1S96.] . 1 83 



PROCEEDINCxvS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



RovAi. Zooi.oGiCAi, Society. 

 Recent donations comprise a Rhesus Monkey from Mrs. Tisdall, a 

 Ilerrin.e^ Gull from Captain Boxer, a Hedgehog from J. Keegan, Esq., a 

 Ore}' Parrot and an Angolan Vulture from A. H. Ilanley, Esq., and a Jack- 

 daw from W. Williams, Esq. 



Dubinin Microscopicat, Ci.ub. 



May 2ist.— The Club met at the house of Mr. Greenwood Pim, who 

 showed in the lantern photo-micrographs of various objects, including 

 an ant, sections of basalt, sucker of Rhingia, portion of frond of 

 HyvienophyJhim showing chlorophyll grains and nuclei, group of concep- 

 tacles {rom. y^E c id iio? I ranunculacearnin., Coscinosdisciis,Jiingcr))iannia, &c. The 

 negatives were taken with a I^eitz microscope, objectives from No. 3 to 

 No. 7 (and in one case a Beck 3-inch). The ocular was used in every 

 case, and the ordinary achromatic single lens of the camera left in 

 situ, according to Mr. Mitchell's plan. No adjustment for difference 

 between visual and actinic foci was made, and the definition left 

 nothing to be desired. The ^Ecidinm was taken as an opaque object with 

 light condensed from above. 



Mr. McArdi^E exhibited male plants of Scapania lunhrosa, Schrader, 

 one of the minutest of that group of liverworts, which he collected in 

 some quantity at Anniscaul, Co. Kerry, in 1894. It is generally found 

 in very small quantities amongst the larger Hepatic^e. The Anniscaul 

 plants were found growing in compact tufts on decaj^ed wood. The upper 

 portion of the shoots bear from one to three antheridia in the saccate 

 base of each leaf ; the stems and the lower portion of the leaves which 

 cover the antheridia are of a brilliant scarlet colour, which gives the 

 plant a peculiarly handsome appearance ; in this way, and by its smaller 

 size, truly serrated leaves which are recurved at the apex, and by the 

 truncate and entire mouth of the perianth, it is easily known from all 

 other S cap a nice. 



Dr. McWeexey showed a cultivation of the mould-fungus Euro/iu/n 

 herbariorujJi, showing the sexually produced reproductive bodies or peri- 

 thecia. These are small yellow globular bodies containing a number of 

 nearl)^ globose asci, each of which has eight spores. The point of interest 

 is that thiis mode of reproduction is seldom resorted to by the fungus, 

 save under special circumstances, the usual mode being by asexual 

 conidia produced in a globose head. 



Bei^east Naturalists' Fiei.d Ceub. 

 May 23rd. — Excursion to Armoy and Ballj^castle. The party left the 

 train at Armoy, and at once made for the Church, where the remains of 

 the fine old round tower still stand in the graveyard. Leaving the 

 church a short halt was made at the chapel to see a couple of rude crosses 

 in the yard. 



