemos bre-
ves axillares dispositis, ebracteolatis.

Fropiera Mauritiana, Bouton, MSS.

Hah. — Sylvis montanis Insulae Mauritius, Carmichael, Sieber, Bojer,
Bouton. Nom. vern.: “ Bois sans ecorce.”

Arbuscula 20-pedalis, ramis teretibus cortice lsevi rnfo, ramulis li-
gnosis cortice albo. Folia 2-4” long., l j-2” lat., coriacea; la-
mina supra lucida, subtus pallida, costa margineque sicco rufes-
centibus ; venis utrinque junioribus inconspicuis parallelis, intra-
marginali margini proxima ; petiolo brevi 1/6” long, robusto.
Flores vix 1/5” expans., pedicellis long. Calycis lobi bre-

ves, rotundati. Petala parva, sessilia, late orbiculata, coriacea,
pellucido-punctata, breviter unguiculata. Stamina brevia, fila-
mentis post anthesin elongatis recurvis ; antlierarum loculis 2
parallelis, dors o intruso affixis, rimis latis dehiscentibus. Pollen...
Ovarium sessile, trigonum, stylo brevi trifido. Bacca subpedicel,
lata, grosse punctata, diam. ; stylo brevi; stigmate late dis-
coideo, 3-lobo, Placenta: bifidse, lobis divaricatis. Sennina atra-
minima. Embryo pallide flavus, mollis.

ANNUAL REPORT

Of the proceedings of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences

1859-60, read at the meeting held on the 13 th December

1860.

Your Excellency — G entlemen, —

The last Annual Meeting of the Society was held on the
1st December, and its labors of the present year were com-
menced on the 23rd January. The principal share fell to
Dr. Ayres, Capt. Mann, Mr. Bernard, Mr. Paruit, Dr. Sene-
que and the Secretary.

Several rather interesting communications were also ad-
dressed to the Society by its correspondents and the section
of History, in particular has been enriched by fragments of
old works of voyages to Mauritius by the Dutch, the English
and the French, extracted from the large public libraries of
London and at Radcliffe’s Library Oxford.

Thanks are due to the agent of the Society in London, for
the trouble he has taken. It is to him that the Society owes
the extracts that it possesses from the exceedingly rare work
of Van Neck. There will only remain to be procured the
earlv voyages of the Portuguese and the Society will then
have the earliest and most curious records relative to the Co-
lony.

The researches made by our agent in London in the old
documents relative to Mauritius induce him to acknowledge
this fact that all the early part of its history will have to be
rewritten — for the confusion of names, persons and place is
so great that there is nothing positive until the time of the
Dutch. All the English writers have copied from Grant who
had no Portuguese authority for what he states about Al-
meida and Mascarenlias and to prove this, says our agent, I
ordered the Asia Portuguese to be translated in which the
reign of that great man is recited, as Steven’s translation was

— 131 —

a paraphrase more than a translation, it has been newly and
exactly done. In no part of the Asia Portuguese is there the
smallest mention of any thing that indicates such an Island as
Mauritius under any of its names.

Nevertheless these communications still remain incom-
plete. Events which took place here in latter time and to
which the records are in the archives, can only be properly
appreciated after consulting the documents relating thereto.
The Society has requested through its Secretary, that the ar-
chives office containing so many precious documents concern-
ing our Island, should be open to those members who are oc-
puying themselves with writing the history of Mauritius ; and
the answer received from the Colonial Secretary was that ar-
rangements were in contemplation to put into order the pa-
pers deposited in the archives and that the moment had not
yet arrived when they should be made accessible to the pu-
blic. The Society respectfully manifests to Your Excellency
its ardent desire to see the archives restored to such order as
would enable the Section of History soon to obtain access to
them.

Amongst the fragments of works received from London is
one most curious, viz.: an account published in 1811 on the
taking of the Isiand of Mauritius — it is styled : account of the
conquest of Mauritius, with some notices as to the history,
soil, products, defences and the political importance of his
place, to which is added a very curious sketch and map ex-
planatory of the Military operations, by an officer who served
in the Expedition.

The work is dedicated to His Royal Highness the Duke of
York and the author whose name is not known has adopted
for his epigraph this thought of the Abbe Raynal which he
translates into English ! “ Policy foresees that if the Isle of

“ France were abandoned, the English would drive all fo-
“ reign nations of the Seas of Asia and would possess them-
“ selves of all the riches of these vast countries.”

Another interesting extract is taken from the journal of the
voyage of the Dutch under the command of the Admiral J ac-
ques Cornille Nec in 1598.

This Expedition left Holland in March ; on the 15th Sep-

— 132 —

tember,* five ships out of eight under the command of Vice-
Admiral Warwick sighted the Island “Do Cerne” and an-
chored on the 20th of the same month in the harbour of
Grand Port. They named the island Mauritius and the Bay
Warwick Bay, after their vice-admiral.

“ Ladite lie, accordingly to the old french translation, est
“ inhabitee, et n’a jamais (comme nous semblait) este habitee,
“ car nous fismes maint marcher; mais n’avons trouve per-
“ sonne, sinon qu’experimentions par l’apprivoisement des
“ oiseaux, qu’elle fut inhabitee, a cause qu’on les print en
“ grande abondance de la main.”

The Dutch when they explored the Island found not only
no human beings but no quadrupeds. “ Par diverses fois
avons envoye aucuns gens au pays pour trouver aucun peuple
sur quelque autre cartier du pays, mais estaient a la fois trois
ou quatre jours en voye sans trouver n’y veoire personne, n?y
a aucun animal a quatre pieds.”

There were at that time in our forests neither stags, nor
monkeys, nor wild pigs and the other quadrupeds now so
common as also the quadrumane that sports on the highest
peeks of our mountains did not then exist.

There can be no doubt therefore that the stag was intro-
duced into the island, but when and by whom ? It is really
a pitty that we are still ignorant of the name of the man who
procure every year such noble sport to the wealthy and happy
of our time. His name would have figured conspiciously on
the Obelisk at Pamplemousses.

Thick forests covered the Island and damp vapours issued
from it, the rains were probably at that time, more abundant
than they are now.

“ Les Palmistes et Palmiers prevalent les vallees, les mon-
tagnes sont si hautes que le pays est quasi-entierement couvert

* This month of September is remarkable in our annals. It is in
1598 on the 20th of that month that the Island received from the Dutch
the name it still bears. It was in that month also that the French un-
der the command of Dufresne took possession of it, 20th September
1715 and changed the name of Mauritius, into that of the Isle de France.
On the 20th September 1816 Governor Farquhar celebrated at the Ro-
yal College the hundredth anniversary of tire taking of possession and
five days afterwards, half the town of Fort Louis was consumed by
fire.

— 133

des nuees, et a la fois voit-on monter si espesse fumee qu’on
ne peut a peine veoir.

“ II y a aussi une grande multitude de tortues d'incroyable
grandeur, veoire si grandes cue nous pouvions marcher a
quatre sur une tortue, et y rampa encore et pouvions a dix
asseoir es escailles.”

The Dutch and those who followed them consumed these
Turtles at such a rate that the species has almost disappear-
ed. Their bones only remain at Flacq specially where
the Dutch afterwards established themselves. These bones are
incrusted with calcareous deposit and numerous specimens
are to be found in our collections.

It is unfortunately not so with the bird which the Portu-
guese found in large numbers, and mistook for swans “ Cirne.”

“ Aussi d’autres sortes d’oyseaux de la grandeur de nos
cygnes, estrangement testus, et sont sans ailes mais au lieu
d’aisles, ont-ils 3 ou 4 plumes noires et au lieu de cap, ont-ils
4 ou 5 plumettes crespues de couleur grisatre. Ces oyseaux
furent de nous nommes oiseaux de Nauses, partie pour ce
quhls devoyent si longtemps cuire, fort coriaces, mais estaient
medecine pour l’estomach et la poitrine, partie par ce qu’eus-
mes assez des torterelles qui estaient beaucoup plus delicates
et savorables.”

It was therefore the Dodo, or Dronte (Didus Ineptus) and
perhaps also the Solitaiue which is another species of the
same genus, birds, as you are aware, of an extinct race, con-
fined to the three islands of Mauritius, Bourbon and Rodri-
gues.

Our Societv has been fortunate enough on two occasions
to send to Europe remains of this singular bird, the Dodo.
In 1830, the Secretary the late Mr. J. Desjardins addressed
to G. Cuvier the fragments which had been discovered in a
cavern at Rodrigues and consisting of a sternum, a cranium
and 4 bones of the extremities.

In 1849, the Secretary'forwarded to Mr. Strickland who ac-
cepted them with lively gratitude, two very perfect torsal bo-
nes supposed to have belonged to the Dronte but ascertained
to have belonged to the Solitary bird, and also discovered at
Rodrigues.

— 134 —

Dr. Ayres just found in a cavern at Black River fragments
of bones of several animals, amongst them one which appears
to correspond with the drawing given by Strickland of the
Tibia of the Solitary bird. This fact, until further informa-
tions is important, inasmuch as the existence of the Solitary
bird in Mauritius has not been established by the old voya-
gers ; Leguat found it, indeed at Rodrigues, and on his arri-
val at Mauritius only saw the Dodo ; other voyagers who
followed Leguat did not find the Solitaire at Mauritius, or at
least only mentioned the Dodo.

In examining the bones of the Turtle deposited in the Mu-
seum, the attention of the Secretary was directed to two bo-
nes which appeared to him to approach the one fig. I. plate
XV of Strickland's work and which in that case would be a
fragment of the right Tibia of the Solitaire. The other bear-
ing a ressemblance to fig. 20 of the same plate would be the
right metatarsal bone of the same bird ; but a part of the in-
ferior articulation and the whole of the superior is wanting.

The two fragments of bones were sent to London by the
mail of the 3rd November with the request that they might
be examined and that the result of the examination might be
communicated to the Society.

Several questions have been addressed officially through the
Colonial Secretary to the Secretary of the Society and Cura-
tor of the Museum. They emanate from the Secretary of
State for the Colonies and tend to confirm the belief that it
is intended to be ascertained if sufficient materials are in exis-
tence to write the natural history as complete as possible, of
all the colonies belonging to the British Empire.

These questions relate to Botany, Zoology and Geology.

The information desired is whether such and such Colony
possesses a Museum or Scientific Societies, and whether any
works have already been written in it on the several branches
of natural science. Information is also sought for on Meteo-
rology, the Tides, Magnetism etc.

The Secretary has answered some of the questions which
are within the attributions of the Society, and if the contem-
plated work is to be carried out, there are men in its ranks

— 135

who are competent to perform it. It might undertake to
write the Flora as well as the Fauna of Mauritius.

Sir D. Barclay and M. V. de Robillard might undertake,
at least we entertain this hope, to describe the Conchiliology
and Crustacea of the Island. Mr. Lienard although absent
from the Colony has collected important materials for the
history of fishes — Mr. E. Newton might treat the subject of
Ornithology. The Mammiferec would take up but little time.
The insects could be consigned to the care of Mr. Furse. —
Dr. Ayres, Mr. Meldrum or Mr. de Closets would undertake
the geological part of the Island. Then the Society would
respond to the call of the Metropolitan Government, and ac-
complish the task confided to it without the humiliation of
seing strangers not more competent, arriving from abroad to
make use of the materials.

We here invite the attention of the Council of administra-
tion of the Society to the subject, as well as that of our Ho-
norable President and above all the powerful influence of
Your Excellency, Patron of the Society.

An Exhibition of colonial produces was held under the
auspices of the Society, on the 24th August. Before speak-
ing of the results of this Exhibition which did not fail to at-
tract a large crowd of visitors, although during the race week,
let us look at the reverse of the medal.

And as everywhere and always the question of pecuniary-
resources is the most prominent in all things and in e''ery
kind of enterprise, let us mention the fact that the monies
received at the gate could not cover the expenses in spite of
the economy of the Agricultural Committee, thus leaving a
balance against the Society which our worthy Treasurer not
without grumbling, was obliged to pay over to the Commit-
tee.

Yet there was some dissatisfaction among a few Exhibitors,
who would have no objection always to receive prizes, and
convert these meetings of harmless and disinterested rivalry
into a source of profit and speculation.

The Committee intended upon the suggestion of Dr. Re-
gnaud to invite those influential persons whose position might
enable them to assist the Committee in supporting these Ex-

136 —

hibitions, to follow the example of Your Excellency and offer
prizes to certain classes of Exhibitors. This may however be
another delicate question to raise.

Very interesting collections of plants from the Pamplemous-
ses Garden and the gardens of Mr. Constant Vanskirlbisk
and Kittery were noticed at this Exhibition. — Of new plants
introduced into the colony, and remarkable for the beauty of
its foliage, the Farfugium grande, a native of China where it was
discovered by Fortune, brought from London by the care of
the Secretary was exhibited by Mr. Levieux.

A few fine vegetables were also remarked. But attention
was principally attracted to the photographs and products of
art. The Vanilla exhibited by Mr. Levieux, carried off the
gold medal of the Society, and we readily join in the praise
bestowed upon them by the juries for the beauty and perfect
preservation of the Pods. They will certainly bear compa-
rison in London or Paris with the Vanilla of Brazils.

The Society has received from Mr. Payet through the Ho-
norable Ch. Wiehe, the seeds of a plant known at Bourbon
under the name of Tan, the flowers of which are sought by the
bees who yield the odorous honey known under the name of
Green Honey. This plant which is the Weinmannxa macros-
tachya grows in the forests of Mauritius. Mr. Fleurot struck
with the odour exhaled by the seeds, made an analysis of
some, and found them to contain the same odoriferous prin-
ciple which exists in the Tonquin Bean, in our Faham and in
a few other plants, the substance known amongst chemists
as “ Cau marine.”

To Dr. Ayres, Lejuge and Regnaud was entrusted the task
of reporting on the Memoir presented by Dr. Henry Sene-
que, the title of which is a few remarks on the malady called
Tambave.

This word Tambave which appears to belong to the M ala-
gassy language was probably introduced from that Island
(Madagascar). If we believe Dr. Chapotin, the appellation
did not then (in 1810) as it does now, apply to certain affec-
tions to which children are subject. The Malagassy females,
“ says he, are subject to a peculiar alteration of their milk, in
which that fluid assumes a yellowish tinge, and no longer

- 137 -

possesses tlie necessary properties for the nourishment of
their infants. This malady is commonly known by the
name of Tambave.” Later the old medicine practitioners
say that Tambave is the translation of Carreau that is the
enlargement of the mesanteric glands to which children are
subject.

Confusion has been the I’esult and several different maladies
are now mentioned by the creole empirics under the name of
Tambave.

Science does not recognise this name, of course. Dr. Sene-
que very justly observes and all these considerations shew the
impossibility of the name being accepted by science as ap-
plying to a special disease, presenting peculiar characters.

And yet observes Dr. Regnaud, there is a word, which
every mother pronounces with terror at the cradle of her in-
fant, that prejudice, that fatal word, that bugbear of which
every one speaks but no one can describe is the Tambave.”

At all events the maladies which arise and to which quacks
attach that name of Tambave, are we must admit, of the gra-
vest nature, since the very names by which they are vulgarly
known is sufficient to cause a mother to tremble for her chil-
dren.

Dr. Seneque has been able to establish the existence of six
different diseases in a great many children supposed to be af-
flicted with Tambave, the greater part of them of the most
serious nature, such as hydrocephalids, softening of the sto-
mach, enlargement of the glands of the mesanter etc.

Therefore the only criticism of Dr. Regnaud refers to the
title of the Memoir which would have stood better thus “ On
the maladies commonly known by the name of Tambave and
the prophylatic treatment of the particular state they indi-
cate.

“ But adds Dr. Regnaud the imperfection of the title is a
mere trifle assuredly and it is the work itself that we are cal-
led upon to judge. We may briefly say that the author has
happily accomplished his self imposed task ; physicians and
patients alike will derive benefit from the perusal of Dr. Se-
neque^s Memoirs, and the modesty as well as the noble ob-
ject of utility which predominate throughout, are in the eyes

— 138 —

of the Committee, an attraction too rare in our days at Mau-
ritius, to allow them to withhold their heartfelt applause.”

Dr. Ayres has communicated a most valuable memoir
“ Comparative observations on diseases, as occurring among
Europeans and Indians in Mauritius,” without however re-
commending any particular mode of treatment for the several
cases. His aim was rather to present a table of medical sta-
tistics, a return of the diseases which fell under his notice at
the Civil Hospital, than the treatment and cure of those di-
seases.

At all events this work for which the thanks of the Society
are due to Dr. Ayres, may be presented to other medical men
as an example to be followed. The substance of their obser-
vations would form a mass of facts which would be highly va-
luable to the Medical Statistics of the Island.

Mr. Channell, on the part of Mr. Joachim Diore, has pre-
sented observations on the cultivation of the New Zealand
Flax together with some seeds of the plant and several arti-
cles prepared from its fibres. Mr. Diore would wish some
experiments to be tried at Mauritius with this plant of which
one or two individuals are growing in the Pamplemousses
Gardens.

Rather considerable alarm prevailed in September last
among the growers of Vanilla. It had reference to a disease
prevailing in Reunion on this precious plant, giving rise to
the most fatal effects.

The Society hastened to give notice to the parties interest-
ed, inviting them to abstain from the use of cuttings of Va-
nilla imported from Reunion. These precautionary measures
were afterwards abandoned when it was ascertained that no
malady existed in the Vanilia plantations, and the accidents
which had happened to one of them had been caused by the
imprudent destruction of the trees which protected them.
Then exposed to the direct rays of the sun the leaves had be-
come yellow and the stalks had withered up.

The Society has published the second Part of the first vo-
lume of its Transactions “New series” embodying theprinci-
pal articles communicated last year. Several numbers have

— 139 —

been addressed by the Secretary to the principal Scientific
Societies in Europe.

It is a subject of complaint in London, and may easily be
understood here to be the opinion of Sir William Hooker,
that the volume is poor in botanical matter. “ Botanical
science, he says in a letter, does not flourish in that Island.
There are no earnest attempts towards a Flora yet tho’ so
peculiar in its vegetation, and though frequented and inhabit-
ed by botanists nearly 100 years ; whereas we are now print-
ing a Flora of Hong-Kong before it has been 20 years occup-
ied by the British. No resident Botanist can do all that he
ought to do without communicating lai’gely with scientific
men in Europe. Nothing would contribute so much to the
knowledge and uses of plants as a well written and well ar-
ranged and complete Flora.”

“ In British Guiana, Sir W. Hooker adds, the Government
in Council have responded well to our call for a Flora of that
extensive region, and they have appointed a first rate German
Botanist to explore and collect and send home ample collec-
tions to be worked up into a Flora, giving him a salary for
hia services. — Ere long, by the increased and increasing cul-
tivation, the native vegetation of the Island of Mauritius, as
in St. Helena will be destroyed.”

This is true, but the execution of such a work in Mauritius,
as well as other similar works of a great extent, would have
been impossible if left entirely to the resources of the person
who would undertake it. The heavy cost of printing and the
chance of not finding a sale for the work must have been a
bar to the best intentions.

But if the circumstances were more favorable and the ex-
penses as we heard to be borne by the local and metropolitan
governments, the task would soon turn to be more easy, and
the alluded work might therefore be commenced immedia-
tely.

An extract from the Report of the Secretary on the dimi-
nution of rivers and the drying up of springs, has been pub-
lished in the “ Gardeners’ Chronicle of London” of the 15th
September, with the following reflections : ” If the Island
should in time become barren, instead of remaining one of the

— 140 —

most fertile in the waters of Africa, it will only undergo the
fate which universally attends the destruction or absence of
forests in countries exposed to great solar heat.”

We may here, without digressing too much bring in Mr.
Bernard’s memoir pointing out the destruction which threa-
tens the species of fish fit for food. The mode of fishing
which spares neither the spawn nor the sra all fry, and the
best means to be employed in order that sea may not soon be
as empty of fish as the island will be of wood.

But however great the interest attached to the memoir,
however good the means suggested to remedy the evil, what
can the Society do ? It is not mere preventive police regula-
tions that can stop such abuses ! Such measures moreover
are very difficult to carry out with a daily increasing popula-
tion naturally attracted to those places where life is easy and
living cheap.

W e can do no more than express our approbation to the
author and thank him for his courage in encountering a host
of private interests and even recommending that they should
be sacrificed to public interest.

It would be cruel indeed, one day to see Mauritius, with

her millions of sugar, dependent on foreign countries, for the

means of existence of her inhabitants, not onlv their meat and

* *

their drink, but their fuel also.

We have had the regret to see our President, the Hon. G.
Fropier leave our shores. His absence it is hoped, will be
short and we may expect soon to see him again among us.

Capt. Mann on the eve of his departure left us an interest-
ing souvenir, viz., an excellent memoir entitled “ Observa-
tions on the water supply of Mauritius ” containing elevated
and sound views. His ideas suggest high intelligence blended
with principles of great liberality. Setting aside the question
of the destruction of woods with reference to our forests, he
insists upon the urgent necessity of advantage being taken of
our watercourses for the public utility — at the same time he
is unable to understand the situation of the proprietors who
are interdicted the use of the rivers bordering their estates.

“ Protective laws, he says, might be applied with vigor to
preserve from waste or polution the water of the Reservoirs

— HI

and Canals but there would be no need to prevent proprietors
from cultivating their own lands, nor to inflict penalties upon
those who have only made a reasonable use of the streams of
running water which providence has provided for them.”

The attention of Capt. Mann was naturally directed to
those parts of the Island, the northern parts for instance,
which are entirely deprived of those rh ers with which the
South of the Island is so abundantly provided, and he recom-
mends that certain works should lie performed to restore the
Canal which formerly supplied with water those localities now
so dry.

The projected restoration of the Bois Rouge Canal, accor-
ding to the opinion of Captain Mann, is an important step in
the right direction, £< and if followed up by similar works in
other parts of the Island,” he says, “ will assuredly tend to the
great object we all have in view, the prosperity of Mauritius.”

Mr. Paruit has presented a work on the cultivation of su-
gar cane, in which he lays particular stress on the nature of
the manures to be employed in order to obtain good results.

He does not approve of the plant been cut several times,
and would like to see the roots taken up and a new plantation
made after the second crop.

In support of his opinion, he cites the “ Bonne Mere ” Es-
tate at Flacq, on which the plantations are always made with
manure to which Guano is afterwards added and are renewed
every two years. By this way, a very small extent of land
has for years past yielded regularly heavy crops. The exam-
ple is seductive, we must confess, and easily followed ; and
we refer the question to the study of our planters.

Mr. Paruit also suggests an exchange of cuttings from the
dry to the wet districts and vice versa.

His opinion being that cuttings from the damp districts
being gifted with very strong vegetative powers would retain
their vigor in the dry quarters, whilst the cuttings from the
latter would derive fresh strength in the well watered districts.

It may be right. It is a principle in agriculture that a care-
ful selection should be made of the parts of plants, seeds,
cuttings etc., intended to be confided to the earth and that
they should always be healthy and sound. It would there-

142

fove be the vigorous shoots from a rich soil that should be
taken rather than the weak and often stunted from the dry
quarters.

We should never loose sight of the rule laid down by Pro-
fessor Lindley : — ce It is a general rule that seeding take after
their parents, an unhealthy mother producing a diseased off-
spring and a vigorous parent yielding a healthy progeny in all
their minute gradations and modifications.”

Mr. Paruit closes his work with the enumeration of those
ingredients which may be found at hand to compose a ma-
nure which he recommends to the attention of sugar cane
planters.

We cannot devote too much time to this question of Ma-
nure in Mauritius. It is as old as the world it is true, but an
inexhaustible subject to treat.

In fact, manure, machinery and water are the three great
productive powers on which depends the progress of Euro-
pean as well as of Colonial and tropical agriculture.

