224 Microscopical Society. 



elytra appear as it were terminated by a tubercle ; near the apex, 

 on each side, is another tubercle. The thorax has a distinct fovea 

 on each side, in the middle and near the lateral margin. The size 

 of the specimens from Port St. Cruz varies from length 9 J lin., width 

 41 lin., to length 7f lin., width 3J lin. 



A specimen from St. Julian differs in being considerably smaller 

 and more deeply sculptured, and in having a small patch of white 

 scales near the apex of the elytra ; the interstice between the fourth 

 and fifth striae is somewhat raised. Length 7 lines. 



In the collection is a specimen, without label, which agrees with 

 this variety, as I presume it is. Length 6J lines. 



Two out of three specimens from St. Cruz have pitchy red colour 

 legs ; in the third the legs are black. The specimen from St. Julian 

 has also black legs. 



Mr. Darwin found this Curculio " lying dead by thousands on all 

 parts of the plains at St. Julian, both far in the interior and near 

 the coast." 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



At a meeting of the Microscopical Society held October 19th, 1842, 

 J. S. Bowerbank, Esq., in the Chair, a paper was read by William 

 B. Carpenter, M.D., " On the Structure of the Animal Basis of the 

 common Egg-shell, and of the Membrane surrounding the Albumen." 

 The author found on examining the thin membrane surrounding the 

 albumen of the hen's egg (membrana putaminis) that it consisted of 

 several laminae, each lamina being composed of interlacing fibres, 

 between which numerous interspaces are left ; on comparing this 

 with a portion of egg-shell decalcified by means of dilute acid, both 

 presented the same structure, but the laminae were more numerous 

 in the latter ; he supposes that the deposit of calcareous matter takes 

 place in the interspaces left by the reticulation of the fibres, and con- 

 cludes that this fibrous membrane is analogous to the chorion of 

 Mammalia. A preparation showing the identity of the two struc- 

 tures accompanied the paper. 



Another paper was also read by Arthur Hill Hassall, Esq., enti- 

 tled " An Explanation of the Cause of the Rapid Decay of many 

 Fruits, more especially of those of the Apple tribe." After some 

 preliminary observations, the author proceeded to state, that on 

 placing a portion of decayed apple under the microscope, he observed 

 vast numbers of ramified filaments passing in all directions between 

 and around the cells of the parenchyma of the fruit ; these filaments 

 were regarded as those of a minute fungus or fungi*, which by insi- 

 nuating themselves between the cells of the pulp of the fruit, de- 

 tached them from their connections with each other, destroyed their 

 vitality, and ultimately produced a decomposition of their contents. 



* Complete observations on this interesting subject have been made known 

 by Prof. Ehrenberg so far back as 1820 in the ' Regensburger Flora,' ii. 

 p. 535, and more fully in the • Nova Acta Nat. Cur.' vol. x., under the title 

 De Mycetoyenesi Ep is to la. —Ed. An\. 



