276 7hc Irish Naturalist. [Oct., 



tapping gently in the holes, if the young were out of reach, in 

 many cases had the result of making them run out to meet 

 my hand, as they took the noise for the approach of the old 

 bird up the hole. As I wanted an adult Puffin we had to try 

 and hurry up before one left the hole. After some exertion 

 I succeeded in touching him in a pocket burrow, in return 

 for which I got such a bite that I extracted him still holding 

 on to my finger. Leaving the Puffins we got some Kittiwake 

 and Herring Gulls, and as evening was approaching we sailed 

 back to Rush, from which, after a substantial meal, we set oflf 

 with our living freight to Dublin. 



PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAI. ZOOI.OGICAI. vSoCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Rabbit from Col. Clayton, a Brown Bear from 

 Mr. Berridge, a Razorbill and a tern from Mrs. Tatlow, a pair of Rheas 

 from Master B. T. Weatherill, and a monkey from Miss M. B. Long, A 

 seal has been bought. 17,960 persons visited the Gardens during August. 



Dubinin Microscopicai. Ci.ub. 



JuivY 22.— The Club met at the house of Dr. R. F. ScharfF. 



Mr. M'ArdIvE exhibited the reproductive organs and plants of an 

 antcccious form of Riccardia latifrons, Lindberg, which he collected on 

 decayed wood near the summit of Powerscourt Waterfall, on the May 

 excursion of the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club. It is interesting to 

 note that the same species collected by Mr. M'Ardle on Howth, was 

 a paracioiis form, bearing the antheridia beneath the perianth on the 

 same branch. The specimens under the microscopes showed the capsule 

 and spores, and the antheridia on separate branches of the thalus of 

 the same plant. This peculiarity is ably described by Professor lyind- 

 berg in his " Hepaticse in Hibernia, mense Julii, 1873, lectae " {Acta 

 Socidatis Scientiarum Fennica x., 1874). '■'• Riccardia latifrons, autoica rarissima 

 paroica.'" It is an^interesting addition to the Hepaticae of the Co. Wicklow. 



Mr. G. H. Carpenter showed Octhebius Lejolisii, Mulsant, a small 

 beetle of the family Hydrophilidce, which had been found in the rock- 

 pools of Greystones, Co. Wicklow, by Mrs. Carpenter and himself. This 

 insect is a very interesting addition to the Irish fauna, having been only 

 recognised as British two years ago, when specimens were found at 

 Ilfracombe. It occurs on the French coasts both of the Channel and 

 the Mediterranean. The section of Octhebius to which it belongs is 

 typical of the coasts of south-western Europe, and the presence of the 

 insect on the Irish shores is another piece of evidence in favour of the 

 old Atlantic continental coast-line, 



