i%7-] Proceedings of Irish Socieiies, I99 



The mounted cultivation was prepared for the morphological obser- 

 vation of the scum vegetation, and shows the unusual short sausage- 

 shaped cells, with their tendency to spread out in a thin film of single 

 cells, which never overlap each other. It was made from a pure gelatine 

 received from Mr. Darg^nsen, of Copenhagen, by the following method : — 

 A thin cover glass, thoroughly cleaned, is passed through the flame of a 

 spirit lamp, then a tiny droplet of weak sterile malt extract from a 

 capillary glass pipette is placed on it, and inoculated with a platinum 

 needle which also serves to spread out the liquid to a thin film, about 

 one-quarter inch in diameter, the cover glass is then inverted on to a 

 wet paper cell on a glass slip and placed in a damp chamber to develop ; 

 the growth is watched from day to day until the necessary stage of 

 maturity be reached, when the cover glass is lifted off the cell and dried, 

 after which it can be stained and mounted on a slip with a spun cell in 

 Hg. CI. ^ dilution. By this means the cells are retained in the exact 

 position in which they grew, and the mount will keep for a long time. 



Dubinin Naturalists' Fiei.d Club. 



June 5- — Excursion to Edenderry. — Members and their friends took 

 the 9.15 train from Broadstone to Edenderry. After visiting the several 

 places of interest and taking lunch at Smith's Hotel, the party took car 

 to the Cushaling bog, and under a local guide in waiting explored on 

 foot (and sometimes in water) the bog. The Black-headed Gulls were 

 seen in thousands, and their nests were met with about a mile into the 

 bog. All stages between the ^gg in the nests and the mature bird were 

 seen, and Mr. Greenwood Pirn obtained several photographs. The 

 Derris bog was crossed on the return journey. The Redshanks, many 

 of which were seen, were already on wing. The Royal Fern, Bladder- 

 worts and Sundews were in plenty, but no Butterwort, Vacciniums, 

 or other characteristic bog plants were seen . Enipetrujn nigrum 

 was abundant. One member explored the extensive bog entomo- 

 logically. After tea, the Museum, due mainly to Mr. Murray, in 

 the Town Hall, was visited and inspected with interest. The party 

 returned to town after an enjoyable excursion, thanks not a little to the 

 excellent local arrangements, which, the Secretary stated, Mr. Palmer 

 had made. 



