52 The Irish Naturalist, April, 



segment of the maxillary palp. The appearance suggests the existence 

 of some underlying sense-organs. 



H. A. Lafferty exhibited microscopic preparations of tlie fungus 

 Typhula phacorrhiza (Reich.), the sclerotia of which were found, at 

 the Seed Testing Station of the Department of Agriculture and Technical 

 Instruction for Ireland, to occur as an impurity in several samples of 

 home-saved flax seed. The sclerotia which are very minutely wrinkled 

 on the outside have a black cortex but are hyaline internally. They are 

 spherical or discoid in shape and vary from i"5 to 3 mms. in diameter. 

 Germination takes place by each sclerotium producing a single slender 

 whitish stalk var^'ing from 4 to 6 cms. long which becomes slightly 

 thickened for i cm. or so at its apex. On the sides of this thickened 

 part of the stalk the basidia sterigmata and basidiospores of the fungus 

 are produced. Preliminary infection trials have been carried out with 

 the basidiospores of the fungus on the cotyledons of young flax plants, 

 and these would indicate that it is not parasitic, at least on flax plants, 

 but further research is necessary to definitely determine this point. This 

 is the first record of Typhula phacorrhiza for Ireland. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



January 21. — -The President (A. McI. Cleland) occupying the chair. 

 Professor Yapp, M.A., then gave an address entitled " The Fenland of 

 East Anglia and its Vegetation." In ancient times the fenland was a 

 great swampy plain, now it has been drained, and the whole face of the 

 country is changed. There are still a few undrained spots, the lecturer 

 drawing attention to the vegetation of .one of these, viz. : — Wicken Fen, 

 ten miles north of Cambridge. The vegetation is influenced by the 

 character of the peaty soil. In places large tree trunks are exposed, 

 the tops of which all inchne to the north-east ; therefore we can conclude 

 that the prevailing winds have not changed in direction since early times 

 — that is, from the south-west. Professor Yapp also dealt with the 

 plants, which came under three heads — aquatic, semi-aquatic, and those 

 growing on the Fen itself. Proceeding, he said it was found that species 

 growing side by side have different requirements as regards air and water, 

 and so place their roots at different levels. Rushes grow with their 

 roots in water, higher up we get sedges, then mosses, and on the humus 

 formed from the decay of the latter seedlings .take root. SpircBa Ulmaria 

 is a dry fen plant, and estabhshes itself in this way. By a series of 

 beautiful lantern slides Professor Yapp showed how Spiraea was able to 

 withstand drought. The bottom leaves being smooth, the upper ones 

 showing a varying degree of hairiness, transpiration was thus consequently 

 lessened. In the discussion which followed many interesting points 

 were raised. Dr. Charlesworth, Mr. Cleland, and Mr. Stelfox taking part. 

 The lecture was illustrated by a series of fine lantern slides. The meeting 

 terminated with the election of Mr. Strain as an ordinary, Mr. McBridc 

 an associate, and Mr. Bent a junior member of the Club. 



