PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 289 



pretty object, and tluis indicating that scalariform tissue, when 

 ibunci fossilized, should not necessarily be referred to Cryptogams. 

 Dr. John Barker exhibited a seemingly novel production, but 

 one aa yet impossible to determine, even in a general way. This 

 consisted of a large, very broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 

 thiek-walled cell, densely filled with green contents, having at 

 one or both poles a very slight external depression, and the outer 

 surfiice minutely and densely pilose all over. On one occasion 

 there was seen springing from one of the depressions of the cell 

 a conical, colourless projection, seemingly of a mucous consist- 

 ence. No self-division or any mode of growth was seen, and its 

 location or nature seems a problem. This occurred in the same 

 gathering as the 3Iicrasferias Jimbriata, shov^^n at an earlier period 

 of the evening ; and it is to be hoped that another visit to the same 

 source may disclose more of this seemingly simple-looking, but 

 very hard to be determined, production, in order that, if possible, 

 a light might be shed upon its true nature. 



21st 3Iay, 1868. 



Dr. John Barker showed a remarkable little parasitic produc- 

 tion, growing on the joints of an CEdogonium ; this was very 

 minute, balloon-shaped, and containing green contents, the stipes 

 and margin of the inflated portion hyaline, and connected with 

 the interior of the CEdogouium-cell by a little aperture in the 

 side of the latter, whose contents were either partially absorbed 

 and the residue generally effete and brown, or had wholly dis- 

 appeared. This presented some resemblance to a Chytridium, 

 but would require further examination as to development before 

 its nature could be decided upon ; but it formed a curious and 

 singular-looking object. 



Mr. Archer presented numerous examples of a very singular- 

 looking encysted state, so to call it, of Staurastrum cuspidatiim, 

 Breb. The outer coat or envelope, having always imbedded 

 within it either one or two examples of this species of Stau- 

 rastrum, was of a definite figure, and with yellowish-green granular 

 contents and a thick wall, and thus the two, one inside the other, 

 presented a somewhat surprising appearance. The most usual 

 form of the outer enclosing cells was that of a depressed or very 

 short prism, the wall rather thick, and the angles somewhat drawn 

 out and thickened into a more or less prominent, colourless 

 tubercle. A variety of forms, however, occurred besides, such as 

 polyhedral, semicircular, &c. ; and in all instances the margins 

 thickened more or less, and the angles tuberculated. Inside these 

 cells the contained Staurastrum mostly stood vertically, and when 

 there were two contained they were mostly one above the other 

 in a direct line, often seemingly as just after self-division, inas- 

 much as the inner segments frequently appeared smaller than 



