tio The Irish Nahiratist. [April, 



PROCKHDINGS OF IRISH SOCIKTIKS. 



RoYAi, Zooi^oGiCAi, Society. 



Recent donations include a cockatoo from Mr. B. Thompson, two 

 Indian Pythons and a Diamond Snake from Mr. W. Cross, some Trout 

 and water-plants from Mr. F. Godden, two Bramblings, a Chaffinch, and 

 a Bunting from Mr. J. L. T. Dobbin, and an Indian M3'nah from Mrs. 

 Denny. A pair of Wolves, a Malayan Bear, twenty-two monkeys, and a 

 number of freshwater- fish have been acquired by purchase. 



On March nth, the Lord Lieutenant opened the newly arranged house 

 for reptiles, and diving-birds, and fish, described in the last number of 

 the Irish NaiH7-alist. 



One puppy of the last litter born of the Cape Hunting Dog is alive and 

 thriving. This highly interesting specimen— the first of the species ever 

 reared in captivity — is to be given to the collection of the Zoological 

 Society of Loudon. 



4,778 persons visited the gardens in February. 



Dubinin Microscopicai, Ci,ub. 



February 15. — The Club met at the house of Mr. A. Andrews. 



Mr. Greenwood Pim showed a slide of dust collected in Melbourne, 

 on 27th December, 1896, after a (so-called) rain of blood. The particles 

 were very minute and mostly rounded; organic remains extremely 

 scarce. Prof Cole, to whom the material was submitted, was of opinion 

 that it was desert sand, similar to that resulting from "red rains," which 

 have occurred in Greece and Italy, and which were derived from the 

 Sahara ; the rounded grains and reddish tint confirming this view. 



Mr. Pim also showed a specimen of Nectria coccinea in situ on bark, the 

 brilliant red conceptacles nestling among the bright green Protococcus 

 forming an exceedingly pretty object for a low power and condensed 

 illumination. 



Mr. F. W. Moore exhibited a brightly-coloured species of fungus 

 which had attacked the pseudo-bulbs of OdoniogIossu??i pulchellum. The 

 species has been determined by Mr, G. Massee as Calonectria luteola, Sacc. 



Mr. M'Ardi^E exhibited specimens of Lachnella echimdata, Awd., a rare 

 discomycetous fungus, which has minute waxy white cups, globose in 

 the young state, afterwards the disk becomes flattened and shortly 

 stipitate, externally villous. Each hair at the apex bears a globose echin- 

 ulate head, forming a radiating margin, and is a beautiful microscopic 

 object. The specimens were found in Glenealy Wood, Co. Wicklow, 

 growing on the decayed leaves of the oak, in August last year, by Dr. 

 McWeeney and Mr. M'Ardle, when collecting for the Flora and Fauna 

 Committee of the Royal Irish Academy. 



