248 The Irish Naturalist. [vSept., 



restricteduou rishment and air supply oospores were produced in about 

 eight days, they were generally formed at the extremities of the hypliae 

 and did not exhibit antheridia, the oospores are spherical and number 

 from four to twelve, commonly four to six, thus resembling the com- 

 monest Achlya form of our open waters. 



The massed growth of Achlya which was found on a wall near a sewer, 

 was several inches in diameter and almost an inch thick, it was of a pale 

 grey colour, and much resembled the fungus of salmon disease {Saprolegnia 

 fcrax) as it appears on a fish after being taken from the water ; microscopi- 

 cally examined the mass of filaments showed uo sign of spore-formation, 

 nor was any tendency towards protoplasmic thickening or granulation 

 noticeable. 



Mr. H. J. Seymour exhibited a section of a spherulitic rhyolite or 

 felsite from a dyke a few miles south of Newcastle, Co. Down. Under 

 the microscope a large number of spherulites are seen, embedded in a 

 crypto-crystalline ground-mass, which may have been once in a glassy 

 state. Some porphyritic felspars also occur in the slide. The rock 

 section was kindly lent by Miss M. K. Andrews, of the Belfast Naturalists* 

 Field Club. 



Dr. C. Herbert Hurst exhibited a microscope of simple construction 

 adapted to be handed round in a class or meeting. The body of the 

 microscope carries the objective and eye-piece as in an ordinary micro- 

 scope. The tube in which it slides is enlarged at the lower end some- 

 what like the bell of a trumpet, and the slide under examination is held 

 by a spring inside this bell. A metal lid with a small hole in the centre 

 fits upon the bell, serving as a diaphragm, and at the same time 

 protecting the slide from injury. A powerful screw-clamp prevents the 

 body from sliding in the tube after it has been adjusted, and fine adjust- 

 ment is accomplished by sliding the eye-piece. Those whose valuable 

 slides have been destroyed by having the objective thrust through them 

 by inexpert members of an audience will recognise the importance of this 

 clamp. A large concave mirror inside the bell, and perforated at its 

 centre for the objective lens, serves, when the diaphragm (or " lid ") is 

 removed, to illuminate opaque objects. The microscope when in use is 

 simply held in the hand and directed towards the light. It gives ex- 

 cellent results even with high powers. 



Bei^fast Naturai,ists' FIEI.D Cl,UB. 

 Jui<v 31. — Excursion to Cranfiei<d Point. — A start was made for 

 Randalstown in the 9.45 train. Arriving there, the route was taken to 

 the shore of the lake, passing the old Oak Cross, only the shaft of which 

 now remains. The great quantities of Meadow-sweet in every field 

 filled the air with fragrance, and helped to make the walk a pleasant 

 one. Near the old church a small settlement of fishermen in their tents 

 and booths gave quite a primitive air to the district, with their long 

 double rows of pollan-nets hung out to dry, whilst scattered around were 

 the fishermen baiting long lines, of 100 hooks each, for eel-fishing. The 

 ingenious method adopted by the men to prevent entanglement was 