The Secretary read a notice which he intituled “ Resear-
ches on plants ; ” his object was to discover in the pheno-
menon which constitute the vitality of plants, something
which might denote, not exactly the sensibility possessed by
man and those organic beings which approach him, but any
kind of sensation and in some cases the exercise as it were, of
a will by the plant, manifested by tendency towards light, the
direction of its roots towards the water, etc.

lie also noticed the mode of repartition of certain plants in
Mauritius, some of which have followed a rising course, such
as the “ Daphne viridiflora ,” the point of departure of which
was the Pamplemousses Garden, and which may now be seen
on the mountains at Villebague and Nouvelle Decouverte
whilst others on the contrary have followed in their dissemi-
nation a descending course, such as the Elephantopus scaber ,
which from the heights of the forests has come to grow on
the borders of rivers at a pretty considerable distance from
its usual habitat.

The Secretary has been fortunate enough to consecrate to
the memory of his friend, the Hon. G. Fropier, a plant native
of our forests. The genus Fropicra, , although its floral organs

143 —

are very simple, presents a great difficulty as to the natural
family of plants to which it belongs.

Dr. Hooker finds in it a certain affinity to the family of
Myrtacae and the Secretary thought it related to that of
Memecylacete ; at all events the plant has been described and
figured under the name of Fropiera Mauritiana in the journal
of the proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, Vol. Y.

p. 1.

The discovery of a new genus amongst the phanoregamous
plants of Mauritius and in forests so often explored, is an
epoch in the history of Science, as well as the discovery of a
fossil bone belonging to an extinct race of birds, the inexhau-
stible subject of study of the most celebrated naturalists.

In this point of view, the discoveries of Dr. Ayres and the
Secretary’s without any dispanagement to the labours of
the other members of the Society are really scientific facts, in
this sense that they occupied the attention of European So-
cieties and without any doubt be mentioned.

This is the only rational course to pursue as being likely to
lead to useful results. It is by following it up with perseve-
rance that we may succeed in filling up the blanks left by
those naturalists who have preceded us and in arranging the
facts and observations collected by them.

The Hon. Mr. Kerr communicated a letter from the agent
of the Society in London proposing the introduction into
Mauritius of the spawn of the Salmon, remarking however,
upon the probable difficulty of acclimating in a hot country a
fish which generally, after having deposited its spawn in the
rivers, seeks the high seas.

The Secretary brought back to our recollection that the
same proposal was made to the Society in 1843. The idea
originated in Belfast with Dr. Me Donnell and was communi-
cated to Mr. C. R. Telfair the son of the late President and
founder of the Society. Instructions were drawn up by a
Committee to ensure the safe transport of the spawn, but the
project could never be carried out.

With the means of prompt communications which now
exist, the chances of a successful trial are now greater than
they were before. The Hon. Mr. Kerr is of opinion that other

144

fishes besides Salmon, such as the Tench for instance, might
be introduced with a chance of success and it was resolved
that the sum of £ 10 should be expended by the Society by
way of experiment. The greatest difficulty would be the care
required by the spawn on its arrival at Mauritius, and the se-
lection of the persons who would be entrusted with it.

The abundant rains which fell at the beginning of the year
and the excessive heat which prevailed during the intervals
of sun, conditions so favorable to tropical vegetation, have
produced in plants a luxuriant development of branches, twigs
and leaves.

The Secretary observed that it was a great good, at least
that it should be looked upon as such, since it often happens
that good and evil are side by side, although resulting from the
same cause. Now, if the rains produced salutary effects in
the dry parts of the Island, principally the sea sides, the su-
gar canes in certain of the cold, damp and elevated parts have
evidently suffered from the excessive rains. Experience has
proved that in lands which do not absorb all the water that
falls and where the sun veiled in clouds cannot carry it off by
evaporation, the plant being retained too long in a damp soil,
a discoloration of the leaves takes place, which assume a yel-
lowish tinge, decomposition of the tissue followed and death
inevitably ensues.

The Secretary also brought to notice that the plants with
fleshy and nutritious roots have equally suffered in this sense
that vegetation was directed to the branches and leaves which
obtained a prodigious development at the expense of the roots
and tubercles reduced to mere thin threads.

Your Excellency in a visit to the Museum seemed to ex-
press surprise that donations are not oftener made, which
would show the interest attached to it by the public. But it
is easily answered that besides the Museum there are scienti-
fic persons who possess collections to which they devote most
part of their time and for which they spend money. They
are obliged to purchase in order to increase their collections,
but they never give away. They are misers who keep and
lock up their treasures right or wrong. On the other hand
there are collectors who make their trade of reselling the ob-

145

jects which they have purchased. Those never give away but
they sell.

This trade is carried on a large scale at the Cape, in Aus-
tralia, at Madagascar even. In a report on the resources of
Victoria published in August 1860, we find in the statement
of exports from that rising colony during the year ending
31st December 1858, 50 packages specimens of natural his-
tory of the total amount of £ 1,238.

However every rule has its exceptions and in the course of
the year which has just gone by, the Museum and Library of
the Society have been enriched. Mr. E. Lienard has pre-
sented on behalf of his father a collection of fishes from Mau-
ritius, minerals from the Pyrenees, and shells from different
countries. Messrs. Ch. Telfair, T. Meadows, O. Desmarais,
Chasteauneuf, Dr. Brooks have presented specimens of repti-
les, crustaceee, fishes, Lythophits from Seychelles, India and
Mauritius.

The Library has bean increased by the addition of a very
fine work illustrated with plates and entitled : “ The Works

of Fogelberg,” dedicated to the King of Sweden, presented
by the Editor, Mr. Casimir Leconte, “ as a token, of gratitude
for the reception he found in the beautiful and hospitable
Mauritius.”

Dr. Boott has also sent us from London a copy of the ma-
gnificent work which he has just completed : Illustrations of

Genus Carex.

And Capt. Mann about the time of his departure present-
ed us with a work in 2 volumes, a Mathematical and Philoso-
phical Dictionary, by Charles Hutton. Dr. Ch. Beke also la-
tely sent us from England the work which he published him-
self “ on the sources of the Nile,” and lately Mr. E. D’Unien-
ville has also sent the Library two rather rare books and Mr.
Paruit 3 volumes of the Anatomie comparee of Cuvier.

The Curator believes that he has introduced an improve-
ment in the mode of preseiwation of certain Zoological speci-
mens. He has entirely discarded the practice of keeping cer-
tain natural products, by steeping them in spirits, particularly
fishes, the beautiful and brilliant colours of several species of
which are so difficult to retain by the process.

— 146 —

The mode he has adopted consists of emptying the fish
through the mouth and gills without making any incision, and
then laying over the skin a sort of varnish.

This varnish put on as soon as possible revives the colour of
the fish and gives them that appearance of life which you may
notice in the specimens placed before you.

This mode is much more advantageous than the preserva-
tion of specimens in glass bottles, where fresh spirits must be
continually added to replace the evaporatio n, thus requiring
great care and expense.

These specimens were preserved by the preparator of the
Museum, and the Secretary in presenting them, has obtained
that a remuneration should be given to this man who has as-
sisted the Curator for several years past, and who really de-
serves a mark of encouragement and a reward at the hands of
the Society.

The members admitted in the course of the year are in the
order of their admissions.

Messrs. Ed. Douglas, Leon Pitot, W. Bathfield, Hon. G.
Dickson, Hon. E. llemono, Messrs. Pakenham, Ed. Lebrun,
Dr. Bazire, Messrs. J. Regnard, Henri Pilot, Henri Pastor,
Dr. Colin, Messrs. O’Toole, Alex. Lyall, A. Montgomery as
resident members.

Mr. Paul Madimier at Paris, Dr. Ferdinand Hochstetter
Vienna, Mr. E. Laporte at Bordeaux, Mr. Samuel Hannaford,
Dr. Mueller at Melbourne as corresponding members, and
Dr. Boott of London as Honorary member.

These recruits increase the number of the members of the
Society without however increasing in a sensible way, the fi-
gure of the receipts, and as we are once more compelled to
face the question of finances, we cannot do better than ter-
minate by requesting more willing readiness on the part of
some members in the payment of their subscriptions.

This annual gathering of the funds of the Institution is the
means of also bringing together many new friends and sup-
porters and keep alive the interest of the Society among
those who are truly the working bees of the hive.

Port Louis, 13th December 1860.

L. Bouton, — Secretary.

PROCES-VERBAUX DE LA .SOClfiTfi

SEANCE DC JEUDI 23 JANVIER 1860.

L’hon. F. Bedingfeld occupant le fauteuil.

L’hon. C. C. Brownrigg, l’lion. C. Wiehe, Dr. Riccard, MM. J.
Caldwell, Hazlitt, Ed. Newton, Paruit.

Les communications suivantes sont faites par le Secretaire :

1. Une lettre de M. Laporte fils, de Bordeaux, officier d’adminis-
tration de la marine, sollicitant un diplome de membre correspon-
dant. Cette lettre est accompagnee de deux ouvrages offerts it la
Societe par M. Laporte. — lo. Souvenirs d’un Voyageur Naturaliste
dans la Guyane ; — 2o. Faune ichtiologique du departement de la Gi-
ronde.

2. Une lettre de M. A. Rey, chancelier du Consulat de France,
presentant de la part de M. Casimir Leconte, et comme un temoighage
de reconnaissance pour Vaccneil qu'il a trouve dans la belle et hospita-
lise He Maurice, un magnifique ouvrage dont il est l’editeur : L’ceu-
vre de Fogelberg, dedie a S. M. Oscar ler., roi de Suede et de
Norwege. Le Secretaire est chargd d’exprimer it M. Rey pour etre
transmis a M. C. Leconte, les remerciments de la Societe.

3. Une lettre de M. Diard, informant le Secretaire de son arrivee
a Batavia, et annoncant 1’ envoi de deux caisses d’arbres fruitiers de
Java.

Malheureusement la plupart des plantes qu’elles contiennent ont
beaucoup souftert pendant la traversee. On n’a pu sauver que quel-
ques individus des JDurio Zibethinus, Nephelium lapaceum , un ou
deux Mangifera opposifolia Roxb. Cette perte est d’autant plus
regrettable qne l’envoi se composait en general d’arbres a fruits ra-
res a Maurice ou meme inconnus, et qui avaient ete choisis a Java
par M. Diard, avec le soin minutieux qu’il met d’ ordinaire dans ces
sortes d’envoi. Ces deux caisses contenaient en outre plasieurs bou-
tures de Cannes designes dans la note de M. Diard sous le nom de
Saccharum cdule, dont les sommites se mangent comme legumes, dit-
on, et ont le gout du choufleur. Autant que 1’etat de ces boutures
a pu le permettre, la plante aurait quelque assimilite avec le Sorgho.

4. Un exemplaire d’une monographie du genre Carex : Illustra-
tion of the Genus Carex est prdsente de la part de l’auteur : Francis

— 148 —

Boott M.D. Trdsorier et Vice-President de la Soci6t6 Linndenne dc
Londres. Le Secretaire propose a la Societe de conferer h 1’ auteur
le titre de “ membre honoraire.”

5. Une lettre de l’hon. Secretaire Colonial, en reponse a celle qui
lui avait dte ecrite par le Secretaire de la Societe, pour lui annoncer
que les collections destinees au cabinet d’Histoire Naturelle de S.
M. l’Empereur d’Autriche dtaient pretes, et demandant a qui elles
devaient etre adressdes. Le Secretaire est informe qne les caisses
doivent etre envoyees aux agents coloniaux a Londres pour etre te-
nues a la disposition du Secretaire d’Etat.

6. Lu une lettre de M. Colvile Barclay accompagnant deux speci-
men d’un coleoptere jusqu’ici inconnu h Maurice, et recueilli k la
Savane dans les environs de St.-Anbin.

7. Une lettre de M. Lienard pere, de Paris, faisant savoir que son
portrait, sur l’invitation de la Socidtd, avait ete fait, et qu’il le ferait
parvenir a une prochaine occasion.

8. Une lettre laissee sur la table de la Societe et adress^e au Se-
cretaire, par le Dr. Ferdinand Hochstetter, se rendant en Europe,
par le steamer Benares, qui n’est reste a Maurice que peu de temps.
Le Dr. Hochstetter faisait partie de l’expedition scientifique de' la
fregate autrichienne Navara, dans les parages de l’Australie. II ex-
prime le desir de se mettre en relation avec la Societe a son arrivde
a Vienne.

Le Secretaire est charge de lui ecrire a ce sujet.

LTne lettre de M. Charles Zill, ecrite de St. -Denis, Reunion, an-
non^ant son depart pour l’lnde pour plus tard se rendre en Australie
et exprimant le regret de ne pouvoir effectuer son projet de retour h
Maurice.

10. Le Secretaire depose sur la table des dchantillons de reptiles,
de crustaces et d’insectes envoyes des lies Seychelles par M. Ch.
Telfair. II communique cgalement a la Societe divers ouvrages re-
mits par la Malle, et de la part de M. F. Dick valve du genre Perm
contenant une exsudation de matiere nacree et recueillie a Belombre-

Le Secretaire fait savoir qu’il a re^u de M. Le Brun auquel la So-
ciete ou plutot le pays est redevable d’une certaine quantity de ba-
naniers envoyes de Madagascar, une caisse de plants provenant de la
meme lie et dont M. Jules Levieux a bien voulu se charger.

Sont proposes commemerabres residents:

1° M. Edouard Douglas, par M. Ed. Newton, seconde du Secre-
taire,

2° M. Ldon Pitot, par le Secretaire, seconde de M. Ch. Wiche,

— 149 —

SEANCE DU JEUDI 16 FEVRIER 1860.

L’hon. G. Fropier occupant le fauteuil.

L’hon. Ch. Wiehe, le Dr. Ayres, MM. Doyen, P. Furse, Paruit.

Apres la lecture faite par le Secretaire du proces -verbal de la der-
niere seance, on procede a P election de MM. Ed. Douglas et Leon
Pitot qui sont admis en qualite de membres residents.

Le Secretaire fait savoir que les collections du Museum se sont
enrichies d’un specimen de poissons de l’ordre de chondropterygiens,
de la famille des Raies et appartenant au genre Cephalaptera de
Dumeril. Ce poisson de tres grande dimension a ete pris a l’em.
boucliure de la Grand’Riviere du Port-Louis.

M. Paruit lit un memoire sur les ameliorations qu’il suggere d’in-
troduire dans la culture de la canne. II propose de faire des echan-
ges de tetes de Cannes entre les quartiers secs et les quartiers plu-
vious de 1’ile dans le but, dit-il, de prevenir la degenerescence de la
plante. II conseille egalement de planter les tetes sur un fumier
pouvant etre prepare a peu de frais avec les liti^res des etables, les
detritus de plantes, cendres a bagasse, ecumes de vesou que l’on re-
couvrirait d’une couche de chaux m&lee a uue lessive composee d’eau
douce, d’eau salee et de sirop.

Le Capt. Mann communique par l’intermediaire du Secretaire, un
memoire intitule : Observations on the Water Supply of Mauritius,
que la Societe fera inserer dans le prochain No. de ses Transactions.

Le Secretaire est charge de transmettre au Capt. Mann, au mo-
ment de quitter Mnurice, les remerciments de la Society,

SEANCE DU JEUDI 22 MARS 1860.

L’hon. W. W. R. Kerr occupant le fauteuil.

Dr. Ayres, MM. J. Caldwell, J. R, Fernyhough, Fleurot, Paruit.

L’hon. W. Kerr communique une lettre de l’agent de la Societe a
Londres, M. J. Morris, proposant d’introduire a Maurice du frai de
Saumon, tout en faisant observer les difficultes qu’il y aurait d’accli-
mater dans le pays un poisson qni d’ordinaire, apr&s avoir depose ses
ceufs dans les rivieres, gagne la pleine mer.

Le Secretaire rappelle qu’une proposition semblable avait ete faite
a la Societe en 1843. L’idde en avait ete donnee par le Dr. Me’
Donald, de Belfast a M. Robert Telfair. Des instructions avaient
ete rddigees a cet effetpar un Comite compose de MM. Lidnard p^re,
Bojer et du Secretaire ; mais le projet n’a pu etre realise.

— 150 —

M. Iverr est d’opinion que d’autres poissons que le Saumon, tels
par exemple que le Tanche et le Brochet pourraient etre introduits
avec plus de chances de succes, et il a ete rdsolu que le Conseil de
la Societe serait prid de voter, a titre d’essai, une sorame de £ 10
pour etre adressee a M. Morris a l’elfet d’obtenir du frai de ce pois-
son ou de poissons vivants.

Le Secretaire presente le premier No. des Annales de V Agricul-
ture des Colonies et des regions tropicales, journal publie a Paris sous
la direction de M. Paul Madinier.

Sont proposes comme membres residents :

lu M. W. Bafhfield, propose par le Secretaire et seconde par M.
Kerr.

2° M. Henri Pilot, proposd par M. Paruit et seconds par le Se-
cretaire.

SEANCE DU MARDI 3 AVRIL 1860.

L’hon. G. Fropier occupe le fauteuil.

L’hon. \V. Kerr, MM. F. Dick, V. Robillard.

Le but de la reunion est la communication faite par l’hon. Fropier
du rapport d$ la Commission nominee pour rendre compte de l’Ex-
position intercolonial, tenue a l’Hotel du Gouvernement, le 31 Aoht,
ler. et 2 Septembre 1859.

Apres la lecture de ce rapport, et sur l’observation de M. Fropier
que des pages en blanc restaient a remplir en ce qui touchait a plu-
sieurs details que M. Fropier n’a pu intercaler, le Secretaire a 6tc
charge de combler ces lacunes et d’achever le travail laisse par M.
Fropier.

Au moment de lever la stance, le Secretaire a demande la per-
mission d’exprimer au President, M. Fropier, sur le point de quitter
la colonie, les regrets de la Societe et de le rernercier des services
qu’il lui a rendus.

MM. W. Bathfield et H. Pilot sont re^us membres residents.

SEANCE DU JEUDI 10 MAI 1860.

Le Dr. Ulcoq occupant le fauteuil.

L’hon. C. Wiehe, Dr. Ayres, MM. J. Caldwell, F. Dick, Paruit,
V. Robillard.

Sur la proposition dc l’hon. M. Bedingfeld, secomKc par lc Sc-

'crfitaire, Phon. G. Dickson, Procureur-Gdn6ral, est admis, stance te-
nante, corame membre resident.

L’hon. Ed. Remono est dgalement recu en cette meme quality,
sur la proposition du Secretaire, secondee de l’hon. E Dupont.

Le Secretaire soumet it la Societd la liste des noms presentes par
un Comite nommd a cet effet pour etre inscrits sur l’obelisque en-
voyd par M. Lienard. Ce sont les suivants :

Labourdonnais, Poivre, Cossigny, Commerson, Cdrd, Lejuge, de
Maudave, Rochon, l’abbd Galoys, de Reine, Baudin, Magon, Bre-
nier. La Haye, appartenant au dix-huitidme sidcle.

Stadtmann, Sir R. T. Farquhar, Ch. Telfair, Dr. Burke, Ed. Black-
burn, W. Bojer, J. Desjardins, J. Gendve, Ad. D’Epinay, de Chazal,
appartenant au dix-neuvieme sidcle.

M. F. Dick fait la proposition d’inscrire sur le monument le nom
de M. John Newman, de son vivant directeur du Jardin des Pam-
plemousses, et qui a introduit plusieurs plantes h Maurice, notam-
ment 1’ Ananas Victoria. Le Secretaire rappelle aussi le nom de
M. Jules Giquel, auquel le pays est redevable de la canne Pe-
nang, de meme que celui du Dr. Thompson, qui avait visitd Mada-
gascar et rapporte de cette grande ile a Maurice plusieurs plantes
intdressantes.

D’autres noms ont encore dte suggeres par le Comite ; celui de
Fusde Aublet qui a donne ses soins pendant son sejour a Maurice
aux plantes qu’il avait transportees au Reduit. Enfln le Secretaire
a proposd d’ajouter a tous ces noms celui du Dr. Nils Bergsten qui,
le premier, a eu l’idde, aprds l’emancipation des esclaves, de supplier
au manque de bras dans le pays, er recourant a l’lnde. A ce titre,
il aurait rendu k l’agriculture colcniale un service incontestable, et
son nom a autant de droits que tout autre h dtre grave sur le mo-
nument de M. Lienard.

Sur la proposition de M. L. Bouton, on arrete quele socle du mo-
nument portera cette. inscription suivante, comrne l’expression d’une
pensde de Bernardin de St. -Pierre : “ Le don d’une plante utile me
“ parait plus precieux que la decouverte d’une mine, et un monu-
‘‘ ment plus durable qu’une pyramide.” Le Secretaire est autorise
k se raettre en rapport avec un graveur a 1’ effet de faire inscrire sur
l’obdlisque les noms cltds plus haut. Le monument sera ensuite
transporte au Jardin des Pamplemousses pour y 6tre erige selon le
voeu exprimd par son donateur.

— 152 —

SKANCE DU JEUDI 14 JUIN 1860.

L’hon. F. Bedingfeld occupant le fauteuil.

L’hon. W. Kerr, 1’hon. C, Wiehe, Dr. Ayres, Dr. Regnaud, Dr.
Ulcoq, MM. Channell, Desenne, F. Dick, J. Fraser, F. Herchenro-
der, V. Naz, Paruit.

Apres la lecture du proces-verbal de la derniere sdance, le Secre-
taire soumet a la sanction de la Societe la liste des noms devant etre
inscrits sur l’obelisque. Celui de l’abbe de la Caille est propose par
l’hon. F. Bedingfeld, mis aux voix et adopte. II en est de merae
pour le Dr. Bergsten.

Le Dr. Ulcoq ayant fait valoir tous les titres de Victor Gallet, en
rappelant l’excellent systeme de culture suivi par lui dans la planta-
tion de Cannes, il a ete rdsolu que le nom de V. Gallet serait inscrit.

Les noms a inscrire s’eldvent a 29.

Ceux appartenant au 1 8e. siecle seront inscrits sur une des faces
du monument dans l’ordre suivant :

Labourdonnais,

Poivre,

Cossigny,

Commerson,

Cere,

Lejuge,

De Maudave,

Aublet,

Rochon,

Les noms des personnages du 19e,
tre face, ainsi qu’il suit :

De Chazal,

Sir R. T. Farquhar,

Ch. Telfair,

Dr. Burke,

G. R. Blackburn,

W. Bojer,

L’abbd Galoys,

De Reine,

Baudin,

Rend Magon,

Brenier,

La Haye,

L’abbe La Caille,

Dr. Stadtmann.

siecle seront placds sur ime au-

J. Desjardins,

J. Gendve,

Ad. D’Epinay,

Dr. Thompson,

Dr. Bergsten,

V. Gallet.

Le Secretaire donne communication d’une lettre du Dr. Seneque
accompagnant des exemplaires d’une brochure qu’il vient de publier :
“ Quelques observations sur le mot Tambave.” Un Comitc composd
des Drs. Ayres, Lejuge et C. Regnaud a dte nomme pour rendre
compte de ce travail.

Une lettre du Dr. C. T. Beke au Secretaire est aussi communiqude.
M. Beke annonce par cette lettre son depart pour l’Angleterre et ex-
prime le desir d’etre tonjours considdrd comme membre de la Socictc.

— 153 —

Le Dr. Colin et M. H. Pastor sont proposes comme membres re-
sidents par le Secretaire et M. Naz. M. O’Toole est propose par
l’hon. M. Kerr, seconde du Secretaire.

M. Channell presente a la Societe un memoire de M. C. Bernard,
dont le but est d’appeler l’attention publique sur la redaction des
poissons sur nos cotes, par la peche telle qu’elle se pratique, et l’in-
suffisance de la loi qui regit cette matiere. Ce memoire a ete re-
produit dans un No. du Commercial Gazette. II est a supposer que
la Societe prendra ce sujet en serieuse consideration, et qu’elle nom-
mera un Comite charge d’ examiner le travail de M. Bernard, et d’a-
viser aux moyens de suggestion propres a arreter la destruction
d’une substance aussi importante qu’est le poisson comme objet d’ ali-
mentation publique a Maurice.

