[ 26 ] 

 PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



RoYAi. Z001.0GICA1, Society. 



Recent donations to the Gardens comprise a Mongoose from Captain 

 Guiness ; Pheasants from F. Norman, Esq., and Mr. Hunt; three Guinea 

 Pigs from J. A. Higgins, Esq., and a Peregrine Falcon from W. Corbett, 

 Esq. Two Seals, a Mongoose, a Racoon, a Carval, and a Porcupine have 

 been acquired by purchase. 



4,500 persons visited the Gardens in November. 



Dubinin Microscopicai, Ci^ub. 



November 25th.— The Club met at Proe. E. P. Wright's. 



Wrightia {Atradylis) arenosa, Wr., was exhibited by Proe. A. C. Haddon. 

 This is a gymnoblastic hydroid, new to Ireland, recently discovered 

 on the west coast. 



Neniastoma haeilliferum, Sim., and Sabacon paradoxals Sim., were shown 

 by Mr. G. H. CarpEnTER. These are two curious phalangids col- 

 lected in the Pyrenees by Dr. Scharff. 



Platyarthrus Hoffinanseggii was shown by Dr. R. P. SchareE, who 

 procured it at Leixlip, Co. Kildare. This crustacean belongs to the wood- 

 louse family (^Oniscidae), and is an inhabitant of ants' nests. It had not 

 been previously taken in Ireland, but it has occurred in the south of 

 England, France, and Spain, Besides being perfectly white, it is easily 

 distinguished from the other Irish species of woodlice by its club-shaped 

 and flattened antenase. 



Gordyceps militaris (var. spJicerocephala^ was shown by Mr. Green- 

 wood PiM. It has been sent by Rev. Canon Russell, who received it 

 from Wales. This interesting variety, according to Dr. Cooke's work on 

 Entomogenous Fungi just published, is only recorded from Saxony, 

 Hence this seems to be the first time it has occurred in Britain. It differs 

 from the normal form in having the capitulum more or less spherical 

 instead of clavate, and the conceptacles containing the filiform, asci and 

 spores project considerably, and, being deep red in colour, make this an 

 exceedingly beautiful object with condensed light. 



Bacterium rubescens, Lank., was shown by Mr. F. W. MoorE, who had 

 observed it in some Sphagnum from the Dublin mountains. Its presence 

 in quantity imparts a highly red colour to the Sphagnum, even the cell 

 walls being stained. The minute cells of the Bacterium are seen to be 

 arranged in various ways under a high power, presenting very beautiful 

 combinations. 



Wildmania ampUssimum Kjell., was shown by Proe. T. Johnson. 

 This seaweed differs from Porphyrea in being two-layered, as Monstroma 

 does from Ulva. The plant was collected by the late Dr. D, Moore on the 

 coast of Antrim in 1838, A specimen, in the Trinity College Herbarium, 

 collected in the Orkneys by Pollexfen, was exhibited by Dr, E. P. 

 Wright's permission. Attention was called to another specimen in the 

 Herbarium of Science and Art Museum, and collected by Miss A. Ball at 

 Clontarf. The only record of the plant in Ireland hitherto is by Holmes 

 and Watters, who have seen a specimen from the south-east coast of Ire- 

 land. Kjellman founded the genus on plants growing in the Arctic sea. 

 The distribution is thus interesting. 



Longitudinal Sections of the Steins of Robinia pseudacacia and Wisteria 

 sinensis were shown by Mr, H. H. Dixon. These sections showed 

 the peculiar form of the "slime" masses contained in the sieve- 

 tubes. Usually near the middle of the tube there is a spindle or barrel- 

 shaped body which is suspended in that position by a filament running 

 to each end of the tube. The central body and the filament give the 

 same reactions as tjie so-called "protoplasmic slime" of typical sieve- 



