1899.] 63 



PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



Royal Zoological Society. 



Recent gifts include a Marmoset from Mr. E. C. Murphy, four Doves 

 from Mr. M. W. Despard, a Badger from Mr. G. Hunter, and a Cassowary 

 from the Hon. Walter Rothschild. A Caracal has been bought. 



4,250 persons visited the Gardens in January. 



Dublin Microscopical Club. 



January 19.— The Annual Meeting was held at Leinster House. 

 The Vice-President, Arthur Andrews, J.P„ in the chair. 



A cordial vote of sympathy with the President, Wm, Frazer, Esq., 

 F.R.C.S.I., in his present illness, was passed. The Officers for 1899 were 

 re-elected, as follows : — President, Wm. Frazer, F.R.CS.I. ; Vice- 

 President, Arthur Andrews, Esq., J. P. ; Hon. Secretary, Greenwood 

 Pirn, Esq., M.A. ; Hon. Treasurer, F. W. Moore, Esq., A-L-.S. 



The Treasurer stated that financially the Club was in a satisfactory 

 position ; £<\ 8s. 2d. remaining in his hands after discharging all liabilities 

 for the past year. 



It was unanimously resolved that a donation of £$ 3*. be given to the 

 Irish Naturalist for 1899, and that the Editor be requested to furnish to 

 the Secretary reprints of the Proceedings of the Club for distribution 

 amongst the members. 



Mr. W. N. Allen exhibited some beautiful photo-micrographs 

 recently published by E. and H. Spitta, in the Pharmaceutical /ournal. 



Dr. H. H. Dixon showed a preparation illustrating the colour reactions 

 of nuclei. Sections of the embryonic tissue at the apex of the stem of 

 Ranunculus repens, are composed of cells containing nuclei which are 

 very sensitive to colour reactions. Very good preparations are obtained 

 by staining with safranine dissolved in anilin-water, washing in acid 

 alcohol and alcohol, and staining again in anilin blue dissolved in water. 

 Sections so treated when mounted in balsam show the nucleolus of 

 resting nuclei stained a brilliant ruby, while the chromatin substance is 

 a vivid blue. Where karyokinetic figures are to be seen it is easy to 

 observe that with the disappearance of the nucleoli, the chromatin 

 elements — the chromosomes — become affected by the red stain, so that 

 the nuclear plate and the diaster are invariably stained red. As has 

 been before suggested this colour change offers evidence that the 

 substance of the nucleoli pass into the chromosomes during karyo- 

 kinesis. 



Dr. Dixon also showed sescospores of Tuber aestivum. The nuclei of 

 the young asci lie in the central vacuolate portion of the protoplasm. 

 The outer zone of protoplasm is denser, more finely granular, and 

 contains glycogen. These nuclei are large, and are composed of a fine 

 ground substance, in which are embedded a number (about four or five) 

 nucleoli. Round four or five of the nuclei in each ascus, cell-walls are 

 developed. These latter lie very close to the periphery of the nucleus 