Le Dr. Regnaud presente une brochure de M. John Robertson de
Londres, sur l’anatomie du Phalax dactylus .

SEANCE DU JEUDI 12 JUILLET 1860.

Le Dr. Ulcoq occupant le fauteuil.

L’hon. C. Wiehe, Dr. Ayres, Dr. Lejuge, MM. Caldwell, Chan-
nell, Doyen, Paruit, Robillard.

Le Dr. Colin, MM. H. Pastor et O’Toole sont regus membres re-
sidents.

Le Secretaire, seconde du Dr. Ulcoq, propose en cette meme qua-
lity M. Jules Regnard.

M. Paul Madinier est regu membre correspondant a Paris.

Le Secretaire communique une note ou il fait connaitre les de-
penses que la Sosiete a ete oblige de faire pour l’Exposition Inter-
nationale, et d’autres frais encore qu’elle a encourus ; et cependant,
a-t-il fait remarquer, il lui faut s’occuper de l’impression du Rapport
de M. Fropier sur l’Exposition tenue a l’H6tel du Gouvernement. Il
demande done que ce Rapport soit publie le plus tot possible avec
les annotations qu’il y a ajoutees.

Le Dr. Ulcoq donne avis a la Societe qu’il croit «avoir que l’Edi-
teur du Commercial Gazette serait dispose a imprimer gratis ce tra-
vail. M. F. Channell, present a la reunion, repond qu’il se chargera
volontiers et sans retribution aucune, de l’impression du Rapport de
M. Fropier et des notes qui y seraient ajoutees par le Secretaire.

Le manuscrit lui est immediatement remis par le Secretaire, et le
President prend la parole au nom de la Societe pour remercier M.
Channell.

— 154

Le Dr. Brookes presente, pour btre deposes au Museum, des speci-
men de crustaces et de couleuvres recueillis ii l’lle aux Frigates, une
des lies Seychelles et une espbce de poisson du gerne Fistularia.

M. Channell communique de la part de M. Joachim Diore des
renseignements sur la culture du Lin de la Nouvelle Zelande ( Fhor -
miurn tenaxj et suggbre l’idee qu’un essai en puisse etre fait a Mau-
rice.

8EANCB DU VENDREDI 31 AOUT 1860.

Le Dr. Ayres occupant le fauteuil.

Dr. Barraut, MM. Fleurot, Herchenrpder, Dr. Lejuge, MM. E.
Libnard, E. Mellish, Paruit, Dr. Regnaud.

M. J. Regnard est re?u membre resident.

Le Dr. Ayres, seconde du Secretaire, propose le Dr. Bazire, et le
Secretaire, seconde du Dr. Ayres, propose MM. Packenham et Ed.
Lebrun.

M. Mellish et le Dr. Ayres proposent comme membres correspon-
dants b Melbourne, M. Samuel Hannaford et le Dr. Mueller.

M. Alexander Lyall, fils de feu le Dr. R. Lyall, l’un des fonda-
teurs de la Societd, est admis comme membre resident, sur la pro-
position du Secretaire.

Entre autres brochures revues par la Malle, le Secretaire presente
un extrait du journal de la " Societd Linbenne ” de Londres, conte-
nant la description et la figure d’une plante de Maurice decrite sous
le nom de Fropiera Mauritiana. B. MSS.

Le Secretaire rapporte qu’aprbs une excursion faite dernierement
dans les forets du haut de Moka, il avait rencontrb un arbrisseau en
fleurs dont il n’a pu rbussir a determiner ni le genre ni l’espece. Des
bchantillons dessbchbs de cette meme plante ou d’une espbce voisine,
existaient dans l’herbier du Museum ; ils avaient bte recueillis par
M. Bojer et btaient btiquetes du nom vulgaire de “ Bois sans bcorce.”
Le Secretaire joignit les bchantillons qu’il avait lui-meme prepares h
ceux de M. Bojer, et les adressa a Sir W. Hooker, ii Londres, avec
pribre d’en faire l’examen, exprimant le desir si la plante etait nou-
velle, d’en former un genre auquel le Secretaire proposait de donner
le nom de son honorable ami, M. Fropier.

Les echantillons furent examines avec soin par le Dr. Hooker, fils
de Sir William, et la plante fut decrite et figuree sous le nom d c Fro-
piera Mauritiana dans le journal de la Societb Linneenne de Londres.

M. Ch. Wiehe presente de la part de M. O. Payet des graines du
Tan-rouge qu’il a recueillis h St. -Pierre, lie de la Reunion ; e’est de

155

la fleur de cct arbrc que les abeilles retirent le miel vert, clout le par-
fum est si remarquable. Cet arbre cxiste egalement dans les forets
de Maurice; e’est le Weinmanniu macrostachja DC. Prod.

Le Secretaire offre de la part de M. O. Begu6 une souche de tiges
du Restiotectorum provenant du Cap de Bonne-Esperancc. Cette
plante sert au Cap de couverture aux cabaues et aux chaumieres,
et dure, dit-on, un temps considerable. Mr. Begue desirerait que
ces tiges fussent essayees dans le meme but a Maurice, et propose
d’en faire venir du Cap des graines pour etre plantes dans notre ile.
Le Restio-te ctorum croit dans les lieux mareca^eux.

Le Dr. Ayres lit un memoire fort intdressant sur les diverses ma-
ladies auxquelles sont sujettes a Maurice les races europdennes, de
m6me que les creoles et les indiens. C’est un resume, une sorte de
statistique medicale dont il a presente le tableau, le resultant de ses
observations sur les maladies qu’il a eu l’occasion d’ examiner it l’llo-
pital Civil.

Le portrait de M. Lienard pere, ancien Vice-President de la So-
ciety, et peint par M. Boulanger est presente et mis en place dans la
salle des reunions. Ce portrait avait ete demande a Paris, a la sug-
gestion de M. Ev. Dupont, comme un temoignage des sentiments de
souvenir et d’ affection de la Societe, pour la personne de M. Lienard.

M. E. Lienard offre au Museum une boite nontenant des echantil-
lons de mineraux des Pyrenees, et une autre renfermant des coquil-
les de diverses localites. Les remerciments de la Societe sont trans-
mis a M. E. Lienard parle President.

SEANCG DU MERC RED I 5 SEPTEMBRE 1860.

L’hon. F. Bedingfeld occupant le fauteuil.

Dr. Ayres, Dr. Kirsten, Dr. Regnaud, MM. Desmarais, Durhone,
J. Levieux, Paruit, H. Pitot, V. de Robillard, W. Telfair.

On procede a l’election du Dr. Bazire et de MM. E. Lebrun et
Packenham qui sont re<;us membres residents.

Le Dr. Mueller et M. S. Hannaford sont re<;us membres corres-
pondants a Melbourne.

Le Dr, Regnaud fait la lecture d'un Rapport qu’il a 6t6 chargd de
faire conjointement avec le Dr. Ayres et le Dr. Lejuge sur un m<5-
moire adresse k la Societe par le Dr. Seneque et ayant pour titre :
“ Quelques considerations sur le mot Tambave.”

Le Rapporteur conclut en invitant la Societe a remercier le Dr. Sd-
nfeque de son interessant travail et it l’inscrer duns les compte-rendus.

— 156

Le Secretaire soumet a la Societe, de la part de M. Th. Meadow
quatre pieces en cuivre d’une monnaie fort ancienne qu’il s’est pro-
cure dans Tlnde.

SEANCE DU JEUDI 4 OCTOBRE 1860.

L’hon. F. Bedingfeld occupant le fauteuil.

Hon. Ch. Wiehe, Dr. Ayres, MM. Fleurot, E. Lienard, Paruit,
Target.

Le Secretaire donne communication des lettres suivantes :

1 . De M. Elie de Beaumont, President de l’Academie des Scien-
ces de Paris, en date du 17 Aout, accusant reception du dernier No.
des Transactions de la Societe.

2. De Sir W. Gomm, Patron honoraire de la Societe, remerciant
de 1* envoi qui lui a ete fait du meme No. des Transactions.

3. De M. Paul Madmier, redacteur des Annales d’ Agriculture
des Colonies, remerciant la Societe du titre de membre correspon-
dant qui lui a ete confere, et se mettant & sa disposition pour tous
les renseignements que desirerait avoir la Societe, en ce qui concerne
la specialite de ses travaux et de ses recherches en agriculture.

4. De M. Ed. Lebrun, a Tamatave, accusant reception de son
diplome, et offrant ses services pendant le temps de sa residence a
Madagascar.

5. De M. C. Westwood, membre correspondant de la Societe, de*
sirant avoir des specimen des insectes destructeurs de la canne a su-
cre, dans leurs differentes phases.

6. Du Secretaire Colonial, annon^ant le vote d’une sorame de £ 40
destin^e aux frais d’edification au Jardin des Pamplemousses, de
l’obelisque de M. Lienard.

Le Secretaire lit une notice intitulee : Etudes sur les plantes .

M. Fleurot presente une mati&re odorante qu’il a extraite des
fleurs duTan (Wcinmannia macrostachya) , et qu’il a reconnue pour
etre la Caumarine, substance qui avait ete d’abord trouvee dans la
Feve-Tonquin,Tonquin -Bean fDipterix odorata Willd,) et qui a ete de-
puis decouverte dans le Melilot, l’Asperule odorante, 1’ Anthoxanthum
odoratum, le Faham (Angraccum Jragrans) et 1’ Orchis fusca. Ce se-
rait done a cette substance existant dans le Tan qu’est du l’arome
particulier du miel connu a Bourbon sous le nom de miel vert.

Le Dr. Ayres, seconde du Secretaire, propose M. Alex. Montgo-
mery, comme membre resident.

SEANCE DU JEUDl 8 N0VEMURK 186(1.

Le Dr. Ulcoq occupant le fauteuil.

Dr. Ayres, Dr. C. Regnaud, MM. Doyen, Fleurot, H. Finniss, E,
Lienard, A. Lyall, Paruit, W. Telfair.

Le Secretaire presente de la part de M. Barbeau un specimen de
Guano provenant de Hobson’s Bay et dont M. Fleurot est charge de
faire l’analyse.

Le Dr. Ayres presente un fragment d’os qu’il adecouvert dans une
des cavernes de la Riviere-Noire et qu’il croit appartcnir au femur
d’un Solitaire ; du moins d’apres la comparaison qu’il en a faite avec
les os figures dans l’ouvrage de Strickland.

Le Secretaire lit une note sur le mode de repartition de quelques
plantes de Maurice. II rappelle ensuite que la Societe touche au
terme de ses seances mensuelles, et que la reunion a venir doit etre
la seance annuelle. On arrete que le Gouverneuren sera avert!, afin
qu’il veuille, comme d’ ordinaire, fixer le jour de cette seance.

SEANCE ANNUELLE.* — JEUDl 13 DECEMBER 1860.

Son Excellence le Gouverneur occupant le fauteuil.

Honbles. Bedingfeld, Ch. Wiehd, G. Dickson, W. Kerr, H. Le-
miere, Drs. Ayres, Bazire, Donald, Riccard, Ulcoq, MM. Caldwell,
Channell, De Closets, Desenne, F. Dick, Doyen, Fleurot, Hazlitt,
Herchenroder, Lebrun, L’Estrange, E. Lienard, Me’ Kerrell, Mel-
drum, Mellish, E. Newton, O’Toole, lledl, Telfair, L. Bouton, — Se-
cretaire.

La seance est ouverte par la lecture que fait le Secretaire du Rap-
port des travaux de l’annee.

S. E. le Gouverneur apres etre entre dans quelques details sur di-
vers sujets mentionnes dans le Rapport en propose l’adoption qui est
acceptee.

Lecture est donnee par M. Fleurot du Rapport des Auditeurs.

Le Gouverneur s’etant alors retire, la Societe a procedd a la no-
mination des officiers devant composer son bureau pour l’amice 1861,
ct le scrutin a fait connaitre les elections suivantes ;

MEMBRES OFFICIELS.

Hon. F. Bedingfeld. — President.

— C. Wiehe, 1 Vice-Prtsi-

— G. Dickson, / dents.

M. A. Desenne, — T charier .

MM. L. Bouton, — Secretaire.

— F. Dick, ) Vice -Seer e ■

— H. Finniss, / taircs.

158 —

MEMBRES INOFFICIELS.

Hon. W. Kerr, Dr. Ayres, Dr. Ulcoq, MM. Caldwell, E. Mellish,
Ed. Newton.

Le President designe comine Auditeurs pour 1’annee MM. Fleurot
et O’Toole.

SOCIETE ROYALE DES ARTS ET DES SCIENCES.

Prix decernes d V Exposition tenue dans le Bazar du Port- Louis, le

24 Aoilt 1860.

Aniiuaux.

Juges: L’Hon. W. AV. R. Kerr, MM. Robinson et Woodlock.

£ 8.

La meilleure vache (importee), Mme. Rousset, Port-Louis... 2
,, ,, (coloniale), Mme. Hodoul, „ ... 2

Anesse etson petit, P. Genevieve, Montagne Longue 1

Le meilleur belier (importe), Jourdain, Port-Louis 1

,, ,, (colonial), S. Nalletambie, Port-Louis ... 1

La meilleure chevre et ses 3 petits (importee), D. Pellegrin,

Port-Louis 1

La meilleure chbvre (coloniale), Mme. Muscarel, Port-Louis 1

Verat, A. Shaw, Port-Louis 1

Lapins, W. Foster, Port-Louis 10

Prix Extra.

Jument et son poulain (importee), P. E. de Chazal, Port-Louis 1
Poney (colonial), N. Bolger, Port-Louis, preuve d fournir

que c’est de provenance coloniale 1

Poney, jument (coloniale), J. Valerydouce, Pamplemousses,

preuve d fournir que c'est de provenance coloniale 1

Chfevre laitiere et ses 2 petits (coloniale), S. Nalletambie,

Port-Louis ' ... 10

Volailles.

Juges: MM. C. Bourgault, C. Barclay, Forget et Dr. Pastourel.

£ s.

La meilleure paire de canards de Manille, J. Caldwell, Port-

Louis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10

Poules de Cochin- Chine, Deputy Commissary General,

Routh, Port-Louis ! 10

Coq et Poules, A. Pitot, Port-Louis 10

La meilleure paire de pigeons, W. Jacques, Port-Louis ... 10

— 160 —

Frix Extra.

£ s.

Poule de Cochin -Chine, une poule et 9

ponlettes, Deputy

Commissary General Routh, Port-Louis

5

Oie, M. Brunet, Port-Louis

5

Coq et poules, J. Caldwell, Port-Louis

10

Poule (de race) de l’Inde, G. Devienne,

Port-Louis

5

Pigeons, F. Gaspard, Port-Louis

••• ••• ***

5

„ E. Denis ,,

• •• • « i ••• •••

5

Une paire de poules (duvet). Geffroy, Port-Louis

4

Une paire de poules de hot air e

••• ••• •••

5

Legumes.

Juges : L’Hon. C. C. Brownrigg, MM. Duncan, Tribe et Lienard.

• „t-,u 7 Mdd.

La collection la mieux assortie, J. Fraser, Plaines- W llnems j d’argt.

2me. ,, ,, Gilbert, Reduit 2

3me. ,, ,, P. Armstrong, Vallee des

Pretres *

Asperges, Sinna, Montagne Longue

Choux, E. Pipon, Grand Port

Carottes, P. A. Wiehe, Arsenal

Laitue poramee, Maingard, Pailles

Tomates, l’Hon. W. W. R. Kerr, Plaines- A\ ilhems

Pois, Maingard, Pailles

Radis, Lejuge, Pamplemousses

Capsicum, Tessier & Cie., Flacq ...

Navets, Bretonnache, Petite-Riviere

Oignons, L. Pondard ,,

Epinards, Maingard, Pailles

5

10

10

10

5

10

5

5

10

5

5

Prix Extra.

\ Mdd..

Collection, P. A. Wiehe, Arsenal ••• J d’argt,

Oignons, E. Herchenroder Cassis

Poireaux, F. de Monterville, Bambous

Cho-cho (tres beau), J. Fraser, Plaines- Wilhems 10

Pois, H. C. Bury, Moka 10

Fruits.

Juges: MM. E. Duvivier, O. Begue et Dr. Rdgnaud.

Mangues, E. Faoulaize, Port-l.ouis

Cteur-de-bceuf, E. Herchenroder, Cassis

— 161

Fruits a pain, E. Herchenroder, Cassis

€

S.

10

Cocos, „ „

10

Raisins, G. Collard, Port-Louis

Ananas (Victoria), E. Cahagnet, Montagne Longue...

... 1

10

Bananes, Tessier & Cie., Flacq

10

Sapotes, J. Agaisse, Port-Louis

10

Bibasses, E. Duvivier, Pailles

10

Areck, Mme. A. Levieux, Port-Louis

• • •

5

Prix Extra.

Mangues, Mile. L. Begue, Port-Louis

10

,, G. Collard, ,,

10

Coeur-de-bceuf, F. de Monterville, Bambous

5

Pommes, E. Michel, Petite- Riviere

Bananes, A. Chasteauneuf, Petite-Riviere

... 1
• M

10

Fleurs.

Juges : MM. Levieux, Bouton, C. Pitot et de Kqmorvant.

Le meilleur assortment d’arbrisseaux ou plantes en fleurs, ") Ment.

J. Duncan, Pamplemousses ) Hon.

2me. meilleur do., R. Hardy, Port- Louis 2

3me. ,, ,, V. Bernard ,, 1

Arbrisseaux et plantes, C. Vankersbilck, Moka 1

Le meilleur bouquet ,, ,, 1

2me. ,. J. Lincoln, Port-Louis 10

Prix Extra.

Fleurs coupees, J. Duncan, Pamplemousses 6

2 nouvelles plantes (Farfugium grande et Begonia Res.) ") Med.
Levieux, Port-Louis ) d’argt.

Nouvelle plante (pour couverture, du Cap Restio Tectorum ),

O. Begue, Port-Louis 10

(iraines. Karines et Feres.

Juges : MM. Bartlett, Bonieux ct Fleurot.

Riz (creole), E. Maugendre fils, Briquerie 10

Avoine, A. Latour, Pamplemousses 10

Graines de millet, E. Australia, Flacq 10

— 162

Pommes de terre, Gilbert, Reduit

Manioc, Pelletier, Riviere du Rempart

Patates douces (9 qualites), C. Fontenay, Savane
Cambares, J. Valerydoace, Riviere des Callebasses ...

Graines d’oignons, E. Herchenroder, Cassis

Cafe, J. Fraser, Plaines-Wilhems

Pistaches, Doger Veckranges, Rochebois

Prix Extra.

Pommes de terre, Hawes, Plaines-Wilhems

J. Fraser, „

Produits Divers

£

2

1

2

1

1

1

1

s.

1

1

Juges: MM. E. Berichon, E. Harel, Salaffa, P. Morillon, Dr. Ayres,

Vanille, J. Levieux, Port-Louis

,, Gachet, Pamplemousses

Achards, Mme. Morey, Port-Louis

Arrowroot, E. Cahagnet, Montague Longue

Cigares, Riviere ain6, Port-Louis

Beurre, Mme. Kerr, Plaines-Wilhems

Vermicelle, M. Martial, Grand’ Riviere ...

Prix Extra.

1 Med.
J d’or.

1 Ment.
/ Hon.
10
10
10

1

1 Med.
J d’argt.

Vanille, E. de Chazal, Port-Louis

Tabac k nez, W. G. Smith & Cie., Port-Louis

Fruits conserves, E. Martial, Plaines-Wilhems

Celees, Mme. Bardin, Pailles

Achards, Mme. Toussaint, Pailles

Sauces, Mme. J. Marie, Port-Louis

Arrowroot, M. Bechard, Montagne Longue

Miel, Celestin, Bois-Rouge

Engrais Mauricien (Guano), Paruit D’Esmery, Port-Louis

Beurre, Mme. Dickson, Plaines-Wilhems

Cire, Celestin, Bois-Rouge

,, D. D. Chauvin, Bambous

1

1

1

10

8

10

S

10

Ment.

Hon.

10

5

10

163

Manufactures Colouialcs.

Juges : MM. Hounslow, De Closets et Walmsley Standley jeune.

Peignes (ecaille), A. Ligeac, Port-Louis

Modules de navires, L. Michel, Port-Louis

„ Rogers,

,, A. Cavasso, ,,

^ Med.
j d’argt.
1 Meat.
-J Hon.

Cuirs prepares, Villecollet & Cie., Port-Louis ...

Ouvrages d’ehenisterie, Marchand, Port-Louis...
Mecanisme pour detacher une voiture des chevaux emportes,
Durand, Port-Louis

Carosserie, Goron, Port-Louis

Forgeronnerie ayant rapport aux voitures,

Louis

Langevin, Port

Modele d’une machine a vapeur, H. Smith, Port-Louis
Machineric, Mauritius Iron and Copper works, ,,

Harmonometre, Olivier pere, ,,

Med.

d’argt.

Meat.

Hon.

10

Ment.

Hon.

Med.

d’or.

Ment.

Hon.

Tableaux et Dessius.

Juges: L’llon. E. Bedingfeld, Col. Cockburn, Royal Artillery, MM.

E. Lienard & Wirnphen.

Aquarelle, M. Tunks, Port-Louis

„ H. Collard, .,

Peinture a l’huile, Demianee, Port-Louis

Architecture et mecanique, A. Rolando, Port-Louis
,, ,, H. Rousset, „

£ s.

1

10

1

JO

10

Pastel, E. klapet,

,, A. Standley,

Crayon et Encre, Lc Balloche,
Ecriture, C. Macarthy,

,, Doger Veckranges, Rochehois

1

10

10

1

o

Ouvrages tie Dames.

Juges : Madame Stevenson, Mines. Grant, Carter et liacaussade.

Broderie (Plumetis), Mile. Mery. Port-Louis 1

Broderie (point d’armes), Mile. S. Ollier, Port-Louis 1

— 161 —

£ 8.

Broderiesoie et laine, Mile. Letourneur, Port-Louis ... 1

Tapis en crochet. Mile. Maclauchlin, ,, 1

Fleurs artificielles, Mine. Vve. Rouxelin, ,, 1

Prl\ Extra.

Tapis en crochet, Mile. Pigneguy, Port-Louis 10

Tricot (crochet), Mme. Duncan, Pamplemousses 10

Broderie (point d’armes), Mme. Royer, Port-Louis 10

( soie et perles), Mile. Bonnefin, ,, 10

,, ,, Mile. Hewetson, ,, 10

Fleurs artificielles, Mme. Bonnefin, ,, 10

,, Mile, Aubin, ,, 10

,, Mile. Deroullede, ,, 10

Ouvrage de dentelles, Mme. Barlow, ,, 1

Oouvrage a l’aiguille (chemise) Mile. M. Capiron, Port-
Louis

W. W. R. KERR,

President dv Comite d’ Agriculture.

PRESENTED
' 1 2 DEC 1350

;; D£(b 1950

MAURITIUS.

[ NEW SEEIES. ] [ PART II. VOL. TL ]

MAURITIUS.

PRINTED Hr L. CHANNELL, POUDRIERK STREET.

18(55.

BY

FREDERICK GUTHRIE.

»MM«'

In the following investigation the word drop is used with a
more definite meaning than that which is usually fastened to
it. In common speech it includes every mass of liquid matter
whose form is visibly influenced towards the spherical by the
attraction of its parts, and whose sensible motion or tendency
is towards the earth. This definition includes drops with
which we ai’e not here concerned, and excludes others which
we shall have to consider. We shall have to measure the size
of drops ; and it can only be of avail to measure the size of such
drops as are formed under fixed and determinable conditions.

