1910. Irish Societies* 79 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



KOYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Green Monke}-, from Mr. J. Miller ; a Fox, from 

 Miss ]\I. vSpedden ; Badgers, from Dr. G. Scriven and Capt. W. Xapier; a 

 Double lop-eared Rabbit, from ]\Ir. W. E. P. Phibbs; an Opossum, from 

 Mr. J. ]M. Kingau : a Corn Bunting, a Song-Thrush, and a Pied Wag- 

 tail, from Mr. W. J. Williams ; a pair of Turkeys, from the Hon. A. S. G, 

 Canning ; a Turkey Vulture, from Mr. H. B. Rathborne ; a Barn Owl, 

 from ]\Ir. W. W. Despard ; and four Pigeons from Mr. and Miss Johnson, 

 A fine male Llama from Peru, a Spider Monkey and a pair of Lion 

 Marmosets from Brazil have been acquired. To the great regret of 

 all frequenters of the Gardens, two of the Gibbons have died during 

 the winter, as well as the male Chimpanzee, Barne}- ; the latter had 

 lived in the Anthropoid House for nearh- four years. 



Great improvements in the cooking and heating arrangements of the 

 Haughton House have lately been made, and the increased facilities 

 thus afforded will, doubtless, be appreciated by visitors during the 

 coming season. 



DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 



February, 9. — The Club met at Leinster House. Dr. G. H. Pkthy- 

 BRTDGp: (President), exhibited the parasitic fungus Sclerotinia cincrea 

 (Bon.), vSchroet. found attacking plums and causing theirmummification 

 The disease produced is commonly known under the name of " Brown 

 Rot " and as such is common to a number of fruits. Formerly only the 

 couidial stage of the fungus was known and was described under the 

 genus Monilia. Considerable doubt existed as to whether this Brown 

 Rot of various fruits was due to one fungus, or to several closely allied 

 species. It is now known that there are three fungi which are responsible 

 for the rot, and that each of them is more or less restricted to certain 

 kinds of fruit. t\\yx^ Sclerotmia fructigena ^q\\xo^\, occurs on apples and 

 pears, S. laxa Aderb et Ruhl. on apricots, and S. cinerea (Bon.) Schroet. on 

 cherries, plums, and peaches. In the present instance the couidial form 

 only was present. The plums were received from Co. Antrim, and the 

 fungus has not been previously recorded for Ireland. 



Prof. G. H. Carpenter showed larvae of Helodes, a genus ofdascillid 

 beetles. The larva is onisciform with remarkably elongate feelers, and 

 occurs beneath the submerged stones of rapid mountain streams. The 

 primitive nature of this larva is shown by the presence of well-developed 

 dentate maxilluUe, which in conjunction with teeth on the labrum 

 appear to have a masticatory function. These structures were well 

 figured by W.Rolf. (Arch. f. Nat urges ch., Jahrg. xl., Bd. i,, 1874, taf. i., 

 fig. 31), but their nature seems to have been hitherto unrecognised. 



F. W. Moore exhibited the winter stage of the Rose Mildew {S/>/ia-ro- 

 theca pannosa. Lev.) The mycelium is perennial, and, at the end of the 

 season, it forms dense masses of velvety appearance and grey white in 

 colour. In this the small, dark, sub-globose perithecia are imbedded ; 

 one of these perithecia had been opened showing the solitary ascus with 

 spores. 



