Identity of Achorion Schonleiui with Aspergillus glaucus. 153 



sporon furfur y Robin ; Oidium albicans, Cli. R. ; Torula guttata ; 

 Trichophyton toneurans, Malmsten ; 2\ ulcerum, Ch. R. ; Micro- 

 sporon Audouini, Ch. R. ; M. Mentagropthytes, Ch. R. ; Achorion 

 Schonleini, Remak. ; Leptoinitus, six species ; with a considerable 

 number of other epizootic forms. With regard to the majority of 

 these, the author remarked that they could not be Avith certainty 

 considered as identical with Aspergillus, but that there was every 

 probability of such being the case, — 1st, from the exact identity of 

 form ; and 2ndly, from the extreme unlikelihood of their being di- 

 stinct species, as shown by their never or rarely producing fruit ; 

 proving them to be mere variations of some other fungus growing 

 under unfavourable circumstances, and not arriving at a perfect de- 

 velopment. "With Achorion Schonleini the case is different. The 

 following facts may be adduced in support of its alleged identity with 

 Aspergillus: — 1st. The sporules of the former, carefully watched 

 during their growth, developed the perfect sporangia of the latter, 

 which, 2ndly, is produced in a state of fructification in the air-sacs 

 of birds, — showing the possibility of its growing on animal tissues. 

 3. The figure given by Dr. Bennett of a section of the scalp affected 

 by favus, exhibits the true fructification of an Aspergillus. 



2. " On the Properties oiLolium temulentum," by Mr. John Lowe. 

 After noticing the physiological effects which have been ascribed 



to the action of Darnel, the author remarked that there exists a great 

 want of information as to the amount of the seed requisite to produce 

 these results. From all that has been written on the subject, it 

 would appear as if the virulence of the herb varied in different lo- 

 calities. A series of experiments was given in detail, showing that 

 Darnel grown in the Botanic Garden produced no effect when taken 

 in doses of half an ounce. The observations of Professor Christison 

 on the (Enanthe crocata show an analogous result, this plant being 

 a virulent poison when grown in England, but innocuous in Scotland. 

 A similar example is seen in the Cannabis indica, which only yields 

 its gum-resin when grown in a hot climate. Further experiments 

 are required with regard to Lolium. 



3. "Further Observations on Dust-showers," by Mr. George 

 Lawson, F.R.P.S. 



Mr. Lawson laid before the Society a letter from Dr. J. 0. M'Wil- 

 liam, R.N., in which that gentleman remarks : '* While I was at Boa 

 Vista, the easternmost of the Cape de Verd group, during the months 

 of April, May, June, and part of July, 1846, I had ample oppor- 

 tunity of witnessing these phsenomena. In my meteorological register 

 I find that in April [1846] the atmosphere is recorded as hazy, and 

 filled with sand, ten days ; in May, eleven days ; in June, five days; 

 and during the first ten days of July, three days. As a general rule, 

 when these sand-fogs prevailed, the north-east trade-winds were 

 blowing with more than usual force ; they sometimes lasted for three 

 or four days without any intermission. AX the period of their pre- 

 valence, the sand-heaps which abound in this barren, parched, vol- 

 canic region are drifted about from the windward to the leeward side 



