Proceedings of Irish Societies. 139 



globose instead of oval sporidia. Both L. hirta and L. umbrosa are 

 probably often passed by in mistake for L. stercorea. 



Mr. G. H. Carpenter showed Dicranolasma scabrtim and Amopaum 

 Sorenseni, two remarkable phalangids of the family Trogiilidiz, brought 

 from Corsica by Dr. Scharff. 



Dr. M'WeenEY showed preparations from the blood of a man affected 

 with the disease known as spleno-medullary leukcemia. Nucleated red 

 blood corpuscles were very numerous, and every stage of eccentricity in 

 the position of the nucleus could be traced, from a position only slightly 

 distant from the middle of the cell to an extremely peripheral one, and 

 in many cases the nucleus could be seen protruding. Finally nuclei 

 might be seen on the outside of the cells, and connected therewith only 

 by a short bridge of nuclear substance, and numerous free nuclei were 

 likewise to be found. The recognition of the latter was much facilitated 

 by the very remarkable metachromatism which the nuclei of the 

 erythroblasts showed as compared with those of the neighbouring 

 leucocytes, a much deeper tinge being invariably struck with the nuclear 

 stain. These observations appeared to the exhibitor of considerable 

 importance in view of the wide differences of opinion that prevail 

 amongst physiologists regarding the exact mode by which the nucleus 

 of the erythroblasts is got rid of. They seem to point unmistakably to 

 extrusion of the nucleus — the view formerly adopted by Rindfleisch and 

 now advocated by Howells, but by no means universally accepted. 

 Appearances indicative of fragmentation, and also perhaps of mitotic 

 division, in these nuclei were likewise demonstrated. The power used 

 was Leitz's oil-immersion, -fa in., giving, with the low eye-piece, a magni- 

 fication of about 900 diameters. 



Mr. M'Ardle exhibited a fertile specimen of Eulejeunea patens, 

 Lindberg, var. erecta, M'A., which he gathered on Ross Island, Killarney, 

 in November of last year. From copious material he gives the following 

 characters by which this new form may be detected : — Plant about a 

 quarter of an inch long, growing on damp peat in dense compact patches 

 of a bright yellow colour. Stem stronger than in the type, erect, 

 irregularly branched, often secund, bearing numerous rootlets in isolated 

 tufts up to the apex, which show well marked haustoria. Leaves 

 closely imbricated, densely chlorophylliferous in the upper | of the plant 

 Under-leaves (stipules) larger than in the species, ovate or sub-rotund, 

 cleft for more than \ of their length into two obtuse (often acute) lobes. 

 Amentse short, consisting of four to six altered leaves. Perianths 

 copious, lateral, sharply keeled, stalk of the capsule with three or four 

 distinct articulations. 



Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. 



April 17th. — Irish night. The President in the chair. The programme 

 included report of work done by the Celtic class, by Mr. P. J. O'Shea, 

 conductor of the class; readings and recitations in Irish, by Miss Milligan, 

 Miss Carey, Dr. St. Clair Boyd, and Messrs. Ward, Foley, Griffin, and 

 Morrissey ; and a paper on local Celtic topography, by Mr. F. J. BiGGER. 



April 25th. — Annual meeting. The President in the chair. The 

 Secretary (Mr. F. J. BiGGER) read the annual report, and the Treasurer 

 (Mr. W. H. Phillips), the statement of accounts, which were adopted. 

 The report stated that the roll of membersnow stood at 480. The election 

 of office-bearers was next taken up. Mr. F. W. Lockwood was elected 

 President, and Mr. Lavens M. Bwart, M.R.I.A., Vice-President. The 

 Secretary and Treasurer resumed office, as did the Committee, with 

 some slight alterations. The Secretaries of Sections then presented 

 their reports as follows :— Miss S. M. Thompson, report of Geological 

 Committee ; P. J. O'Shea, report of Celtic class ; Dr. St. Clair Boyd, 

 report of Microscopical Section ; W. H. Patterson, report of Ethno- 

 graphical Committee. Suggestions for the improvement and extension 

 of the Club's work were then considered. 