Many drops, according to the usual scope of the term, are
formed under indefinite conditions. For instance, a rain-drop
depends for its size upon such circumstances as the quantity of

vapour at the time and place of its formation ; the stillness
and electrical condition of the air ; the number and the size
of the drops it meets with in its course ; the amount of vapour
in the air through which it passes, etc. ; all of which are
fortuitous, or at least immeasurable conditions.

With such drops we have here nothing to do, but only
with those which are formed under fixed circumstances. On
the other hand we shall have t) consider upward moving
drops.* Drops of the latter kind are so se ldom seen, that while
an upward moving drop appears an incongruous expression,
yet no distinctive name has been given ;o them.

Without attempting an exhaustive 'definition, it will be
sufficient to define a drop as a mass of liquid collected and
held together only by the attraction of i ;s parts, and separated
from other matter by the attraction of gravitation. This
definition will exclude such drops as those of mist or rain, and
will include the upward moving drops referred to above.

Such being the definition of a drop, it follows at once that
the size of a drop may depend upon and be influenced by
variation in : —

1. The self-attraction and cohesion of the drop -generating
liquid ;

2. Its adhesion to the matter upon which the drop is
formed ;

3. The shape of the matter from which the elrop moves ;

4. The physical relation between the medium through
which the drop moves, on the one hand to the liquid of which
the drop is formed, and on the other to the matter on which
it is formed ;

5. The attraction of the earth or gravitation upon the drop-

* Owing to the numerical preponderance of downward moving drops,
we are prone to associate the ideas of drop and down. How far Imay be
justified philologically in using the expression “ drop up ’’ must depend
upon the relative primativeness of the noun and verb drop. Once for
all I beg permission to use the term in the extended sense.

Of course, in the absence of positive levity, an upward drop can only
be caused by the downward motion of the medium in which the drop
moves.

forming liquid, and upon the medium ; A as influenced by
their respective and relative densities, aud B as influenced by
variation in the attractive power of the earth.

In order to study systematically the influence which each of
these causes exerts, each must be varied in succession while
the others remain constant.

Denoting the three states of matter solid liquid and gaseous
by the symbols S, L, G respectively ; and considering the
symbols in the order in which they are written, to denote
respectively, the matter from which the dropping takes place,
the drop and the medium, we get a convenient notation.

As we are speaking at present exclusively of liquid drops,
L must always hold the middle place in the symbol of the
symoolically possible variations.

(i) (?) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (b)

SLS, SLL, SLG, LLS, LLL, LLG, GLS, GLG,

(I), (4) and (8) are physically, impossible on account of the
superior cohesion of liquids over solids : (6), (7), (8) are
physically impossible on account of the superior density of
liquids over gases.

SLL, SLG and LLL are therefore the only cases we have
to consider. That is :

SLL, from a solid, a liquid drops through a liquid.

SLG, from a solid, a liquid drops through a gas.

LLL, from a liquid, a liquid drops through a liquid.

Of these three caies, two, SLL and LLL, are invertable :
that is, the motion cf the crop may be either to or from the
earth. The gravitation of the drop may be greater than and
overcome the gravitation of the medium, the drop descends :
or the gravitation of the medium overcomes that of the drop,
the drop ascends. The case LLG cannot be inverted because,
at all events at the same pressure, every known gas is lighter
than every known liquid.

It will be convenient to consider the case SLG first, because
instances of it come more frequently under our notice than of

the other two and because it will be convenient to consider
together those cases which are capable of inversion.

As we are considering the physical aspect of the question,
we will onlv discuss those cases where no chemical action takes
place between the terms and where either no solution takes
place or where it is so small as to be negligible, or of such Ji
kind as to admit of experimental elimination. This limitation
of course excludes a vast number of combinations, but it must
be made in order to study the purely physical and definite
influences which determine the size of a drop.

I.—SLG, From a Solid , a Liquid Drops through a Gas.

The variable factors are :

1. The self attraction and cohesion of the liquid.

A. dependent upon its purely chemical constitution.

13. dependent upon the proportion between its hetero-
geneous parts.

C. dependent on temperature.

2. The adhesion between the solid and the liquid.

A. as in 1.

13. as in 1.

I

C. as in 1.

D. dependent upon the shape of the solid.

3. The adhesion of the gas to the solid.

A. 13. C. as in 1.

E. dependent on atmospheric pressure.

4. Adliesien of the gas to the liquid.

A. B. C. E. as in 3.

One of these factors, namely, Temperature, though varying
in different cases, may be supposed, in the same case to be
the same for the different kinds of matter present.

Another factor in the same predicament is flic locally con-
stant gravitation at the place where the dropping takes place.
Lastly, a condition of great influence is the extent ot the
time interval between the successive drops. This interval we
shall call for brevity the growth-time of the drop, and repre-
sent by gt.

— 169 —

If the above conditions are exhaustive, ve may assert that
a drop of liquid will always be of the same size if it is formed
of the same liquid substance and falls from a solid of the same
1 size, shape and substance, provided that the barometric ten-
sion, temperature, and attraction of gravitation remain the
same and that the growth-time be constant.

The size of the drops may be most conveniently determined
by weighing a noted number of them. This gives the weight
of a single drop. On finding the specific gravity of the liquid
at the same temperature, the weight of the water is deduced
whose volume is equal to that of the drop. Hence and from
the known expansion of water at different temperatures, the
volume of the water and therefore of the drop is found.

The whole arrangement employed is shown in Fig. 1.

The globe A full of the liquid under experiment is invert-
ed into the cylinder B containing the same. The mouth of
A is supported by a tripod stand D just in contact with the
surface of the liquid in B. A and B are carried on a table
which may be raised or lowered at pleasure. A siphon E
leads from the reservoir B. and is rigidly held by the clamp
'F. The longer limb of E from which the liquid flows, is tur-
ned up at the end which touches a plug of cotton-wool G .
The sphere II from which the dropping takes place is hung by
three thin wires from the ring of a retort stand. The upper
half the sphere is clothed in wool which reaches up to the plug
G. The whole arrangement is placed upon a board, which is
separated from the table by six inches if tow so as to diminish
any accidental vibration. The drops which tall from II enter
the funnel E aaIiosc loAA'er end is slightly bent so that the
drops arc throAvn out of the vertical and every upAvard splash-
ing avoided. The rapidity of the flow through the funnel
and consequent dropping from II is entirely regulated by rai-
sing and lowering the table C. The vessel A acts as a regu-
lator for keeping the level of the liquid in B at a constant
height.

The first series of exponents was made with the double ob-

— 170

ject of determining how far the rapidity of dropping influen-
ced the size of the drops and to establish the uniformity of
the size of the drops which drop at equal intervals of time.

In these experiments cocoa nut oil was taken as the liquid,
an ivory sphere as the solid, and atmospheric air as the gas.
The ivory sphere was washed in hydrochloric acid so as to
deaden its surface Immediately before, and after each batch
of drops, the same number of drops was counted and their
time of falling compared with the time which elapsed in the
actual experiment. In no case however, was there a differ-
ence between the two of a single second, so that gt. may be
considered in each case to be precisely given.

TABLE I.

T = 28°. 5 C. — Bate = 60 drops in 60”

Number of Drops.

gt.

W eight of Drops.

Gramme.

60

1”

3.9817

60

1

3.9841

60

1

3.9781

60

3.9807

60

1

3.9742

60

1

3.9730

60

1

3.9735

60

1

3.9682

gt.

Mean weight of single

drop

1

0.066279

— 171 —

Preliminary experiments having shown that the size of a
drop is greatly affected by the rate at which the dropping
takes place, that is, by the time occupied by the drop in its
formation, the following experiments were performed to estab-
lish the connexion between the two.

It may be here remarked that, with some liquids, a conti-
nuous stream of liquid by no means implies a faster delivery
of it than may be achieved by a succession of drops. On the
contrary, just as by walking more rapid progress may be made
than by running, so may dropping deliver more liquid than
passes in a stream. A uniformly rapid series of drops may
be converted into a stream and reconverted into drops under
certain restrictions, at pleasure. We shall return to this fact
in the sequel.

TABLE II.

T = 28°. 7 C.

Number

of

Dropsi

Time

between fall
of first

but one and last
Drop.

Weight

of

Drops.

60

26”

4.5212

60

26

'4.5173

60

26

4.5265

60

26

4.5316

60

30

4.3676

60

30

4.3668

60

30

4.3593

60

30

4.3665

60

34

4.4827

60

34

4.4731

60

34

4.4643

60

34

4.4779

60

34

4.4681

60

34

4.4752

60

38

4.3778

Number

of

Drops.

Time

between fall
of first

but one and last
Drop.

Weight

of

Drops.

60

38”

4.3678

60

38

4.3628

60

38

4.3682

120

76

8.7403

60

38

4.3646

60

42

4.2342

60

42

4.2357

60

42

4.2362

60

42

4.2368

60

42

4.2330

60

42

4.2378

60

46

4.1487

60

46

4.1438

60

46

4.1499

60

46

4.1471

— 1 72 —

From this table is deduced the following Table III, which
shows gt in seconds and the corresponding drop-weights in
grammes ; the latter being the mean of the results in Table
II. gt is got by dividing the time lapses of Table II by the
number of drops.

TABLE III.

T = 28 ° . 7 C.

gt.

Weight of Single Drop.

0.433

0.07540

0.500

0.07275

0.567

0.07455

0.633

0.07281

0.700

0.07059

0.767

0.06912

1.000

0.06627*'

From Table III, to which Table I may be joined as a con-
tinuation, it at once appears that, on the whole, for oil,
within the above limits, the weight or size of a drop dimi-
nishes as its growrth-time increases. Further it seems that
between the rates gt. = .57 a minimum occurs : that is, in-
stead of there being a continuous diminution in the weight as
the growth time increases, there is at first a diminution, then

an increase and finally a continuous diminution : so that

%>

drops of the rate gt. — .51 have the same size as those of the
rate gt. — .64. In order to establish more precisely the posi-
tion of this minimum and the general relation between rate
and size, a more minute division of the time must be made
and the table must be more extended. From this short Table
however may be gathered how extremely sensitive the size of
the drop is in regard to the time wdiich it takes to form.

* Table I, T = 28°. 5.

of

ropi

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

— 173 —

TABLE IY.

T = S9°C. Sp. Gy. = 0.9195,

Time
veen fall
)f first
one and
t Drops.

• Weight
of

Drops.

Number

of

D:'ops.

Time

between fall
of first

but one and
la .t Drops.

Weight

of

Drops.

25”

4.9543

30

34”

4.6013

25

4.9613

30

35

4.5340

25

4.9608

<30

35

4.5334

25

4.9604

60

35

4.5420

26

4.8463

60

35

4.5309

26

4.8448

60

36

4.4021

26

4.8423

60

72

8.8066

26

4.8432

60

36

4.4013

27

4.9112

60

36

4.3925

27

4.9107

60

37

4.3932

27

4.9121

60

37

4.3891

27

4.9100

60

37

4.3925

28

4.7530

60

37

4.3938

28

4.7534

60

3S

4.3934

28

4.7515

60

38

4.3940

28

4.7459

60

38

4.3932

29

4.7594

60

38

4.3907

29

4.7588

60

40

4.3857*

29

4.7607

60

40

4.3560

29

4.7591

60

40

4.3564

30

4.8105

60

40

4.3565

30

4.7123*

60

45

4.2319*

30

4.8099

60

45

4.2623

30

4.8111

60

45

4.2619

31

4.8184

60

45

4.2588

31

4.8084

60

50

4.1442

31

4.8055

60

50

4.1400

31

4.8095

60

50

4.1420

32

4.7714

60

50

4.1398

32

' 4.7782

60

60

3.9644

32

4.7785

60

60

3.9627

32

4.7786

60

60

3.9622

33

4.6194

60

60

3.9619

33

4.6177

60

90

3.7294

33

4.6141

60

90

3.7294

33

4.6126

60

90

3.7296

34

4.5960

60

90

3.7291

34

4.5964

60

120

3.5920

34

4.5996

60

120

3.5913

TABLE IV ( continued })

T = 29° C. Sp. Gy. = 0.9195.

Number

of

Dropsi

Time

between fall
of first

but one and last
Drop.

Weight

of

Drops.

(Number

of

Drops.

Time

between fall
of first

but one and last
.Drop.

Weight

of

Drops.

60

120”

3.5916

60

300”

3.2813

60

120

3.5926

60

300

3.281 1

60

180

3.4243

60

300

3.2811

60

180

3.4263

20

240

1.0400

60

180

3.4268

20

240

1.0402

60

180

3.4278

20

240

1.0402

60

240

3.3379

20

240

1.0399

60

240

3.3348

. . .

• • •

60

240

3.3358

...

...

• • •

60

240

3.3371

• • •

• • •

60

300

3.2814

...

...

From this Table the following Table V is derived. Column
I shows gt. the growth time of the drops, column II shows
the corresponding mean weights of the single drops. Column
III shows the rate of delivery per second in grammes. It
was found impossible to arrest an exact number of drops when
the rate was faster than 60 drops in 25”. A fen* rather dis-
cordant results got at the rate of 60 drops in 20” gave a mean
of 5.5584, tending to show that at this high rate the drops
were considerably larger than at any lower rate.

Towards the end of the Table at the slower rates the error
of time becomes so magnified, the least alteration in the ad-
justment of the instrument makes such a sensible alteration
in the entire time lapse that it is nearly impossible to
avoid an error of less than 0”.5 on the whole time of several
minutes. Although the time error thus becomes palpable it
remains nevertheless relatively to the whole time lapse, as im-
materially small as are the inappreciable errors of the swifter
rates of dropping.

TABLE V.

T = 29° C. Sp. Gy. = 0.9195.

1. II. III.

U t •'

Mean Weight of
Single Drop.

Weight of oil passing
per second.

(0”.333)

Grms.

( 0.09264 )

Grms.

( 0.27792 )

0”.417

0.08265

0.19837

0”.433

0.08074

0.18631

0”.450

0.08185

0.18189 ■

0”.467

0.07918

0.16968

0” 483

0.07932

0.16412

0”.500

0.08017

0.16035

0”.517

0.08017

0.15518

0”.533

0.07961

0.14927

0”.550

0.07693

0.13985

0”.567

0.07664

0.13524

0”.583

0.07558

0.1.2957

0”.600

0.07334

0.12221

0”.617

0.07320

0.11871

0”.633

0.07321

0.11560

0”.667

0.07260

0.10891

0”.750

0.07102

0.09469

0”.833

0.06902

0.08283

1”.000

0.06605

0.06605

1” 500

0.06215

0.0 1144

2”. 000

0.05986

0.02993

3” .000

0.05710

0.01903

4” .000

0.05561

0.01432

5”. 000

0.05469

0.01094

12” .000

0.05201

0.00 133

These numbers present several interesting and important
facts.

From fft. = .333

to f)t. —

.433 there is a dimimition.

» = -i33

.450

,, an increase.

» = -4'50

3)

.467

,, a diminution.

» = -467

))

.500

,, an increase.

)3 — .500

D

12.000

}) a continual di

munition.

The most prominent fact is that, on the whole, the drops

undergo a continuous diminution. To such an extent is this

the case that the most rapidly falling drops of the above Table

are nearly twice as heavy as the most slowly falling ones. The

cause of this is probably to be sought for in the circumstance
• #
that when the flowing to the solid is more slow, the latter is

covered with a thinner film of liquid, so that as the drop parts,

the solid reclaims by adhesion more of the root of the drop

than is the case when the adhesion of the solid to the liquid

can satisfy itself from the thicker film which surrounds the

drop in the case of a more rapid flow. The influence of rate

is seen to extend even to the exceedingly slow rate of gt.—

12”.

This connexion between rate and weight (or quantity)
should not be lost sight of by prescribers and dispensers of
medicine, where a certain number of drops are to be given :
A Pharmacist who administer 100 drops of a liquid drug at
the rate of 3 drops per second may give half as much again
as one who measures it at the rate 1 drop in two seconds : and
so on.

For our present purpose the effect of rate upon the size of
a drop is of great moment, because it proves that there is no
such thing as a drop of normal size. At no degree of slow-
ness of dropping do drops as mme a size unaffected by even a
slight change in the rate of t leir sequence. Hence, whenever
a comparisor. has to be made between the sizes of different
drops, we shill have to elimiiate this source of difference by
taking drops at exactly the same rate.

About the rate at which the diminution of size takes place
for equal increments of gt., the table gives us little informa-
tion, beyond the fact that on the whole, the sizes of the drops
at the slower rates are less influenced by equal increments of
gt. than are those of the quicker rates. This however only
appears distinctly at and below the rate of about gt. — 1”.00.

If the connexion between gt. and the drop size be repre-
sented by a curve (Fig. II. A.) the abscissae being the values

of gt. and the ordinates the corresponding weights, there is
no apparent asymptote parallel to the axis of X. The curve
presents however in its course two secondary maxima and
minima.

Secondary Maxima. Secondary Minima.

(1) gt. = .450 gt. = .433

Although at these minima the drops are less than at the
immediately succeeding rates, yet the quantity of liquid pass-
ed in a given time is, at every rate of dropping, greater than
the quantity passed at a slower rate in the same time. The
decrease of rate more than counterbalances the temporary in-
crease in the drop size. This is seen on comparing the num-
bers of column III with one another. They are found to de-
crease continuously, though by no means uniformly, as the
rate of dropping decreases.

The second maximum (at gt—. 500 and gt—. 517) is ill re-
markable connexion with the rate at which a series of drops
may be converted into a continuous stream. At the rates of
dropping from gt. — .2>?>2> to gt—.§Y7 inclusive the drops may
be converted into a permanent stream by pouring a little of
the liquid upon the sphere as the drops are falling from it.
A stream is thus established which remains for any length of
time if it be protected from all currents of air and vibration
At the rate gt — . 519 the stream maybe established by the
same means for a few seconds (about 30”) ; but the continu-
ous part inevitably begins to palpitate, becoming alternately
longer and shorter, thinner and thicker, until at length it
draws up and is converted into drops. At the immediately
succeeding slower rates of dropping, the same effect follows,
but in each case in a shorter time. So that the slowest rate
of dropping which may be converted into permanent running
coincides with that rate which gives the second maximum size
of drops (gt= .500 and .517) . The appearance of a drop-con-
vertible stream is peculiar, the narrowing which it undergoes

— 17S —

on leaving the solid being remarkably sudden. Curve B, Fig.
II. , shows the relative quantity of liquid passed in a unit of
time. The abscissae give the value of gt and the ordinates
the value of column 3 Table V.

In order to avoid the influence of variations in rate we shall
for the future take the rate of dropping in all cases the same
and unless the contrary is stated the rate adopted will be
9t — 2”.

The factor, the influence of whose variation on the size of
the drop we have- next to consider, is tire constitution of the
liquid of which the drops arc formed. For the above experi-
ments concerning the influence of rate cocoanut oil was em-
ployed on account of its non-volatility. On allowing a quan-
tity of it having an exposed surface of about two square
inches to stand for 70 hours it was found to have increased
about two milligrammes in weight, probably in consequence
of oxidation: Its fixedness therefore and its perfect liquid-

ness at the temperature 28° — 30w C. make it well adapted for
this special purpose. Chemically and physically however it
is of little interest from the present point of view, because it
is a mixture of several substances the proportion between
which is indefinite.

It will be of great interest to examine the effect upon the
size of drops of the chemical composition of liquids belonging
to the same homologous series, such as the ethers, alcohols
and corresponding acids. For this purpose and also for exa-
mining the effect of solution of solid matter upon the drop-
size we must determine the drop-size of water under fixed
conditions.

With mere mobile liquids, the Apparatus Fig. 1 fails to
give a strictly uniform flow. As the liquid descci ds in B it
adheres by capillary action to the lip of A for some time af-
ter the level of B is below the lip. The air at last separates
. the two, enters the flask A displaces the liquid there and res-
tores the level to B. So that although tbc average height of
13 is constant yet it undergoes a series of slight but ceaseless

179

variations. As however this slight variation sensibly affects
the rate of f oav through the siphon, the apparatus is slightly
modified as follows. Between the reservoir B with its flask A
and the dripping sphere a second reservoir W is placed. This is
kept in a s:atc of continual overflow. The overflow is regu-
lated by means of a few filaments of cottonwool hanging over
the edge of the overflowing vessel and so fashioned that the
thickest part of the cotton plug is in contact with the edge.
Finally the rate of flow is so sensitive that it is impossible to
procure an exact and predetermined rate by the ordinary
screw adjustement of the holder which carries the siphon.
For the final adjustment it is convenient to depend upon the
elasticity of the siphon which is at first rigidly fixed so as to
deliver the liquid at nearly the required rate. A heavy ring is
then slipped on the siphon so as to bend it more or less. A
little caoutchouc is wrapped round the ring where it touches
the glass so as to prevent it from slipping. See Fig. III.

The following table shows how the size of a drop is affected
by the quantity of solid matter which it, holds in solution.
The liquids examined were solutions of chloride of calcium
of different strengths. They Avere prepared as folloAA's : —

A solution nearly saturated (at 28 ° C.) Avas taken as the
starting point. Solution 1. An accurately stoppered bottle Avas
tAA'ice filled vrith solution 1, emptied into a beaker and mixed
with tAvo bottles of Avater. This gave solution 2. Half of this
was kept and the rest, mixed again with its own volume of wa-
ter gave solution 3 and so on. In this Avay without knoAV-
ing the strength of solution 1 : Ave knoAv that the successive
strengths of the solutions whether there be loss of volume, due

to chemical combination, or not, are as S,

S S S S S

0

} -4 ) 8 j 16 > 32

These numbers give exactly the relative quantity of solid
matter in a unit of volume of the liquid. As however solution
I on dilution evolves heat, the sizes of the drops cannot be
derived from their Aveiglit directly. The specific gravity of
each solution has to be determined.

TABLE VI.

m. m.

fft. - 2”. T = 28° C. Radius of Sphere = 22.1.

Solution of
Cacl.

Wt. of 30
drops.

Mean Wt. of
a single drop.

Sp. Gy.

Relative size
of a

single drop.

8 \

r

6.6715 ‘
6.7031
6.8347
6.8577

>

>

0.225558

1.4939

\

0.15098

v

6.3120 \
6.3031
6.3653
6.3771 _

0.211396

1.2786

0.16533

S

T "

5.8698 *1
5.8841
6.8746
5.8722 „

Y

0.195839

1.1721

0.16742

s

5.7265
5.7332
. 5.7279
5.7334 _

>

0.191008

1.0720

0.17817

i. J

16

'

5.0241 ”
5.0451
5.0184
4.9790 _

>

0.167222

1.0383

0.16105

s

32

r

V

5.2149 '
5.2175
5.2368
5.2420 _

0.172593

1.0172

0.16967

r

5.1842 '
5.1854
5.1904
5.1889 _

>

0.172907

1.0084

0.17147

S

128

5.0275
5.0520
5.0536
5.0433 _

0.168137

1.0039

0.16750

Water <

r~

w

5.5534 "

5.5534

5.5524

5.5584

5.5524

5.5598

>

0.185166

1.0000

0.18517

— 181

The column of the relative sizes of single drops (which is
got by dividing the mean weights by the respective specific
gravities) shows that, under like conditions, a drop of water is
larger than a drop of solution of chloride of calcium of any
strength whatever. The comparatively small quantity of so-
lid matter in S/128 causes the drop to diminish about l/g of its
volume. Me must bear in mind that the successive incre-
ments of solid matter affects the size of the drop in several
ways. By affecting the cohesion of the water : by asserting
its own cohesion j by its superiority in weight determining a
fall of a drop comparatively sooner, and in this case by the che-
mical affinity of the solid to the liquid, which may be saltatory
according to the possible hydrates of chloride of calcium. It
is seen that these various influences cause an irregularity in
the diminution of the size of the drop as it acquires more so-
lid matter. In fact, it is only when the liquid has the great
strength of S/s that the diminution in drop size becomes, con-
tinuous. On account of the chemical union which takes place
on dissolving Ca Cl in water I have not given the absolute
strengths of the various solutions. To see how much of the
intermediate irregularity is due to the existence of chemical
union between the two bodies of which the liquid is compos-
ed, we may next take nitrate of potash which as far as is
known does not combine with ■water at all.

