186 



" Science Gossip" from the Publisher. 



"American Naturalist ... ... ... ... in Exchange. 



" American Journal of Microscopy " ... ... „ „ 



" Annals of Natural History ... ... ... by Purchase. 



" Specimens of an Infusorial deposit from Cym~) from Dr. Solterforth 



Bychan Lake* ... ... ... ... ) per Mr. T. Curties. 



Photograph of Mr. F. Oxley, for the Club album. 



The Secretary said that he had been requested to announce the following 

 Soirees, and to ask the assistance of those members of the Club who might 

 be able to be present at either of them : — That of the Greenwich Micro- 

 scopical Society would take place on Wednesday, January 8th, 1879 ; the New 

 Cross Society would hold theirs on Tuesday, January 28th ; and the South 

 London Society's would be held at the Crystal Palace, on February 19th. 



Mr. Charles Stewart made some highly interesting observations upon 

 Lichens, which he freely illustrated by coloured drawings made upon the 

 black board as he proceeded. After describing the important role in the 

 economy of nature which was played by the tribe of Lichens, and point- 

 ing out their peculiar powers of resisting drought, their usefulness as 

 pioneers for other vegetation, and their commercial value as a source of 

 dyes and an article of food, Mr. Stewart stated that in order to obtain 

 some clear idea of their structure it would be necessary to acquire a 

 knowledge of that of certain low forms of Algae and Fungi. Nostoc, an 

 Alga found in the form of gelatinous material encrusting rocks, &c, was 

 then figured and described, together with Cystococcus, a cellular form 

 frequently found upon palings, &c. The general characteristics of the 

 Ascomycetous Fungi were then explained at some length, and the minute 

 structure of Peziza was figured and described, its reproduction and develop- 

 ment being traced through their various stages. The apparently identical 

 structure of the Lichens and Ascomycetous Fungi was next alluded to, and 

 it was shown that the cellular formation of the lower Algae was present in 

 addition, from which the inference was drawn that both Algae and Fungi 

 had contributed to the production of Lichens. Some further drawings 

 illustrative of this combined structure were then made, and the relation 

 between them was pointed out with great clearness. 



The Chairman said that the subject before them was one which no doubt 

 would at first sight strike any one as being decidedly dry ; but he was quite 

 sure that, under the lucid treatment of Mr. Stewart, it must have become 

 most interesting to all. As a class, these lichens were most beautifully dis- 

 persed, and it only required a leading hand, like that of Mr. Stewart, to make 

 any one take an interest in them. He hoped that many would be induced 

 to take up the subject. Having invited remarks upon the subject, he called 

 upon Dr. M. C. Cooke to say something upon it. 



Dr. M. C. Cooke said that he had, in the first place, to thank Mr. Stewart 

 for the lucid, clear, and interesting manner in which he had laid before them 

 a theory which had many supporters, and which had now extended itself 



* A list of these diatoms will be found in the " Proceedings of the Chester Society of 

 Natural Science," No. 2, p. 28. 