Solutions of nitrate of potash were made of the following
strengths by weight : —

.22 of water to 1 of nitrate of potash.

•)9

) *

9

yy

90

y y

3

yy

yy
y )

90

} y

4

y y

yy

22

22

22

22

yy
y y

9

(j

8

.) f

y y
yy

yy

yy

yy

yy

These were made to drop from the ivory sphere (Fig. HI)

at the rate of yt. — 2”. In each instance four batches of 30
drops each were weighed.

TABLE VII.

m m.

yt . = 2”. T = 28° C. Radius of Sphere = 22.1
I. II. III. IV. V.

Solution

HO

KNO A
6

Mean weight of
single drop.

Specific gravity hv
experiment

Relative

size

! of si ngle

j drop.

■

Weight of
KN06

in single drop.

22/s

0-18022

1-1267

•16014

22/;

0-18611

1-1130

•16723

•05921

22/c

0-18254

1-0987

•16618

•01978

22/5

0-17805

1-0832

•16439

•04047

22A

016917

1 -0680

•15810

l

•16853

•03075

22/3

0T7714

1-0511

•0.2411

22/2

0-17908

1 0341

•17318

•01628

»/l

0-18613

1-0164

.18314

•00846

22/o

0-18517

1-0000

•18517

•00000

On comparing the numbers of column IV with one an-
other we cau trace the following effects, bearing in mind
that the chief factors are ( 1 ) the cohesion of the water
to itself. (2) the cohesion of the nitrate of potash to itself.

On the addition of the first, parts of nitre { " ““ -4r )

the cohesion of the water is successively diminished. Af-

oo oo

tenvards ,?)

tlie cohesion of the nitre begins to as-

sert itself whereby the size of the drop is partly recovered.
There is a stage of dilution in the case of nitre when the
Sp. Gv. is 1, 1(380 where the drop size is a minimum. Further
if is seen from column Y that the quantify of nitre in a drop

18:’, —

increases continually as the strength of the solution increase*
although the weight and volume of the deep both vary.

Inversely the regularity of the variation of drop size in the
ease of nitre, points to the absence of definite hydrates of that
body.

It would be easy but delusive lo construct a formula con-
necting the specific gravity with the drop size or dee]) weight
of the solution. But a graphic representation seems to show
the connexion between the variables.

In fig. II the abscissae of the curve C represent the quantities
of nitre dissolved in the same quantity of water. The ordi-
nates of curve C show the corresponding weights ; those of
P, the corresponding volumes of the drops ; those of E, the
corresponding weights of nitrate of potash contained in a drop.

It is confessedly a matter of great interest and still greater
difficulty to determine exactly the relation which exists he-

V V

tween a dissolved solid and its solvent. The question may
perhaps receive additional light from experiments similar to
the above but more extensive and with this special object in
view. Comparing the tables VI and VII there can for instance
be little doubt that the apparent irregularities in table VI are
owing to the existence of definite hydrates of chloride of cal-
cium, while the uniformity of the numbers of table VII show
that no hydrate of nitrate of potash exists at this tempera-
ture. If this be the true explanation we may certainly
make use of the method of drop-weighing to trace the exist-
ence oi1 absence of hydrates in solution of salts, or generally
the existence of definite compounds in mixtures. And thus
perhaps Berthollcts hypothesis of reciprocal recomposition
may receive confirmation or the reverse.

An investigation of this kind would lead away from the
present purpose.

he have next to consider the influence which the variation
in the chemical nature of the drop-forming liquid may exer-
cise upon the drop-size in the case SLG.

The liquids which were selected for this purpose were clio-*

j 8 i

sen a* being typical of extensive classes rather than as being
connected with one another in immediate chemical relation.
They were :

Water; Alcohol; Acetic Acid; Acetic Ether; Butyric Acid ;
Oil of Turpentine ; Benzol; Glycerine and Mercury.

The several liquids were allowed to drop from the same
platinum cup. The arrangement of the apparatus was quite
similar to that described in T. the ivory ball being replaced by
the platinum cup, and the overflow of the cup being deter-
mined by strips of paper bent. over its edge. The last ease,
mercury, is the only one which requires some explanation.
A few years ago (. noticed a fact widen has probably been ob-
served by others, but of which I find no mention: namely
that mercury which holds even a very little sodium in solu-
tion has the power of “ wetting” platinum in a very remark-
able manner. The appearance of the platinum is quite simi-
iar to that of amalgamable metals in contact with mercury,
but the platinum is in no wise attacked. Further, the amal-
gam may be washed off by clean mercury and the latter will
also continue to adhere equally closely to the platinum. All
the phenomena of positive capillarity are presented between
the two. The surface of the mercury in a platinum cup so
prepared is quite concave; and a basin of mercury maybe
emptied if a few strips of similary prepared platinum foil are
laid over its edge : just in the same way as a basin of w ater
may be emptied by strips of paper or cloth; and under the
same conditions, namely that the external limb of such capil-
lary siphon be longer than the internal one.

I generallv use this curious property of sodium amalgam
for cleaning platinum of vessels. It enables us now to exa-
mine the size of drops of mercury under conditions similar to
those which obtain in the ease of other liquids. ■■

# In regard to the above mentioned property of sodium, t,bc follow -
im» observations may be of interest. At lirst, t be explanation naturally
sim 'esta itself that the effect wrought hv the sodium may be due to an
ubeorbtion of oxygen in consequence of the Oxidation of the sodium,

Alter the cup hud been used for the other liquids, its sur-
ly.ee Mcis 1 uhbecl with sodium iuruilgciivi mid washed with clean
mercury. A few strips of similarly prepared platinum foil
being bent ov er the edge and pressed close to the sides of the
cup, the mercury could lie handled similarly to the other li-
quids.

The following table shows :

1 . The liquids examined ;

2. The number of drops which were w eighed ;

<>. The weights found ;

T. The mean weights of single drops ;

5. the observed specific gravity at the given temperature;

(i. The relative sizes of single drops'.

the experimental numbers obtained are given w ithout omis-
sion. 1 hey arc arranged after experiment in the order of
magnitude oi the relative drop sizes.

the consequent diminution of the gaseous film between the two metals
and the consequent excess in the superior pressure of the air. This
however cannot be the true explanation, because it is found that, the
perfect contact between the two or wetting, takes place equally well in
an atmosphere of nitrogen, of carbonic acid and in vacuo. Hence, if I
may venture upon a guess, unsupported by direct experimental evi-
dence, I should be rather disposed to assign (he action to the effect of
nascent hydrogen due to the action of the sodium upon traces of moi-
sture Perhaps even the least oxidizable metals may be coated wi'h a
thin film of oxide which is reduced by the nascent hydrogen at the same
moment that the mercury is presented to the reduced metal. It i*
found that iron, copper, bismuth and antimony are also wetied by mer-
cury if their surfaces are first touched with sodium amalgam. Not
onlv do the latter metals lose this power on being heated (as we might
expect in consequence of their superficial oxidation) but platinum, from
which the adhering 'mercury film has been wiped by the cleanest cloth
or from which it has been diiver. by heat, also loses the power. The
surface of clean platinum condenses, it is supposed a film of the oxy-
gen ; and the removal of this might alter the adhesion between the
mercury and platinum. But such a film could scarcely exist in vacuo
or in another ga^-

m.m

— 186 —

TA BLE MIL

T=26w C. gt. — S” — Ivadius of curvative ot platinum cup 11.4

V. VI.

.Relative

Size

of Single
Drop .

I.

11.

111.

IV.

Name and Formula

3

Weight

Mean

of

u* x

k &
~ 0

- u

5 a

of

Weight
of Single

Liquid.

y,

Drops.

Drop.

.. —

r

20

2 9703*1
2.9923 |

AY a ter 1

20

20

j 2 9172 ).

0.14828

HO

20

2.9603 |

i

20

j 2.9583 J

Glycerine

20

2.5496 ■)

CG H8 o*

Butyric Acid

e8 h8 o4

Mercury

HK

BenZ'l
( :12

Turprntol

C.20 H 1G

Alcohol

( 4 H6 Oo

Acetic Ether

c, b5 oc, h, o3

Acetic Acid
HOC., II3 03

21) <2.5576 -

( 10 1-2877 J

20

20

20

i

(

L

t

Vi

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

30

20

20

1.1616 )

1.1630 > 0.05813 1.0017 '0.05303
1.1034 J

7 9655 A

I'SiSJ ( 0.78703 13 5728 0.05798
1 .rJ <7 l

7.8197 J
0 9514-4

0 95791' 0 04778 °-8045 0 05-527

0.9644 ;

0 8650 r 0 01331 0.863 i 0.05016

0.

0.04960

0 7890 1

0 7910.- 0.03949 0.8103

0 7S96 J

0.821 4 ]

0 8300 > 0.04149 0 8930
0.8381- J

l.3636*i

0.9055 - : 0.0 J 5 40 1 .0552 0 04302

0.9095 ) ;

0.04647

The numbers of column 6; with which we arc now exclusi-
vely concerned present several points of great interest. In
the first place it appears that the specific gravity ol'u liquid is
not by any means the most powerful determinant of the drop-

I

size. Thus butyric acid which lias sensibly the same specific
gravity as water, gives rise to a drop of less than half the size
of the water drop: while mercury of singular specific gravity
lias no exceptional drop-size. Lastly it may be observed how
that remarkable body, wafer asserts here again its pre-emi-
nence. 'flic first impression which these numbers make is
that there is three groups of magnitude n, 2n, 3n. But it is
possible that a change in the nature of the solid might throw
these drop-sizes into a different order; and certainly until
a very much greater number of bodies is examined in this
sense it would be premature to attempt to establish anything
like a law.

It is sufficient for the present to point out that the drop-
size is not directly dependent upon either the specific gravity
or boiling point. Xor does it stand in any obvious relation
to what is sometimes called the liquidity, mobility or “ thin-
ness ” of a liquid. For we find that glycerine and (from for-
mer experiments) cocoa -nut-oil both from smaller drops than
water, the one being heavier and the other lighter than that
body ; and both being sluggish. On the other hand alcohol
and acetic acid both perfectly mobile liquids give rise to drops
about half as large as those of glycerine.*

Hence it is clear that we are still ignorant of that property
of a liquid which determines its drop-size, and arc not yet in
a position to connect the drop-size with any of the known
physical or chemical properties of liquids. W e approach the
solution of the problem by studying the effects of change in
some others of the variables.

The adhesion between the liquid which drops and the solid
from which it drops is also affected by the curvature and ge-
neral geometric distribution of the solid at and about its low-

* Tie evaporation of the more volatile of these liquids is a source of
slight error ; not so much on account of t he direct, loss by weight of the
drop in falling, as by reason of the cooling which it causes and the con
sequent variation in density and adhesion. Such source rt variation
■will form a separate subject ot investigation.

— 188 —

est point. And the variation in the adhesion between the
solid and liquid caused by the variation in the geometric dis-
tribution of the solid, mat and does in its turn affect the size
of the drop.

From this aspect one of the simplest kinds of variation is
that offered by a system of spheres of various radii but made
of the same matter. And this ease is an important one be-
cause it undoubtedly offers the key to all drop-size variation
arising from a similar cause. To study this point we may
make use of any one convenient liquid such as water, and
cause it to drop at a fixed rate from spheres of various radii,
including the extreme case of a horizontal plane.

This extreme case however presents certain practical diffi-
culties. From a plane it is almost impossible to get a series
of drops, uniform in growth-time and iu position. A ripe
drop hanging from a horizontal plane of a substance which it
wets will seek the edge thereof. Several drops may form upon
and fall from the same plate at the same time and indepen-
dently of one another. It is only by employing a plate not
absolutely flat that an approximation to the required condi-
tions can be made. Taking r for the radius of curvature there-
fore, the first numbers for r — cc can only be considered as
an approximation. The arrangements for the other cases
were quite similar to that described in I Fig. III.

No. 1. A glass plate, fastened to and held by a vertical rod.

Nos. 2, 3, 4. Selected globular glass flasks.

Nos. 5, 6, &c. Perfectly spherical solid glass spheres.

189 —

TABLE

IX.

Water.

gt . = 2”

T =: 22 ~ .5 C.

II.

III.

IV.

V

Number
of Drops.

Radius of
Curvature.

Weight of
Drops.

Mean Weight
and relative size
of single drop.

1 {

20 \
20 /

* {

5.3325 \

5.2873 J

0.26549

3 {

20 1
20 J

mm r-

113.1 -l

4.9226 \

5.0007 J

0.24808

3 {

20 I
20 J

70.1 ^

4.5260 1

5.5218 J

0.22619

4 {

20 \
20 J

47.2 ^

4.2781 1

4.2249 J

0.21257

3 {

20 T
20 J

17.5 ^

3.5055 1

3.4733 J

0.17497

3 {

20 \
20 J

15.1 ^

3.3562 \

3.3500 J

0.16765

7 {

20 1
20 J

11.5 ^

3.0281 )

3.0206 j

0.15122

8 {

20 1
20 J

11.2 |

2.9803 \

2.9780 j

0.14896

0 {

20 \
20 J

10.0 |

2.8665 1

2.8619 J

0.14321

i° {

20 1
20 J

7° \

2.6765 \

2.6660 J

0.13356

{

20

9 J

- {

2.5752 \

1.1591 J

0.12877

It appears, therefore that the drop increases in size accord^
ing as the radius of the sphere increases from which the drop
falls ; and further that the difference of drop-size brought
about by this cause alone may easily amount to half the lar-
gest drop-size. For dispensers of medicine this fact is as im-
portant as that pointed out in I ; where it was shown that the

— 190 —

growth time so materially influenced the drop-size. The lip
of a bottle from which a drop falls is usually annuloid. The
amount of solid in contact with the dropping liquid is deter-
mined by the size of two diameters ; one measuring the width
of the rim of the neck, the other the thickness of that rim.
In most cases the curvature and massing of the solid at the
point whence the liquid drops, is so irregular as not to admit
of any mathematical expression.

The reason why drops which fall from surfaces of greater
curvature arc larger than those which fall from surfaces of
lesser curvature is surely this : In the case of a surface of

greater curvature the base of the drop has more nearly its
maximum size ; the neighbouring liquid film, from which the
drop hangs, is, on the whole, nearer to the centre of gravity
of the hanging drop; .the contact between the two is more ex-
tensive and intimate so that the drop is held for a longer time
and therefore grows more. On comparing columns 3 and 5
of Table IX there does not appear to be any obvious law of
connexion between the two ; nor indeed can the numbers of
column 4 pretend to such a degree of accuracy as would jus-
tify us in attempting to establish one. This is seen on com-
paring inter se the numbers of column 4. Especially with the
spheres of longer radii there is so much difficulty in getting
an uniform wetting of the surface whence the drop falls, and
this so materially influences the drop-size, that the mimbers
found are seen to vary considerably. Greater accord is ob-
tained with spheres of less radii. As we might have expect-
ed, the same absolute increase in length of radius, takes less
effect upon the drop size in the case of longer than in that of
shorter radii. The infinite, or at least indefinitely great dif-
ference between the radii 1 and 2 produces about the sarre
effect upon the drop-size as the difference of 43mm- between
the radii 2 and 3, and so on. The following table of first dif-
ferences shows this more strikingly :

191 —

— r

w — w

+ 1 n

n+1

00

0.01854

43.

0.02189

22.9

0.01362

29.7

0.03760

2.4

0.00732

3.G

0.01643

0.3

0.00226

1.2

0.00575

2.5

0.00965

0.4

0.00479

The relation exhibited in this table supports the supposition
that the size of the drop varies inversely as some function of
the figure bounded below by a circular horizontal tangent
plane of coifttant diameter, (less than that of the sphere), la-
terally, by a cylinder of vertical axis' standing on the tangent
plane and cutting the sphere, and above by the convex sur-
face of the sphere. Fig. IV.

As the diameter of the sphere still further diminishes, the
size of the drop is limited by the possible size of its base : un-
till finally the sphere is completely included in the drop.

It would be interesting, but it would take us too far to
consider the various cases of liquids dropping from cones ed-
ges, solid angles, cylinders, rings &c. We must content our-
selves, in this direction with the fact that the size of a drop is
greater the more nearly plane is the surface from which the
dropping takes place. If it were possible for a drop to fall
from a concave surface we would anticipate a still further in-
crease in its size.

The relation between drop-size and curvature may be more
strikingly shown by arranging the spheres one above the other
in the order of magnitude Fig. Y. Each sphere receives the
drops from the higher one. The quantity of water which
drops in a given time, is the same for each sphere. Hence in
every case the number of drops is inversely as their size, So

— 192 —

that by counting the numbers of drops which fall from any
two spheres in the same time, we get at once the relative sizes
of the respective drops. For several reasons this plan of
comparison is not sufficiently accurate to measure drop sizes,
but it offers a method for making the difference of drop size
visible to any number of persons at once.

The only other variation in the geometrical relation be*
tween the solid and the liquid which we shall consider is the
variation in the size of a circular horizontal plane from which
drops fall.

• g A Q

Five discs of copper foil were cut of the radii '20 ^0

2 1 \

— ^ ~ , of an inch respectively. These were fastened hori-
zontally to vertical wires and having been thoroughly cleaned
by momemtary immersion in nitric acid and washing, water
• was made to drop from them as before, at the rate gt.— 2”

Table X shows the influence of this kind of variation upon
drop size. The want of accord in the numbers of the largest
disc is owing to a peculiar tremor which the drops exhibit at
the moment of delivery. The same phenomenon occured also
but to a less extent with the next smaller disc. With the VC'
mainder it was not noticeable.

— 193 —

TABLE X.

gt. = 2”. T = 23^ C. Water.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Radius of
Disc.

Number

of

Drops.

. r

20

in.

20

0 <

20

20

20

L

20

•

r

20

,m- i

20

if ■<

20

20

20

Weight of Drops.

3.3682

3.1193

3.2523

3.3256

3.2594

j

2.9693

2.9854

>

2.9746

3.0031

Mean Weight and
relative size of
single drop.

0.16325

0.14915

in.

3 -<

20

in.

A <

20

in.

1 <
20

20

20

20

(vV/

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

1.9333 ~

1.9244
1.9504
1.9248

1.4618 "

1.4672
1.4688
1.4682

0.8250 T
0.8212
0.8208
0.8190

0.09666

0.07332

0.04107

The curvature and shape of the Solid and its consequent
massing towards the liquid is intimately connected with the
next phase of variation which we shall consider, to wit, the
variation in the chemical composition of the solid from which
the drop falls. The influence of this kind of variation is to
he studied bv examining the size of drops, formed under like

194 —

circumstances from spheres of the same size but made of dif-
ferent material. Since, in this case, the liquid remains the
same, Ave must limit the solids examined to such as the given
liquid completely wets. In this case variation in the drop
size implies a variation in the thickness of the liquid film
covering the solid. The latter must be caused by variation
in the adhesion between the solid and liquid. Finally such
adhesion can only vary through one or both of two causes,
namely variation in the density of the solid or in its specific
adhesion dependent upon its chemical nature.

The first qualitative experiment was made upon three equal
spheres of Brass, Glass and Cork respectively. They were
hung one above the other in the manner before described, so
that the drops from one fell upon the lower one.* It was
found that, in whatever order the spheres were arranged,
when the flow was uniform and not quicker than gt — 2”,
the dropping from the Cork took place with the greatest ra-
pidity, that from the Glass next and that from the Brass
most slowly. Showing that the brass gives rise to the largest,
the glass to the next largest and the cork to the least drops.
From this it would seem that the drops are in the same order
as to size as arc the solids as to density. We shall find how-
ever that this is not always the case : and that some other
property as well as density is at work to influence the drop-
size. i The quantitative experiment, the results of which are
given in Table XI confirms the results of the qualitative ex-
periment given above ; but shows, at the same time that the
joint influences of density and chemical diversity of the solid
have only a trifling effect upon the drop-size. The condi-
tions of the experiment were similar to those previously des-
cribed.

* In this kind of experiment there should be a considerable mass of
cotton wool on each sphere to receive the drops from the higher noe
and, by acting as a reservoir, to regulate the flow-

195 —

TABLE XI.

i

mm.

Water r/t. = 2”. T=22w.9 C. r. — 7. 1 Number of drops =20.

Substance.

Weight of
20 drops.

Mean weight of
single drop

Cork

Glass

Brass

r

i

1

L

<

2.4846
2.48 18
2.4832
2.4789
2.4821
2.4877

2.5930

2.5985

2.5989

2.5949

2.5953

2.5900

2.6225

2.6229

2.6260

2.6295

2.6296
2.6116

S- 0.12418

> 0.12975

0.13118

When a liquid drops from a solid it is not always that the
adhesion between the solid and liquid is overcome. The
phenomenon of wetting ” implies a superiority of the adhe-
sion between the solid and liquid over the cohesion of the li-
quid : and in all cases where a liquid drops from a solid which
it wets, the act of separation is a disruption of the liquid and
not a separation of the liquid from the solid : that is, the sepa-
ration is a failure of cohesion and not of adhesion. We arc
not, however, on this account, justified in anticipating that
the size of a drop is unaffected by the chemical nature of the
solid from which it drops, even in those cases where the ad-
hesion between the solid and liquid is greater than the cohe-
sion of the liquid, that is, where the liquid completely wets the
solid : because although it is the liquid which is broken, yet

— 196

the size of the broken off part or drop depends in great mea-
sure upon the thickness of the residual film, as we have seen
in examining the influence of the growth time, and the radius
of curvature.

Adhesion may also exist between a solid and a liquid which
does not wet it, as when a drop of mercury hangs from a glass
sphere. 13 ut the cohesion of the liquid in such a case, by its
effort to bring the liquid to the spherical form, and the weight
of the drop so modify the adhesion between the solid and li-
quid by altering the size of the surface of contract between
the two, that the size of the drop gives no direct clue to the
cohesion of the liquid.

We may now examine a few cases in which, the size of the
sphere remaining the same and its density in some instances
nearly so, the matter of the solid varies ; the liquid however
wetting it in all cases. This Avill show whether the differences
of Table XI are due wholly to differences of density of the
solid or also or wholly to differences of chemical constitution.

Equal spheres of the substances were made by casting them
in the same bullet mould. The surfaces of the metals were
roughened by momentary immersion in acid : Tin and Anti-
mony in Hydrochloric and the others in Nitric acid. Without
this precaution a metallic surface is apt to be wetted only lo-
cally, the base edge of the drop is irregular and inconstant
and the drop -weight varies. Indeed with some metals such
as Tin, a smooth and bright surface is scarcely wetted by water.

As the bodies examined have different coefficients of ex-
pansion by heat ; and one of them expands on solidification,
it was necessary to test the equality of their size and remedy
any inequality. This was done by arranging three of them
one at each corner of small equilateral triangle drawn on a
large piece of plate glass. Another piece of plate glass was
then placed upon the spheres, so as to rest on all three and was
slightly loaded. On passing a gauge between the plates at
their edges, the slightest inequality of the spheres could
be detected because the gauge lifted the plate off the smallest

197

of the three balls, which could then be moved. The larger
spheres were then reduced in size by brisk agitation in acid.
The sulphur and phosphorus were for the same purpose wash-
ed with ether.

TABLE XII.

nuu.

Watery. = 2”. T = 23° C. Radius of Curvature = 7
1. II. III. IV

Substance.

Antimony -<

r

Sulphur

Cadmium

Zinc

Lead

1

Phosphorus

Bismuth ■<

Tin

1

J

Weight of 20
drops.

2.3905
2.3980
2.3968
2.4016

2.4019
2.4067
2.4046
2.4063
2.4022

.2.4462
2.4387
2.4374
2.4358

2.4495
2.4481
2.4518
2.4478

2.4522
2.4525
2.453

2.4528

2.4532
2.4564

2.4528
2.4584
2.4580
2.4589

Mean weight of
single drop.

>

J

2.4843

2.4864

2.4829

2.4861

}

0.11984

0.12021

0.12185

0.1224-6

0.12264

0.12274

0.12285

0.12425

Specific Gra-
vity of Solid.

6.80

.00

8.70

6.86

11.44

J.08

9.90

7.29

— 198 —

Although there is only slight difference between the conse-
cutive terras of column 3, yet between the extremes of Anti-
mony and Tiu, a well-marked difference exists.

This table shows that the drop size stands in no simple rela-
tion either to the equivalent, density, or chemical character of
the solid : and establishes the existence of a specific adhesion,
independent of these. Although the differences of table XI
may be partly owing to the difference of density of the so-
lids, cork, glass and brass, yet we see from XII that there is
about half as great a difference between the sizes of drops from
Antimony and Tin as between those from Cork and Brass :
although the difference of density between the first two is
small compared with that between the last. Again, Sulphur
gives rise to drops intermediate between those of Antimony
and Cadmium.

Without therefore venturing to assert that density is with-
out influence on drop-size it is clearly proved that it does not
exert the most powerful influence.

We have finally to examine the direction and extent of al-
teration in drop- size caused by change of temperature. A
change in the temperature of the dropping liquid may affect
the drop-weight without altering the drop-size, by altering
the density of the liquid. It may further alter the drop-size
by altering the size and therefore the curvature of the solid.
Any error introduced by the first of these sources is elimi-
nated by dividing the observed weight by the specific gravity
at the proper temperature as in the case of different liquids at
the same temperature : Errors from the second source may
be certainly safely neglected, being far within the errors of
observation.

In the place where these experiments were made the range
of natural atmospheric temperature is very small. From the
coldest to the hottest season the difference scarcely exceeds
10° C. This circumstance made an extended and minute
study of the influence of temperature impossible : by prevent-
ing more than one observation at each temperature being made.

199 —

The liquid taken was water and the solid was glass. The
water was heated to the boiling point and placed in the appa-
ratus Fig. III. The sphere from which the water fell was the
bulb of the thermometer which measured the temperature.
Fully the upper half of the sphere was covered with cotton
wool so that the whole of the sphere was kept wet. The con-
siderable mass of mercury in the bulb of the thermometer or
dropping-sphere itself served to make more uniform the tem-
perature of the drops : while the actual contact between these
and the spherical bulb insured a tolerably close approxima-
tion between the actual temperature of the drops and that in-
dicated by the thermometer. Though the temperatures observ-
ed cannot therefore pretend even to approximate positive ac-
curacy : yet they are certainly in the actual order of magni-
tude. The arrangement is seen in Fig. YI.

TABLE XIII.

mm

Water, gt. — 2” r. — 7 A. Number of drops 20.

Relative mean size

Temperature

Weight of

Weight of

of single drop,
corrected for tern-

Centigrade.

twenty drops.

single drop.

perature.

r 44.i

2.5564

0.12782 1

40.3 J

40

2.5795

0.12897

>

0.12985

[37

2.5826

0.12913

f35

2.6083

0.13041 1

33.9

2.6105

0.13052

32.6

2.6161

0.13080

31.2

2.5960

0.12980

30.6<I

30.6

2.6065

0.13032

►

0.13066

29

2.6044

0.13022

28.2

2.5983

0.12992

28

2.6078

0.13029

[27.5

2.6032

0.13016 J

20.4-

-20.4

2.6480

0.13240

0.13262

The differences of temperature arc so grouped together that
the means of the groups differ from one another by about
10 ° C. The single drop -weights are correspondingly grouped
and the mean of each group is then divided by the specific
gravity of water (0°=1) at the mean temperature of the
group.

It appears then that for a range of 20 c C. or 36 ° F. the
difference in drop-size effected by change of temperature in
the liquid is inappreciably small, not being more than
gmm

0.00277, a quantity almost within the limits of experimental
error as appears on referring to Table XI ; when the greatest
di Terence between the numbers for glass, which should be
gmm

equal, amounts to 0.00043; or a sixth of the greatest differ-
ence due to variation in temperature.

On the whole then we may conclude that the temperature
takes very little effect upon the drop size in this case. No
doubt near the point of solidification where liquids have an
incipient structure, the drop-size would be subject to sudden
changes of magnitude. A few experiments with other liquids,
namely turpentol, acetic acid and alcohol showed that with
them the drop-size was almost equally insensitive to change of
temperature ; and in all cases as with water the lower the
temperature on the whole, the larger the drop.

We have now examined seriatim all the chief causes upon
which the drop-size depends in the case S L G. They are (1)
Rate of delivery ; (2) Solids held in solution ; (3) Chemical
variation of liquid ; (4) Radius of curvature a case of geome-
trical relation between solid and liquid ; (5) Density and che-
mical nature of solid ; (6) Temperature.

Our data are however still insufficient for us to predict un-
der all circumstances the relative sizes of the drops of liquids
under known external conditions. Clearly the term we miss
is closely related to the specific cohesion of the liquid. But
what is cohesion? and how can it be measured? It lies

— 201 —

perhaps in the nature of things, it seems at least inevitable
that the nomenclature of elementary properties should be
vague and unsatisfactory. The properties of solids : — hard,
soft, brittle, tough, tenacious, elastic, malleable do not stand
in any definite relation to one another. Even the hardnes,
which resists abraison, the hardness which resists penetration,
the hardness which resists crushing are by no means identical ;
so that one body may possess more of the one sort of hard-
ness than a second body does, while the second body exceeds
the first in another sort of hardness. Nor do any of the
above mentioned properties of solids stand in any simple
relation to that resistance to the separation of contiguous
parts which is called cohesion.

By no attribution of this single property of cohesion, could
we define shell-lac or ice, bodies which are at the same time
tough, brittle, elastic and soft.

There appear to be two kinds of solid cohesion, which may
be called stubborn and persistent. These may coexist but are
not identical. The one is strong to assert the other pertina-
cious to maintain. The four following substances may serve
to illustrate the possession of these two cohesions in various
quantity : —

Talc has little stubborn and little persistent cohesion.
Glass „ much „ „ „ „ „

Gold ,,' little ,, ,, much „ ,,

Iron ,, much „ „ much ,, „ ■

The necessity for this discrimination exists in a yet higher
degree in liquids. If we conceive two liquids of different
nature dropping from the same substance which they both
wet, and if there be only one kind of cohesion : the one
which has the greatest cohesion will tend most strongly to
assume the spherical form : and this would tend to cause it
to drop sooner or have a smaller drop size than the other.
On the other hand the liquid of stronger cohesion will
cling most strongly to the film of liquid adhering to the
solid: this will keep it longer from falling and thereby in-

crease the drop-size. Hence an increase of cohesion tends
to produce two contrary effects. But if there he a similar
distinction between the two kinds of cohesion of liquids as
above pointed out in the case of solids, we have the following
consequence.

It is the persistent cohesion which causes the assumption
of the spherical form : the stubborn which resist the separa-
tion of the drop. The former tends to diminish the latter to
increase its size. As one or other predominates, the size of
the drop varies.

Accordingly, the drop-size is by no means a measure of
what is generally called the cohesion of the liquid : but rather
a measure of the difference between the two cohesions stub-
born and persistent : and the law is that the drop-size varies
inversely as its persistent and directly as its stubborn co-
hesion.

In mercury, water and glycerine the stubborn cohesion is
greater in proportion to the persistent cohesion than in the
other liquids examined : but it by no means follows that per-
sistent cohesion is wanting in mercury or stubborn in alcohol.

When a drop is in the act of falling its stubborn cohesion
is in equilibrium with the resultant of two forces ; the one,
the persistent cohesion tending to produce a spherical form,
the other the weight of the drop. Since the former of these
component forces is, for the same liquid constant, it seems as
though the weight of the drop might be taken as a measure
and expression of the stubborn cohesion. But such is not
the case, because we have no ground for supposing that the
diameter of the drop where the separation occurs, is of cons-
tant size : on the contrary, it must be conceded that in large
drops, this hypothetical surface of stubborn cohesion is larger
than in smaller drops. Further, unless we know the exact
shape of a drop in all cases we are not in a position to deduce
the size of the surface of cohesion from the drop-size or drop-
weight.

In the cases whese it has been tried it has not been found

203

that the nature of the gaseous medium in the case S L G ex-
erts any appreciable or definite influence upon the drop-size.
Taking glass for the solid and water for the liquid the medi-
um was changed from air to nitrogen, hydrogen and carbonic
acid respectively. The exceedingly slight alteration wrought
by this change in the drop size may probably have been due
to the different solubility of the gases in water and the con-
sequent alteration in the cohesion ot that liquid.

Having traced the effect of variation in the conditions
which determine the size of a drop in the general case SLG :
or, where from a Solid, a Liquid drops through a Gas : we
come to the case SLL, that is where, from a Solid, a Liquid
drops through a Liquid. As in the cases of SLG we must,
here also, take the three terms of such chemical nature as to
be without action upon one another.

SLL

MOM A SOLID A LIQUID DROPS THROUGH A LIQUID.

A preliminary quantitative experiment was made under the
following conditions. Water was made to drop from a glass
sphere at the rate gt.=o”. The drops were collected in a
tube bearing an arbitrary mark. The number of drops re-
quired to fill the tube up to this mark was noted. Then the
sphere was surrounded by turpentol and the rate having been
brought again* to gt.= 6”, the number of drops of water
necessary to fill the tube up the same mark was counted.
The turpentol being replaced by benzol, the same operation
was performed. The entire arrangement of the Stalagmome-
ter f is seen in fig. VII.

X, Y are contrivances described before for giving an uni-
form flow of water.

The syphon A rests upon the cotton wool covering half of
the dropping sphere and thermometer bulb G. The sphere is

* A diminution of gt. is observed,
f Swlagmos, a drop.

held by its stein B in the clamp H. C is hall' a globular 1 lb.
flask, supported by the filter stand K. Through the neck of
C passes the tube D. C and D are joined liquid tight by the
india-rubber collar L. A few arbitrary marks are made at
E. The lip of C. is turned down to a beak at M.

In the adjustment of the instrument to get the required
value of gt. the holder C is slipped along so that the drops
from G fall between C and D and not into D. When the
required rate is obtained it is slipped back again. When
such liquids as turpentol are used, a little water is poured
between D and C to protect the caoutchouc. In all cases
where a liquid is employed C is filled till it runs over.

In the first experiment of which the results are giveu in
following table, the numbers are subject to two sources of
error : The volume filled is rather small and no allowance was
made for the meniscus.

In this as in all cases of SLL, care must be taken not to
shake the instrument.

TABLE XIV.

intu.

Water gt — 6V T = 22 ° C. Radius of glass sphere — 7.4

I.

II.

III.

IV.

No. of drops of water

Mean

Relative size of single

Medium.

required to

of

drops reduced

till a giveu volumn.

Column 2.

to, through air == 1.

Air . . . . -

7)8 1

5 b

57.0

1. 0

r

28 1

Turpentol <

27

2(» |

2G.7

2.11

w

26 J

Benzol . . 4

7

7.0

8.14

' J

There is therefore a greater difference between the drop-
sizes of water in Benzol and Turpentol than between those of

205

Turpentol and Air. The turpentol and benzol here employed
ha'd the specific gravities of 0.863 and 0.86T respectively they
may therefore be considered of equal density. Hence varia-
tion in the liquid medium independent of variation in’its den-

%

sity produces an enormous effect upon drop-size. We shall

i

have occasion to return to this case.

The influence of the liquid medium on the drop size and
the share which the specific gravity of the medium has in de-
termining the drop size will be well seen on comparing the
drop size of mercury which falls through various liquid
media.

The arrangement of the apparatus for this purpose is seen
in Fig. VIII. As far as A it is similar ts fig. VII. The sy-
phon A is a capillary tube : its lower end, which is turned
vertically downwards rests upon a sphere of brass, R which
has been washed with nitric acid and sodium amalgam and al-
lowed to soak for some days under mercury. Mercury ad-
heres perfectly to such a spltere. In every case the sphere
was immersed just half -way in the liquid. A small capsule
S was supported in the liquid on a stand T about half an inch
lower than the bottom of the sphere. As soon as gt became
constantly 5” the vessel V was moved so that S came under
R. Five drops of mercury having been caught the cup was
removed horizontally as before, taken out and replaced by a
fresh one and so on. The batches of five drops were -washed
dried and weighed. The results with different liquids are
given in Table XVI.

We may here notice with advantage a phenomenon which
attends the separation of drops under several circumstances
but which can be watched most narrowly in the cases of SLL,
because in a liquid the separation of a drop is less abrupt
than in a gas.

When water falls from glass through air, immediately after
the drop separates, a very minute drop is frequently project-
ed upwards from the upper surface of the drop. I have not
traced the conditions under which this supplementary drop is

— 206 —

formed : indeed it is sometimes formed and sometimes not
under apparently similar conditions. No doubt the proxi-
mate cause is that the drop, at the instant of separation is
not spherical : the persistent or retentive cohesion which
brings it almost immediately to its normal shape, does not
allow time for its more excentric parts to collect to the main
mass ; they are therefore, by the motion of the main drop,
flung ofl' and projected upwards.

The same phenomenon is seen much more distinctly when
water drops at this rate {gt.—tj”) through benzol or turpen-
tol. In these cases the persistent cohesion of the liquid me-
dium comes also into play.

But the most striking example of supplementary drops is
seen when glycerine forms the medium through Avliich mer-
cury drops. In this case when gt=5” there are always two
supplementary drops of mercury formed. It is impossible to
dertermine whether they both have their origin at the same
moment and from the main drop. The probability however
is that they have not : but that one is first separated from the
main drop and the second from the first. For there is always
a great disparity between the sizes of the two supplementary
drops : whereas, if they were both formed at the same time
and for the same reason we should not expect such a con-
sistent difference. The drops soon separate in falling, in con-
sequence of the difference of their surfaces. The relative sizes
of the main and supplementary drops in the ease of mercury
falling from copper through the glycerine were determined as
follows. A number of porcelain cups Fig. IX. were arranged
at the bottom of a shallow dish full of glycerine. When thy
rate of dropping was uniform at gt= 4”, the dish was shifted
horizontally, so that every drop with its two supplements was
caught in a separate cup. The globules of mercury in each
cup were removed by a little copper-foil ladle. Ten of each
kind were collected. After washing and drying they were
" f'iobed with the fo] lowioi:' result :

— 207 —

TABLE XV.

Mercury, gt = 4” T = 21.3 C. Radius of sphere = 12.8,

gms.

10, Principal drops weighed 6.3447

10, 1st supplementary „ 0.1242

10, 2nd „ „ 0.0229

10 complete drops weighed . . 6.4918

In all cases the supplementary drop or drops were collected
and weighed or measured with the main drop.

In the Table XVI.

Column 1 shows the medium through which the mercury
dropped.

Column 2. The number of drops weighed.

Column 3. The weight of the drops. The weight of every
batch of drops is given in order that the approximation be-
tween the figures for each liquid may be compared with that
between the separate liquids. In two cases, only, marked by
an asterisk are the numbers probably erroneous. They are
not reckoned in taking the mean.

Column 4. Mean weight of single drop, from column 3.

Column 5. Specific gravity of medium.

Column 6 shows the weight of the drop of mercury in the li-
quid. Since the falling of the drop is determinated in part by its
weight and since the weight depends not only upon the size of the
drop, but also upon the density of the medium in which it is
found it is interesting toseehow the size ofthe drop is affected by
the diminutionin its weight causedbythe density ofthe medium.

If W =weight of drop of mercury in air.

W2 = required weight of drop of mercury in liquid.

A = Specific gravity of liquid.

B = Specific gravity of mercury.

then W2 = Wi — ~ Wi .

The values of W2 form column 6.

The liquid medium are arranged according to the order of
magnitude of the number of column 4.

208

mm

TABLE XVI.

Mercnry gt.zz§” T=2193C. Radius of Sphere =12.8.

III. IV. V. VI.

I.

II.

Medium

Number!

Weight

Mean weight

Specific j

Weight of

through which

of

of

in air and re-

gravity

single drop in

the Mercury

lative size of

of

respective

dropped.

drops.

drops.

single drop.

Medium

medium.

' 5

3.8123

I

1

5

3.8138

5

3.8169

5

3.8389

5

3.8141

1

Air

J

5

3.8131

- 0.76545

0.000 I

0.76545

5

3.8182

5

3.8557

j

5

3.8430

5

3.8105

.5

3.8535

J

5

3.5037

10

6.9384

5

3.4534

Water ....

5

3.5047

> 0.69750

1.000

0.64619

5

3.4918

5

3.5015

l 5

3.5066

-

r 5

3.4235

5

3.4215

-

5

3.4235

5

3.4285

Glycerine. . .

«<

5

5

3.3627*

3.4088

* 0.61508

1.245

0.55793

5

3.4063

5

3.4329

•

5

3.4090

l 5

3.3981

J

r 5

2.9418

5

2.4875*

5

3.0773

5

2.9888

Benzol ....

<

5

5

2.9637

2.9549

> 0.59822

0.864

0.56014

5

3.0767

5

2.9583

5

2.9352

i

lio

6.0144

J

1

r 5

2.1427

•>

5

2.1900

1

5

2.1883

5

2.1960

Turpentol . .

<

5

5

2.1820

2.1620

» 0.43497

0.863

0.40715

5

2.1768

5

2.1791

1

5

2.1608

u

2.1708

— 309 —

The salient points of Table XVI are chiefly these :

(1) The drop-size of a liquid which drops under like con-
ditions through various media , does not depend wholly upon
the density of the medium and consequent variation in the
weight, in the medium, of the dropping liquid. Thus glycerine
whose density is above that of all the other liquids examined,
does not, as a medium cause the mercurial drop to assume
either its minimum or maximum size.

(2) The liquids in TablejXVI are in the same order as in
Table VIII. Jn other words. If there he two liquids A and
B which, drop under tike conditions through air ; and the drop
size of the one A be greater than that of the other B, th'en, if
a third liquid C be made to drop thrrugh A and through B
the drop size of C through A is greater than the drop size of
C through B.

(3) Further, on comparing Tables XIV and XVI it ap-
pears that whether Avater or mercury drops through turpentol
and benzol ; the drop through benzol is greater than the drop
through turpentol. This avc shall aftenvards find confirmed
in other instances into the Luav : If the drop-size of A through
B be greater than the drop-size of A through C then the
drop-size of D through B is also greater than the drop-size
of I) through C.

It is further observed that while mercury exhibits its larg-
est drop when falling 'through air, water assumes its smallest
drop size under this condition.

This method of the examination of liquids by drop size
which brings so prominently fonvard or comparatively slight
difference between similar liquids may be used not only to
detect commercial adulterations of one liquid by another, but
perhaps to distinguish betAveen those remarkably related iso-
meric liquid bodies, the number of which is quickly increas-
•ng; and between Avhose terms the difference has until lately
escaped detection. Of these bodies the first studied were the
tAVO amylic alcohols ; but the greatest number at present
knoAvn is amongst ^thejiydrocarbous.

210 —

We may take an example illustrating the use of drop mea-
surement in approximately measuring the proportion in a
mixture of its two chemically and physically similar but not
isomeric constituents.

Suppose we had a liquid which we knew to consist wholly
of a mixture of benzol and turpentol, and we wished to find
the proportion in which these two ingredients were present.
We could scarcely approach to an answer by any of the
means hitherto employed. The specific gravities of the tivo
liquids are so close (.864 — .863) that the density of the mix-
ture would give us no substantial aid. Though there is a con-
siderable difference (80 ° C.) in their boiling points, no one
who is familiar with the difficulties of fractional distillation,
would place any reliance upon a quantitative separation based
upon volatility. Their refractive indices are nearly the same*.
Their vapour densities 2.77 — 4.76, though comparatively dif-
ferent are not absolutely very wide apart. They are active
and passive towards most of the same chemical reagents, and
interfere with one anothers reactions. If we have recourse to
chemical analysis (C12 He, C20 IIig) a very small experimental
error would point to a great difference in the proportion of
the two.

To find how far the stalagmometer Fig. VII is applicable
in this case, it was filled with five liquids in succession, to wit :

1st. With benzol = B

2nd. With 2 parts benzol with 1 of turpentol = B2 T

The time growth being brought in each ease to 5”, the
number of drops of water required to fill a given volume was
counted : allowance being made for the meniscus.

# The Refractive index of turpentol is 1.47G : that of benzol does not appear to
have been measured ; but that it is almost identical with that of turpentol is seen
on mixing the two. In those cases in which I propose to use stalagmometer
chiefly, namely with isomeric bodies the method by refraction is useless because
isomeric liquids seem always to have the same refractive indices.

3rd. „ 1 „

4th. „ 1 ,,

5 th. ,, turpentol

1

=BT
= B T>

— 211 —

TABLE XVII.

Through

Air

T

bt2

BT

B‘2 T

B

102

51

38

34

31

14

102

51

37

34

31

14

101

50

38

33

31

14

49

Mean

101.7

50.2

37.7

33.3

31

14

Hence a difference of 16.(1 per cent in one of the constituents
corresponds to an observed difference under the most un-
favourable conditions of 3 drops. In other words the
stalagmometer is sensitive to an alteration of 6 op. By
increasing the capacity of the recipient it is clear that the
drop numbers and therefore their differences might be in-
creased at pleasure. Thus by counting the number of drops
necessary to fill a volume 6 times the si/e we could tell to
within one per cent bow much turpentol and how much
benzol were present.

But it is perhaps in the cases of the still more proximate
identity mentioned above of isomeric bodies that the stalag-
mometer may be used rather as a stalagmoscope, to render
a difference of drop-size evident, than to measure it.

From Table XVII we gather the general law concerning
three liquids which are insoluble in and without chemical
action upon one another. If a liquid A drop under like con-
ditions in succession through two liquids B and C, then its
drop-size through any mixture of B and C is intermediate
between its drop size through B and its drop size through C

and the greater the proportion of q in the mixture, the more

nearly does the drop size of A through the mixture approach

to the drop size of A through ^ alone.

We have already examined the influences on the drop size:
in theca.se s L (! of the density of (he dropping liquid.

— m —

persistent und stubborn cohesions respectively, increase in
the former two tends to diminish the drop size — increase in
the last, to diminish it. Let us examine in like manner the
influence of the similar properties of the medium : —

(1.) The density of the medium. Increase in the density
of the medium is equivalent to diminution in the density of
the dropping liquid and must therefore be followed by a ten-
dency to increase in the drop -size.

(2.) Stubborn cohesion of medium. The resistance to dis-
placement or stubborn cohesion of the medium tends to keep
back the drop in its place and makes it necessary for a larger
quantity of the dropping liquid to accumulate, that is, it in-
creases the drop-size.

(3.) Retentive cohesion of medium. The same force of
persistent or retentive cohesion which causes the drop of a
liquid to take the spherical form, would also cause the liquid to
give or tend to give a spherical form to an irregularly shaped
volume of a solid, liquid, gas or vacuum in it. Thus gas-
bubbles, in liquids have an approximalv spherical form not
by reason of the cohesion of the parts of the gas, but from
the cohesion of the medium which moulds the gas into that
form by which the cohesion of the liquids is most gratified.
Hence increase in the retentive or persistent cohesion of the
medium tends to diminish the dropsizc of the dropping liquid.

In all cases of SLL, we may represent the direction the
determinants by the following scheme, in which the sign -f
denotes a tendency to increase, the sign — a tendency to
diminish the drop size.

SLL.

DRorn.NG
+ !
Stubborn cohesion.

.MEDIUM

4*

Stubborn cohesion.
Density.

LIQUID.

Persistent cohesion.

Density.

LIQUID.

Persistent cohesion.

This scheme is verified by the experimental results obtain-
ed. Of all liquid^ water forms the largest drops in falling
through air because in it, the stubborn cohesion prevails to
the greatest degree over the joint action of persistent cohesion
and weight. In water mercury forms drops greater than in
all other liquids because in water (as a medium) stubborn
cohesion and weight prevail to the greatest degree over per-
sistent cohesion.

The case SLL may be inverted if the drop forming liquid
be specifically lighter than the medium liquid. Thus every
case of SLL which we have examined in which a liquid A
drops downwards through a liquid 13, has a countercase in
which the liquid B* drops upwards through the liquid A.

In order to measure the size of such ascending drops, the
stalagmometer fig. VII is modified in form. It is not found
possible to cause the dropping liquid to adhere with sufficient
completeness and uniformity to a solid sphere immersed in
the denser medium in the cases experimented on. The end
of the syphon A was turned upwards and served as the solid
whence the liquid dropped without the interposition of a
sphere or other solid. The measuring tube D was removed
from the neck of the cup C a stopper being inserted in its place.
The cup C was filled with water and the measuring tube I)
being also filled with water was inverted into it and held by
the holder H.

The modified stalagmometer is seen in fig. X. Care was
taken that the end of the syphon A should always be at the
same depth beneath the surface of the water in C.

The drop-sizes of the liquids of table XYII were first exa-
mined by this stalagmometer.

The following Table XVIII shows the number of drops of
the various liquids dropping through water required to
fill the measuring tube up to the given mark. The mea-
suring tube here employed was different from that used in

* «.'ea bitfoduchou.

forming table XVII ; on tins account and because the deliver-
ing solid was quite different in shape and gt.—Z” no im-
mediate comparison can be made between Tables XA III and
XVII. Correction is made for meniscus.

TABLE XVIII.

gt.

= 2” — T

= 21°.

2 C.

286+1

251 + 1

228 + 1

204+1

102 + 1 minimum

286+1

351 + 1

230 + 1

204+1

103 + 1

286+1

250+1

229+1

206 + 1

102+1

286

250.7

090

204.7

102.7

.287

251.7

230

205.7

103.7

We gather from

this table

a law

quite similar to that

deduced from the measurement of the size of the dovvnvvavd
drops of water through these same liquids ; it is as follows :

The drop size of any mixture of two liquids A and B
dropping upwards through a third liquid C is intermediate

between the drop size of A through C and that of B through

A.

C and the greater proportion of ^ there is in the mixture
the more nearly does the drop size of the mixture approach to
the drop size of alone.

It is remarkable that supplementary drops are formed in
the cases immediately considered, just as in the case of water
dropping through these same liquids. But the supplementary
drops of benzol and turpentol through water bear a much
smaller ratio to the main drops than do those of water through
benzol and turpentol to their maindrops. .J udging only from
the equality in their rate of ascent through the measuring
tube, all these supplementary drops are of very exactly the same
size. The supplementary drops were not further examined, but
were always collected and measured with the main drops.

Viewed as a means of quantitative chemical analysis, the
measurement of the drop size of liquids which drop up through
water is yet more sensitive than that of the drop sizes of water
falling downwards through the liquids. Thus, from Table

— 215 —

XVII, the least proportional difference of drop number, cans-
ed by an alteration in the proportion of the liquids, is between
T and B T2 where a diminution of 33.33 per cent in the tur-
pentol and an addition of 33.33 per cent of benzol causes a
difference of 35 .3 in the drop number.

Liquid

T BT2 BT

B2T

B

Percentage . .

" B
. T

0 33.33 50

100 66.66 50

66.66

33.33

100

0

Difference of")

L B

33.33 16.66

16.66

33.33

Percentage. . J

r t

33.33 16.66

16.66

33.33

Difference of'1
drop-number

35.3 21.7

24.3

102.0

Or this stalagmometer shows the composition of the liquid
to within 1 per cent. Further if the mixture contains less
than one-third of benzol its proportional composition can be
determined, on an average, to within 0.33 per cent.

It may be noticed wfith regard to SLL that the value of gt
is of much less influence upon the drop size than in the case
of SLG. It is generally sufficient in the former case that the
average value of gt should be constant. This is especially the
case when the drops are found from a tube (as the end of a
syphon) and not from a convex solid. The reason is ob-
viously that in the former case the thickness of the residual
film upon which we have seen the drop-rate depend is at all
rates indefinitely great while in the latter it depends upon
the rate of supply.

In order to compare the drop size of A through B with that
of B through A under quite similar conditions : the syphon
A of Fig X was inverted and applied to the cup stalagmometer
of Fig. VIII. The arrangement of the end is seen in Fig.
XI. In using this form of stalagmometer the end of the de-
livery syphon must be at first wiped dry, so that the water
may not creep back outside the syphon, and so give rise to an
irregular base to the drop. Water was made to drop through
A Fig. XI at the same rate gt~%” and through the same li-
quids as before, to wit T, BT9. BT, Be T, B. The same

— 216 —

measuring tube was used as in Fig. X or Table XVIII and was
filled to the same point. Correction was made for meniscus.

TABLE XIX.

(ft.

= 2”-

— T =

24 ° . 5

C.

T

bt2

BT

Bo T

B

25G

218

178

162

87

256

220

177

164

86

256

•

• •

, ,

86

• •

86

256

219

I / / .O

163

86.2

We may now compare'Tables XVIII and XIX since the
conditions of the experiments whence they are got arc iden-
tical. The drop sizes are inversely as the drop numbers. Let
us use the symbol Xy to denote the drop size of the liquid
X in the medium Y, and XZy the drop size a mixture of X
and Z through Y and so on. Comparing first the size of a
drop of X through medium Y with the size of a drop of Y

through medium X or finding the value of we have, putting

W for water.

TABLE XX.

wB

103.7

—

i—

1 .203

Bw

86.2

w n T

2

205.7

— — -

— :

1.262

Bo Tw

163

WBT

230

— . — — — — :

; =

1 .296

BTW

177.5

WBT

o

251.7

•

1.149

BTo

219

W

WT

287

1.121

— 217 —

Hence in none of these cases is the drop size of one li-
quid through another equal to the drop size of the second
through the first. We get the general law that. That if a li-
quid X has a larger drop she than the liquid Y in the liquid
Z then the liquid Z has a larger drop size in X than it has in
Y. Further if a, liquid X has a larger drop size than a liquid
Y in air; then the drop size of X through Y is larger than the
drop size or Y through X. Further if the drop size of X be
greater than the drop size of Y and the drop size of Y greater
than the drop sizes of Z, then the ratio between the drop
sizes of X in any mixture of Y and Z and the drop size of
that mixture of Y and Z through X Is greatest when the ratio
between Y and Z is unity.

Further comparing the drop -sizes of Table XVIII with one
another or all with Bw wc get :

XXI.

Bw

287

2.767

Tw

103.7

Bw

251.7

2.427

BTj

103.7

W

Bw

230

_ —

— r

—

-1^

.2.227

BTw

103.7

Bw

205.7

3 .983

B3Tw

103.7

Bw *

103.7

1.000

Bw

103.7

In like manner, comparing the drop-sizes of Table XIX
with some another or all with W'b, we have :

W B

256

WT

86.2

WB

219

%

2.541

318

WBT

o

86.2

WB “

177.5

—

—

=

2.059

Wet

86.2

Wb

163

—

1.890

Wb t

o

86.2

WB

86.2

—

—

—

—

1.000

Wb

86.2

ly, on

comparing these figures

with those of Table

XXI, we get the remarkable law which it would be difficult
to express in words, that

WB Tw WB BT2

WB BTW WB B2 Tw

w

Wt Bw WBt Bw Wet Bw Wb t Bw
2 2
— 1 nearly.

The main results obtained with regard to drops may be
collected into the following laws :

1. The drop-size depends upon the rate of dropping. Ge-
nerally, the quicker the succession of the drops, the greater
is the drop. The slower the rate the more strictly is this the
case. This law depends upon the difference, at different
rates of the thickness of the film from which the drop falls.

2. The drop size depends upon the nature and quantity of
the solid which the droppiug liquid holds in solution. If the
liquid stands in uo chemical relation to the solid, m general
the drop size diminishes as the quantity of solid cont ained in the
liquid increases. The cause of this seems to be thatthe stubborn
cohesion of the liquid is diminished by the solution of the solid.
Where one or more combinations betweeu the liquid and solid
are possible the drop size depends upon indeterminate data.

3. The drop size depends upon the chemical nature of the
dropping liquid, and little or nothing upon its density. Of all
liquids examined water has the greatest and acetic hydrate
the least drops.

1. The drop size depends upon tlie geometric relation be-
tween the solid and liquid. If the solid be spherical, the larg-
est drops fall from the largest spheres. Absolute dilference in
radii takes a greater effect upon the drops formed from smaller
than upon those from larger spheres. Of circular horizontal
plates, within certain limits the size of the drop varies directly
with the size of the plates.

5. The drop size depends upon the chemical nature of the
solid from which the drop falls ; and little or nothing upon its
density. Of all the solids examined Antimony delivers the
smallest and Tin the largest drops.

6. The drop size depends upon temperature. Generally,
the higher the temperature, the smaller the drop. With
water the effect of temperature for a difference of 20° C. is
very small.

7. The nature of the gaseous medium has little or no effect
on the drop size.

SLL.

8. 'l'lie drop-size of a liquid which drops under like condi-
tions through various media, does not depend wholly upon the
density of the medium, and consequent variation in the weight,
in the medium of the dropping liquid.

9. If there be two liquids A and B which drop under like
conditions through air ; and the drop size of the one A be
greater than that of the other B ; then if a third liquid C be
made to drop through A and through B, the drop-size of C
through A is greater than the drop size of C through B.

10. If the drop size of A through B be greater than the
drop size of A through C, then the drop size of D through B
is also greater than the drop size of D through C.

11. If a liquid A drop upon like conditions in succession
through two liquids B and C then its drop size through any
mixture of B and C is intermediate between its drop size
through B and its drop size through C, and the greater the

proportion of ^ in the mixture the more nearly does the

drop size of A through the mixture approach to the drop

size of A through ^ alone.

12. The drop size of any mixture of tuo liquids A and 11
droping through a third liquid C is intermediate between the
drop size of A through C and that of B through C, and the

greater the the proportion of ^ in the mixture the more

B

nearly does the drop size of the mixture approach to the drop-

ing of alone.

13. If the liquid X has a large]’ drop size than the liquid \
in the liquid Z. Then the liquid Z has a larger drop size in
X than it has in Y.

14. If a liquid X has a larger drop size than a liquid Y in
air ; then the drop size of X through Y is larger than the
drop size of Y through X .

15. If the drop size of X be greater than the drop size of
V in air and the drop size of Y greater than the drop size of
Z in air ; then the ratio between the drop sizes of X in any
mixture of Y and Z and the drop size of that mixture Y and
Z through X is greatest when the ratio between Y and Z is
unity.

m

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS tc SCIENCES.

WEDNESDAY, 29th MAECH 1865.

H. E. SIR HENRY BARKLY, K.C.B,, E.R.S., IN THE CHAIR.

Present at tlie Meeting : — The Hon’ble Sir Gabriel Fropier ;
the Hon’ble C. W. Wiehe, Vice-Presidents; A. Desenne, Trea-
surer ; L. Bouton, Secretary ; F. Dick, Vice-President.

The Hon’bles H. Leraiere and H. Pitot, Messrs. E. C.
Bewsher, Ed. Bouton, W. Connor, L. Estourgies, E. Fleurot,
L. Hugues, J. Kyshe, P. Lemiere, Ch. Magnv, A, Mont-
gomery, V. Naz.

The Secretary read the following Report : —

An apology is due to Your Excellency for the delay in the
annual meeting of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences.

The Committee appointed by Your Excellency from the
members of the Society, to carry out the wish of the Secretary
of State that Mauritius should not be unrepresented at the
Dublin Exhibition, had to enter at once upon the duty of
collecting the various products of the Island with sufficient
despatch to enable them to reach Dublin in time, as no goods
and articles could be received after the 15th of April — the
Exhibition opening on Tuesday, the 9th day of May.

These articles, contained in 16 cases, were successively
despatched in the steamers which left on the 24th January,
7th and lStli February. They consist of the beautiful sugars
of Labour donnais , La Gaiete, St.-Aubin, Benares and Schoen-
fekl Estates — of vanilla grown by Messrs. J. Levieux and N.
Brousse ; of cotton and tobacco, both in leaf, in carrots and
cigars ; of tanned hides, specimens of textile fibres and medi-
cinal plants ; specimens of rope-making and fancy rattan
works by the young Indian Orphans of the Government
Asylum at Ponder Mills, besides other articles of which the
Committee intend to lay a more succinct account before Your
Excellency.

Your Excellency kindly acceded to the request ot the
Secretary that avantage might be taken of the departure of

— 222 —

the Government steamer Victoria and of H. M. S. Rapid, to
form a collection of plants from the dependencies of Mauritius.
An old employe of the Society, familiar with the occupation,
accordingly took his departure, and after an absence of two
months, returned with a sufficient quantity of plants to enable
us to form an idea of the Flora of Rodrigues, Diego, Peros
Banhos, and of Mahe, one of the Sechelles Islands. It is to
be regretted that the other islands of the Seychelles group
were not explored, but circumstances beyond the control of
the collector prevented it.

The plants thus collected have been prepared by your Se-
cretary for transmission to Sir W. Hooker, and the specimens
of Ferns from those Islands have already been forwarded to
Kew, by the Orontes, in care of Dr. Roch, Surgeon, R. A.

Your Excellency encouraged the Secretary to forward to
the Director of Kew Gardens, a sufficient quantity of plants
to form materials for a Flora of Mauritius. He has according-
ly sent at different times a large number of Phsenogamous
which grow in our forests, and of such as have become na-
turalised by length of time. Other specimens had already
been received, especially those collected by our much esteem-
ed friend the late Dr. Ayres. We also notice, in a Report on
the progress and condition of the Royal Gardens, during the
vear 1863, that the collection made in our Island about 30
years ago by the late Judge Blackburn, one of the former
Presidents of our Society, have also been presented to Kew by
Admiral Sir W. Bowles, K.C.B.

These successive contributions must have formed a large
nucleus of Mauritius plants, and must now supply, a sufficien-
cy of materials, notes, and observations for the commence-
ment of a work which is wanting, and which there is no doubt
that our Plonorable Patron, Sir Henry Barldy, would gladly
see undertaken.

An interesting collection and which, of itself, comprises a
fourth of the Flora of Mauritius, viz., the Ferns, is in the
course of preparation by the Secretary.

This collection also is intended for Kew. Notes and obser-
vations, we confidently hope, will not be wanting. Sir Henry
and Lady Barkly who have carefully studied the Ferns of our
Island and those of the Sechelles and Rodrigues, will doub-
tless communicate the results of their own observations to Sir
W. Hooker.

The wish expressed at our last annual meeting that the
Cinchona plant should be introducted into Mauritius, was
nearly realised. Your Excellency procured from Madras a ca-
se of plants of that tree. Unfortunately, taken up too young,

— 223 —

they were unable to bear the voyage, and died before they
reached Mauritius. The disappointment is a great one. Expe-
riments would have been settled or nearly so : whether or not,
certain elevated parts of our Island were suited for the culti-
vation and subsequent naturalisation of the Cinchona.

The Exhibition held in September last, with Your Excel-
lency’s permission in the garden attached to Government
House, presented rather a brilliant show of fruits, dowers and
regetables.

The committee, under the direction of its President, the
Hon. Mr. Ch. Wiehe, and of Mr. Henry Jourdain, its Vice-
President, and with the valuable assistance of the Judges,
made the arrangements and the disposition of the articles ex-
hibited as complete as possible.

That which had never been accomplished, if we except the
Intercolonial Exhibition, was this time effected ; the medals
and prizes were distributed on the very day of the Exhibition.

The plants and dowers exhibited by Mr. Constant Van-
keirsbilck and by Mr. Eug Duponsel, and the cut dowers
from La Bourdonnais and other places, were remarkable for
their beauty -and freshness. Lady Barkly contributed to the
pleasure of the occasion not only by her presence, but also by
her cooperation, — the collection of Ferns, both indigeneous
and exotic, was justly rewarded by a medal.

Dr. Guthrie presented to the Society a very interesting-
paper, which was afterwards printed with the proceedings of
the Royal Society of London. He gives an exact description
of the various volumes of what are commonly called Drops.

“ This,” observes Dr. Guthrie, “ may at drst seem a trivial
matter, but it is nevertheless in several points of view, a
subject of importance, principally to the physician and phar-
macist.” It is evident that the exact quantity contained in
a drop should be well-known, when a prescription is made out,
in which a substance enters that requires to be measured drop
by drop, the more particularly when that substance possesses
the most energetic properties. It is the same with the bubble
given out by certain gases, which present the same conditions
and arc subject to the same rules as drops.

The volume of a drop depends upon the nature and quan-
tity of the solid matter held in solution, and the chemical
nature of the fluid. Of all the liquids subjected to examination
by Dr. Guthrie, water gave the largest drops, and acetic acid
the smallest. The instrument used by Dr. G. to measure
drops and which was shewn by him to the Society was named
by him Stcdagmometer , from the Greek words signifying Drop
and Measure.

Another paper not less remarkable, although of a different
nature, viz. : A memoir on the “ Pou a poche blanche,” by
Dr. leery, was presented by the author. It is accompanied
with drawings from nature of the insect, magnified by a
powerful instrument. It fully deserves the enconiums bes-
towred by the Society, both on the author and on Mr. Desjardins
who executed the drawings under the direction of Dr. leery.

The “ Pou h poche blanche” had already been the subject
of examination by Mr. Westwood F. L. S., from specimens
forwarded to him by the Secretary. Mr. Westw ood says it be-
longs to the genus Coccus, of which the species are very nu-
merous. Dr. leery proposed that it should form a new genus
to be called G aster alphus, a name which indicates the protu-
berance which constitutes the external form of the insect.

The Society, through its President, thanked Dr. Guthrie
and Dr. Icerv for their papers which were ordered to be prin-
ted with the Transactions of the Society for the present year.

The Secretary read extracts from a paper published by Dr.
Hooker in a number of the “ Natural Historv Review, ” on a
subject which is not new’, but to which he attaches great im-
portance, viz : the replacing in countries and colonies which
are in frequent communication with European or other coun-
tries, of certain indigeneous plants by plants from the other
countries.

“ It must be long, “he says”, 1 efore facts enough to theorize
“ upon can Ire collected. Meanwhile, the inquiry appears
“ perhaps the most interesting and important in all Biology,
“ and as such it is most earnestly to be desired that all that
“ are favorably circumstanced to pursue it, will do so both
“ systematically and very carefully:”

It has been in the power of your Secretary, so far as -Mau-
ritius is concerned, to test the correctness of these assertions.
He has been able to point out several exotic plants which have
taken possession of our soil, and which have grown in such
profusion in retired spots, in the borders of our forests and on
our mountains, that strangers to the Flora of Mauritius would
believe them to be indigeneous.

The Secretary has also pointed out the fruit trees, w hich
adorn our orchards, some of which such as the guava, the
mango, the custard apple, the strawberry and the raspberry
are to be seen growing w ild in different parts of the island.

On the other hand, several indigeneous plants have become
extremely scarce, either through the destruction of the forests,
or from other cause. The same remarks mav have suggested
themselves to Your Excellency. There Avas formally, say,
twenty or twenty-five years ago, to be found in the Kcduit

— 2:25 —

Cascade, the Eg uise turn elongatum, the only representative in
Mauritius of that genus Equisetum, and which is no longer in
existence, at least, in that locality. It is the same with some
herns mentioned in the Hortus Mauritianus of Bojer.

Dr. Hooker mentions not only plants, but also animals,
some too that occupy no inferior position in the animal king-
dom, and which when introduced under favorable conditions,
for their reproduction in a country, become in some measure
indigeneous.

New insects have increased the number of these in existen-
ce in our Island ■ Butterflies from Madagascar are to be found
even in the streets of Port-Louis, in greater number than these
that are indigeneous. Other insects including the Borer un-
voluntarily introduced from Ceylon and the Foil Blanc, have
increased with such fearful rapidity as to threaten our prin-
cipal agricultural productions, and spread alarm among our
planters.

As for Birds, Mr. Ed. Newton is of opinion that out of
about thirty species which constitute the Ornithological Fauna
of Mauritius, 15 have been imported and the remainder are
indigeneous. Amoung the latter some as the Merle (1), the
Cuisinier (2), the Ferruche (3), the large Rainier (4), the
Rainier (5), and the Cateau (6), are becoming scarcer and
scarcer every year — without it being possible to ascribe any
cause for their diminution, unless it is to be attributed to the
destruction of our forests. Two others, the Dutch Pigeon (8)
and the Hoopoe (8) which are said to have existed in the Is-
land, have entirely disappeared.

Among the exotic birds, some are more numerous than
others. The Pingo (9) and the Bengali (10) are to be found
every where. The partridges (11) are pretty common in many
localities. As for the Martins (12), this is what Mr. New-
ton says about it :

“ The Martin is far the commonest bird, indeed I think it
is more numerous than any specie of bird I ever saw. That is
to say there are more Martins per acre in Mauritius than any
other specie per acre I have ever seen. ”

(1) Hypsipetes Olivaceus.

(2) Oxynotus Ferruginous.

(3) Agapornis Cana.

(4) Trocaza Meyeri.

(5) Turtur Picturatus.

(6) Palaornis Eques.

(7) Alectroasnos Nitidissima. — (8) Fregulupus Madagascaricnsis.

(9) Munia Punctulata. — (10) Estrelda Astrild.

, , . , ( Francolinus Madagascariensis — Perdrix Pintadee.

• ' l Francolinus Ponticerianus — Perdrix Bouge.

(12) Acridotheres Tristis.

— 226 —

Mr. F. Dick called the attention of the Society to the active
principle which would probably be found in the nest and exu-
viae of an insect belonging to the order of Nevropters” and
known in every hot quarter of the globe where it commits
great ravages, viz : the Caria or white ant Thermes destruc-
tor ” of Fabricius.

It is well known that a few years ago, it was made use of
as an infusion or decoction for the treatment of certain ner-
vous affections, particularly epilepsy, and that if no cures were
affected, the condition of the patients was improved. Mr Dick
drew the inference that the matters extracted from the wood
by the Caria itself might contain some principles similar to
those which are found in chloroform or other anestctics. Hut,
the medical question apart, Mr Dick was desirous that the
analysis of the nest should be made, in order to ascertain,
what substances arc extracted from the wood,, which might
lead to the discovery of a means of arresting the ravages of
this destructive insect. Mr Fleurot was requested by the So-
ciety to undertake the task ; his analysis has thrown a broad
light on the subject, and furnished results very curious and
interesting.

It has proved tlxc presence in remarkable proportions and
in rather considerable quantities, of formic acid iti combina-
tion with iron, in the head and mandibles of the insect. Mr
Fleurot is of opinion that the sedative effects of the Caria's
nest are due to the combination of the iron and formic acid,
which produces a formate of iron. The result leaves no doubt
as to its value in the treatment of certain nervous affections,
and Mr Fleurot considers that it may be ranked as a new
therapeutic agent.

The anlaysis of the nest and of the insect left no traces of
soluble salts or common salt, so generally diffused and which
is found in all animal substances. Mr Fleurot draw the infe-
rence that the nature of the insect being antipathetical to
common salt, it may be combated with that substance. lie
traced a circle of salt, in which he enclosed some white ants
and they did not dare to cross the barrier. New facts support-
ed his assertion . He has been informed that in some damp
cellars where the white ants caused great destruction amongst
the casks of wine and beer, they had been entirely driven away
by strewing a layer of common salt under the barrels, lie al-
so ascertained that salt meat casks have never been known to
be touched by them.

Mr Fleurot has thus established that common salt is the
best means hitherto discovered of preservation from the at-
tacks of the white ant. Several products of the analysis of

the Thermes Destructor , and a magnified drawing of the in-
sect were presented to the Society-

Mr Fleurot’s paper attracted the lively interest of the mem-
bers. It has established two important points : lo. The disco-
very of a new therapeutic substance — formate of iron — with
which it is hoped to combat with success certain nervous
affections that are so common in our enervating climate
and 2o. The discovery of an easy mode of driving away the
insect.

On the other and, Mr Beyts has communicated to -the So-
ciety an extract from the “ Gazette of India ” dated 8tli Octo-
ber 1864, of a letter by Dr. E. Bonavia, honorary Secretary
to the Agricultural and Horticultural Society. “ In the site,”
he says”, where the central jail is erected, the white ants exist
in unlimited numbers, and they cat through the plaster in or-
der to get at the cow-dung, so that the walls require to be
constantly re-plastered.”

“ Some time ago, Mr Marshall, the jailor, was getting so-
me floor made from the fibres of the American aloes (Agave
Americana), and he found white ants did not touch mats from
this fibre. On the countrary, they always destroyed mats made
from other materials.

“ I then asked him what use he made of the pulp which is
separated from the fibre of the aloe leaves. He said it was
thrown away. It struck me that it might be very profitably
used for mixing up with the clay and cow-dung used for plas-
tering the jail wnlls, as then probably the white ants would
not touch the plaster. The experiment was tried and quite
answered the purpose. Plaster which was impregnated with
juice and pulp of- the aloe leaves has stood for months, and is
not yet touched by white ants, while the plaster of walls free
from aloe juice becomes covered with white ants, shortly after
it is put on.”

I crave indulgence for all these 'details, but if we consider
how extensive are the ravages of this insect, , and the destruc-
tion with which some of our large buildings arc threatened,
we cannot lay too much stress upon the means of conquering
so formidable an enemy, and should seek every possible remedy.

The Society has received through the Colonial Secretary’s
office, a circular from the Secretary of State, shewing, in a
series of tabulated statements, the decreasing importations
into the United Kingdom of rosins and turpentine since the
American war. The London Board of Trade have considered
the matter to be of sufficient importance to be brought to the
notice of the Secretary of State with the view of its being
communicated to the different possessions of the British em

— 228 —

pire, in order to ensure a supply of these articles being
received, the want of which is being felt in England.

We can hardly, now that our forests once so dense, have
been thinned, find a sufficient quantity of rosinous trees to
form an article of trade. The Secretary has however pointed
out several that yield rosin, for instance : the Colophonia
Mauritiana, Marignia obtusifolia, Calophyllum Ratamaka §c.

Sir Gabriel Fropier has reminded us that several plants of
the genus Eucalyptus have been introduced from Australia.
Our former President, Mr. R. W. Rawson, now Governor of
Bahamas, being the first to set the exemple. But they are
not iu sufficient number to fulfil the ends for which they were
introduced into the Island.

As to Turpentine, alcohol is known to be a substitute for
it. A legislative enactment has even permitted its introduc-
tion into England, duty free, but on condition that it should
be mixed with a substance Avhich renders its use loathsome.

Dr. Guthrie has suggested that spirits of wood should be
mixed with the alcohol, but Mr. Fleurot remarked that it
would only be obtained by the combustion of a considerable
quantity of wood, and that Petroleum oil might be used,
which is imported in considerable quantities from America.

His Excellency the Governor has also forwarded to the
Society a circular from the Society of Acclimatisation of
London. A similar Society is in existence in our island.
Several of our members belong to it, and overtures have been
made to us with a view of placing it in communication with a
commission selected from the members of our Society. We
must then await a favorable time to furnish our replies to the
various questions of the London Society.

Similar questions were addressed to the Secretary of our
Society during the administration of the late Sir William
Stevenson. His reply is dated 28th April 1862.

Mr. Constant V ankeirslbick presented au Hygrometer of
his own sugestion, a filament or Arista of the seed of Erttlium
Gruinum, a plant recently introduced by Mr. Constant V.
himself, being substituted for hair. This filament from its
elasticity and sensitiveness to atmospheric influences, may
serve to determine the state of the ambiant air. It constitutes
an instrument as simple as it is ingenious, to indicate, like the
hygrometer, the exact state of saturation of the atmosphere.

Mr. Fleurot presented specimens of Carbonate of Lime from
Diego Suarez. Other specimens of this chalk were also collect-
ed by Isidore Legentil, at Rodrigues.

It exists, in the opinion of Mr. Fleurot, in sufficient abun-
dance iu those Islands to fill the purposes in Mauritius, for

which it is imported from Europe ; either as an improvement to
the soil in certain localities or for industrial purposes, in the
painter’s and glasier’s trade, or for the preparation of carbonic
acid which is required in the manufacture of gazeous drinks.

Mr. F. Dick called attention to the antiseptic property of
the fibrous residue of the Sugar Cane, known under the name
of Bagasse. This property was accidentally discovered about a
year ago by a physician of George Town who had to perform
the “ post mortem ” examination of a man found buried under
a heap of Bagasse. His body, instead of being in an advanced
state of decomposition, was dried up to a mummy. The result
was that the physician carried into practice his discovery.

There happened to be at the time a great number of pa-
tients suffering from ulcers in the hospital, and a contagious
gangrene had declared itself ; the physician caused several tubs
containing cane-trash to be placed in the wards, and the supply
to be renewed at intervals. In a short time the atmosphere
of the hospital Avas purified and the contagion ceased.

The Editor of the Standard, number of r the 2nd April 1864,
adds a few remarks which seem applicable to Mauritius, and
we think the experiment deserving of a trial in our hospitals.

“ Thus, it seems, ” says this paper, “ that Nature itself has
provided an antidote for the pernicious effects of heat in
tropical countries ; the contagious diseases caught by the heat
of the sun, may be neutralized by the Sugar Cane, which is
brought to maturity by those very rays.”

The Secretary was favored by a letter from Mr. Daniel
H anbury in London, calling his attention to the Columbo root
( Coccidus palmatus ) and recommending its cultivation in
Mauritius as a medicinal plant of a great value.

ff The Columbo root of commerce, Mr. H anbury says, is the
product of a wild plant growing on the Mozambique Coast,
whence it is shipped to Europe by way of Bombay. It is
mostly more or less worm eaten and often has been badly
dried, so that its bright greenish yellow colour is not well
preserved. At the present time, (October 1864) it is remar-
kably scarce and dear, and a supply of good quality would be
really acceptable in the market.”

The Secretary was enabled to procure but a very small
quantity of the Columbo root at the Botanical Garden of
Pamplemousses. He prepared it according to instructions,
vizt : cut it in very thin slices and dried it in the shade It
formed part of the collection of medicinal plants forwarded
for the Dublin Exhibition.

It would be interesting for more than one reason, to extend
in this island the cultivation of the Columbo plant, the growth

— 230 —

of which is very rapid. It could become an article of com-
merce in the hands of small proprietors.

The following Resident Members were admitted during the
year : —

PORT LOUIS :

1. Mr. Charles Rustichelli,

2. — Constant Vankeirsbilk,

3. — E. C. Bewsher,

3. — Henry Magny,

4. Dr. Edwards, General Sanitary Inspector.

Honorary Member : — Mr. P. Van Shendel, at Brussels.

Several books, periodical papers, &c., have been received
from the correspondents of the Society or from foreign So-
cieties. The Cotton Association of Manchester has forwarded,
through our Agent in London, live different varieties of Cot-
ton seeds, which have been distributed amongst those of our
members who have expressed a wish to cultivate them, name-
ly : Mr. James Currie and Mr. Ch. Pitot.

The Society has been informed of the death of Mr. Diard,
one of its honorary members. He has long been known to
the inhabitants of the Mascarenhas Islands. They will remem -
qer his essential assistance in facilitating the introduction of
certain species of sugar cane, the richness of which has in
some measure compensated for the loss of the white cane.
One of these canes bears the name of Mr. Diard. The life of
that eminent man has been devoted to the progress of Natural
Sciences. At first in conjunction with Mr. Duvaucel, they
had both been sent out as collectors by the Museum of Paris.
Mr. Diard subsequently entered the service of the King of
Holland and the Netherlands, and was employed in Java as
Superintendant of Agriculture. It was in that capacity that
he was enabled to forward to Mauritius a -whole cargo of
the Batavian canes, to replace the kind that had been destroy-
ed by the malady in 1848 and 1849. They arrived here in
1850, in the Reliance, a ship that had been freighted by a
certain number of Planters for the purpose.

Such are, Your Excellency and Gentlemen, the results
of our labours during the past year. We may have omitted
to mention the name of a few members whose contribu-
tions were of minor importance, and beg that they will accept
our apology.

There now remains the grateful task of thanking Your
Excellency, not only for honoring this meeting with your
presence, but above all, for unceasing marks of interest and
the kindness which the Society has met with at your hands.”

— 231 —

IIis Excellency the Governor then rose for the purpose
of moving the adoption of the Report which had just been
read, and in so doing said he gladly availed himself of the
• opportunity of thanking the Society for the valuable assistance
it had afforded to the Government in several matters alluded
to therein. The principal of these he need hardly say, had
been the superintendance of the preparations for sending spe-
cimens to the Dublin Exhibition, which he was happy to
learn had been effected on a scale that would do j ustice to the
industrial resources of this important Colony. The expe-
diency of its being properly represented at all such great
congresses of manufacturing skill, could not in his opinion be
overrated, and he had readily applied to the Legislature for a
grant on the occasion in question, at the instance of the
Chamber of Agriculture. Of course Sugar in some shape or
other must, as usual, form the great staple of their contribu-
tion, but there were minor products referred to in the Report
which might prove both useful and remunerative, among these
he was glad to find that samples of Colombo root properly
prepared had been forwarded ; not long since. Sir William
Hooker had written to him to enquire whether this plant, the
root of which is now attracting much attention in Europe, as
a specific for Dysentery, flourished in this Island. Many of
them were aware that this plant the “ Cocculus palmatus,”
of Botanists was dioecious, and Mr. Horne had informed him
that though both males and females blossom freely, seeds
have not yet been produced at the Botanic Garden ; he be-
lieved, however, that it could be easily propagated by other
means and that its cultivation would ensure a valuable addi-
tion to their exports. There was another medicinal plant
which he hoped to see included among those exports at no
distant date, though hitherto the attempt to introduce it had
been attended as stated in tire report with disappointment,
and that was the “Cinchona” or “Quinine Bark Tree.”
The plants which he had procured had unfortunately arrived
in a dead or dying state, and although they had been at once

removed to the cooler climate of Reduit and attended to by
Mr. Horne., they had never recovered the effects of the voy-
age, or more probably of the previous land journey from the
Botanical Gardens at Cotacamund through hotter regions of
Madras. They ought not however to dispair of success from
the failure of one attempt and he had written again to the
Madras Government to repeat the experiment, and had only
yesterday from his friend, Sir William Denison that another
case wonld shortly be sent with all the precautions that have
been suggested.

There was another matter in which the Society also de-
served his acknowledgements and that was for the very suc-
cessful Flower Show held under their auspices in the Gardens
of Government House. He trusted that its success was suffi-
cient to ensure its repetition and he would take the oppor-
tunity of reminding them that in that case it w'as not too soon
to give public notice to intending exhibitors ; his honorable
friend opposite (Mr. Henri Pitot) smiled ; but it was not
every one who was ready to enter the lists, like him, at a
moment’s notice. He Avould not delay them by referring to
other points touched on in the Report ; the original papers
contributed, though fevr in number, appeared to have been of
a highly practical character and there was one of them con-
taining the notes of Mr. Dick and Mr. Fleurot on the \V hite
Ant of which he should be glad to get a copy, as enquiries
had not long since been addressed to hint as to the best means
of checking the ravages of that destructive insect. lie had
seen in an English paper, that the impregnation of timber
and other substances with Linseed Oil, was recommended for
this purpose, but there might be many cases in which com-
mon salt or the pulp of aloe leaves might be more suitable
or easily procured.

He must congratulate the Secretary on having so nearly
completed the task of packing up and sending to Kewr the
specimens in the Herbarium. They would be returned arran-
ged and correctly named after comparaison with those in the

collection there which is now the most extensive in the world,
and the commencement would thus be made of an accurate
catalogue of the contents of the Museum over the way. On
the other hand, the examination of the original Types of
Bory, Bojer and other eminent Botanists who had labored
on these shores could not fail to prove instructive and inter-
esting to European Botanists who congregated at Kew from
all quarters — De Candolle him self having spent several months
there last year. It would moreover enable his venerable friend
Sir "William Hooker, to advise how far the materials amass-
ed here, together with those he has already acquired at
Kew, would justify the publication of a “Flora” of the Co-
lony ; for that purpose he would not hesitate to ask the
Legislature for the necessary vote of .€300 or £400 when the
proper time arrived, and he trusted that the ground-work
would be found to have been laid in the manuscripts of a late
eminent member of that Society, just presented to Kew by
his Widow. He remembered that the late Dr. Ayres in a
letter to Dr. Mueller which he saw before leaving Melbourne,
stated that he had then completed the desetiption of six
hundred species not including the Ferns. It was worth their
while to consider likewise whether the publication of a Fauna
of Mauritius might not be much facilitated, and the Museum
at the same time enriched, by exchanging duplicate speci-
mens of Birds, Insects and Fishes with the British Museum
and other kindred institutions in Europe. He believed it
would be found that much less was known at home than was
generally supposed of some of the commonest families in the
Island, such as the Lacertse, Crustacea1, Mollusca Src. No
doubt a good deal yet remained to be explored also in the
Dependencies of Mauritius notwithstanding that, as men-
tioned in the Report, advantage had been taken of the recent
cruise of II. M. S. Rapid to send a collector from the Museum
among them. In a brief visit of only a few hours’ duration
to Rodrigues, one of their members, Mr. Edward Newton
had not only disintered the fossil bones of what he considered

— 234 —

a Dodo {JDidus Solitarius) , but bad obtained t ivo species of
birds new to Ornithologists ; whilst amongst the Ferns brought
from the same Island by Captain Barclay, one had been reco-
gnised by Lady Barkly as not previously known to exist
either in Africa or India, or indeed anywhere else except Sin-
gapore. Such discoveries might appear trival to the unobser-
vant mind, but besides the interest they possessed for students
of the particular branch of natural history to which they
pertained, they furnished facts for those speculations — for he
could hardly call them theories — as to the origin and distribu-
tion of species, which were now exciting so much interest in
the Scientific World, and the importance of which, in every
point -of view, could not be disputed. He would detain them
no longer, but call upon them to adopt the Report presented.

Sir Gabriel F ropier rose and spoke as follows : —
Messieurs,

Permettez-moi dc remercier en votre nom Son Excellence
le Gouverncur d’ avoir bien voulu venir presider votre seance
annuel) e.

Je me sens toujours tres honore d’ avoir a interpreter vos
sentiments dans dcs occasions semblables, mais je suis peine
de devoir aujourd’hui cet honneur a des causes regrettables.
Je regrette que mon honorable ami et collogue de la Vice
Presidence, prefere s’effacer par exces de modestie, quand sa
parole, toujours ecoutee avec favour, le serait aussi avec fruit ;
je regrette surtout que notre President, PHonorable Rush-
worth, se sente encore trop affaibli, par sa recente maladie^
pour vous representer en cettc circonstance. J’espere du
moins qubl pourra bientbt reprendre sa place parmi nous,
coramc il a dejii repris ses occupations officiellcs.

11 est toujours facile cPexprimer des sentiments de recon-
naissance, parce qu’ils sont bien sentis, ct pen de mots suflisent
pour dire a Son Excellence que nous sommes touches de la
nouvclle marque dbnteret qu’Ellc vent bien donner il notre
Societe. Mais je n’oserais pas, sans preparation, me hasarder

— 235 —

aborder lcs questions que yient de trailer Son Excellence et
qui font Fobjet du It ap port de noire infatigable et zele Secre-
taire. Je nFexposerais surement h le faire d’une maniere peu
digne du sujct et de vous-memes. Yous nFexcuserez done de
nFabstenir.

Si les encouragements aux arts et aux sciences sont desira-
bles et utiles partout, on peut affirmer quails soUt indispensa-
bles a Maurice ; et Son Excellence semble Favoir reconnu
par les nombreuses preuves d’interet qu’Elle nous donne,
et dont son discours de tout-il-Flieure abonde dbm bout a
F autre.

Ce iFest pas a dire que les habitants de cette colonie ne
soient pas enclins an progres, ne soient pas animes du desir
de F etude et de la science, ou soient prives de F aptitude et de
Fintelligence necessaires pour s’y livrer avec succes. Dieu
merci les mauriciens n’ont rien a regretter ou h envier sous
ce rapport, et bien des exemples pourraient en faire foi.

Mais il faut bien le reoonnaitre, si les progres accomplis
dans le monde entier ont cree, pour Fliomme des sources nou-
velles de jouissance et de bien etre, ils ont cree par cela memo
mille besoins nouveaux et une soif ardente pour les richesses
qui offrent seules les moyens de satisfaire ces besoius. Sous
ce rapport on peut dire que dans les pays comme le notre, la
lutte est peut-etre plus vive, plus incessante que partout ail-
leurs. Et, ce qui pourrait etre paradoxal pour ceux qui voient
dans les habitants de toutes les colonies des hommes mous et
desoeuvres, on peut avancer qu’il n’y a pas de population plus
affairee, plus occupee que la ndtre. Les resultats iFen sont
ni plus prompts ni plus assures qiFailleurs sans doute ; nous
avons a lutter contre des difficultes inconnues en d5autres con-
trees ; et si la vie humaine parait trop courte en ces contrecs,
pour atteindre le but propose, e’est bien autre chose ici ou le
plus grand nombre voudrait accomplir en quelques annees,
une tache si ardue pour regagner ses penates ou esperer un
repos qui fuit toujours. Aussi ne trouve-t-on de temps pour
rien ; et si j’en cxcepte Faccomplissement des devoirs d’un

ordre superieur, cliacun sc croit clans l’impossibilite d’enlever
un moment it ses aflaires.

C’est done nn grand service que nous rend notre Gouver-
neur, non seulement en nous encourageant par ses paroles,
mais surtout en nous montrant par son exemple qu’on ne
peut mieux reposer son esprit des occupations de la vie pu-
blique qu’en l’appliquant aux charmes de l’etude. Et, cons-
tatons en passant que cette heureuse alliance de l’etude et des
aflaires id a pas ete perdue pour Sir Henry Barkly ; et que le
temoignage que vient de lui donner la plus influente Societe
Scientifique de notre Afetropole est d’autant plus considera-
ble qu’il est venu le trouver aux confins du monde.

]Mais (l’ailleurs dans l’interet merae de la lutte que nous
soutenons, ne devons-nous pas, comme nos concurrents cl’Eu-
rope, demander a la science les moyens d’augmenter et d’a-
meliorer nos produits, et de defendre nos recoltes et nos au-
tres biens contre les causes de destruction qui les menacent ?
— Ne devons-nous pas surtout demander aux Arts et aux
Sciences les moyens de proteger notre sante, d’eclairer et
d’elever notre esprit, d’augmenter le comfort et le bien-etre
de notre existence? Et disons-le hardiment quelques ins-
tants cliaque jour, chaque semaiue, cliaque mois meme, con-
sacres ce but, nous seraient bientot amplement retribues.

Voyez quel vaste champ s’offre it nous : cette annee les
principaux travaux des membres de notre Societe ont porte
sur des infiniment petits ; et ont produit cependant des resul-
tats tres remarquables.

AI. Eleurot, notre habile chimiste, sur les intelligentes sug-
gestions de AL P. Dick, s’est attaque an caria blanc (Ther-
mite Destructeur) cette vieille et tres dangereuse connaissance
de nos maisons, de nos meubles, de nos arbres. L’irisecte
lui-meme, sa demeure, son nid tout a ete decrit, alambique,
analyse ; et bientot il en sortira sans doute des resultats utiles
pour la conservation des bois, pour la therapeutique meme.

Le Dr. Guthrie porte son attention sur les gouttes des
liquidcs, sur les Indies des gaz ; et de cette etude patiente.

— 237

complete, il salt tirer des indications propres a iuteresser
l’esprit et fertiles en consequences pratiques.

Le Dr. leery s' attache it decrire le pou a poche blanche, ce
nouvel ennemi de notre industrie sucriere, le plus infime et
peut etre le plus terrible, comme si le maitre de toutes choses
voulait nous montrer le neant de notre orgueil humain en
nous faisant trembler devant les plus chetifs des etres crees.
Son etude aussi est complete : les transformations, les moeurs,
les habitudes du terrible animal microscopique, tout est minu-
tieusement decrit. Et qiPon Pappelle Puceron, Cochenille,
Gallinsecte ou Gaster alphas (ainsique le propose le Dr. leery),
il faut esperer que cette etude conduira it connaitre les meil-
leurs moyens de s’en preserver.

Yous le voyez done, rien iPest petit dans la nature. Par
son importance, le Createur est toujours grand dans la plus
chetive de ses oeuvres, et si je ne fais pas allusion it un autre
travail du meme savant membre, plus important encore, si je
passe sous silence les autres travaux de notre Societe, e’est
pour vous laisser sous cette impression. A P oeuvre done vous
tous ouvriers de Pavenir, vous surtout jeunes homines qui
avez ete puiser les elements des sciences aux sources vives de
Penseignement europeen. Faites profiter votre pays de vos
connaissances acquises. Augmentez-enla somme par de nou-
velles investigations. Considerez combien il reste it faire dans
ces pays que n’ont pas encore explores les maitres de la science.
IPhistoire naturelle tout entiere, la physiologie vegetale et
animate, la chimie, la therapeutique, etc., etc., vous promettent
d’abondantes moissons. Arenez en faire part it nos modestes
reunions mensuelles. La timidite, la modestie peuvent-elles
vous retenir ? Sans doute P esprit de critique peut s’exercer
comme partout ailleurs, dans une petite communaute dont
tous les membres se connaissent. Mais l’approbation des
honnetes gens, des vrais amis du pays doit vous rassurer.
Leur indulgence est acquise it tous ceux qui cherchent le bien,
leurs applaudissements recompensent ceux qui y reussissent.

Tout nous convie a reunir nos efforts pour rapporter dans

— 238 —

un an une plus grande somme de travaux au Chef bienveillant
qui nous honore de son patronage. Nous ne saurions mieux
lui prouver notre reconnaissance, qu’en imitant ses exemples.
Et est-il seul a nous les donner ? Aupres de lui, une femme
distinguee se livre avec succes a cette attrayante etude de la
botanique qui offre a notre admiration les oeuvres les plus
delicates de la nature. Yous venez de 1’ entendre, un hommage
tout recent lui a ete rendu par la plus illustre autorite bota-
nique de notre epoque : Sir William Hooker a donne le nom
de Lady Barkly a une fougere (1) reconnuc par elle oomme
non-decrite et recueillie dans la visite qui vient d’etre faite
aux iles de notre Archipel. Montrons-nous done reconnais-
sants par nos efforts comme par le remerciments (pie je repete
en votre nom a, Sir Henry Barkly.

The Society then proceeded to the election of its Council of
Administration for the ensuing year and the following result
was obtained : —

OFFICIAL MEMBERS :

The Hon. E. E. Hush worth, — President
The Hon. Sir Gabriel Fropier,

The Hon. Ch. W. Wiehe, j
A. Desenne, Esq., — Treasurer.

L. Bouton, Esq., — Secretary
Fredk. M. Dick, Esq.,

Henry W. Finniss

Vice-Presidents.

I y

c, Esq., - )
liss. Esq., )

Vi ce- Seer eta ries.

INOFFICIAL MEMBERS :

The Hon. H. Pitot,
John Fraser, Esq.,
L. Ilugues, Esq.,

The Hon. E. Newton,
Doctor Ch. Rcgnaud,
„ II. Rogers.

auditors :

E. Fleurot, Esq. | V. Naz, Esq.

(1) Cheilanthes Barklyi.

/if ft A mr/iif J f-.-l. (’tek lifft •

PRESENTED
1 2 DEC 1351)

J A

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