10 PnOCEEDIXGS OF THE 



Mrs. D. H. Scott gave a lantern exhibition of new species of 

 the fossil genus Traiiuairia. She also exhibited the original 

 diagram made by Dr. W. Carruthers, F.li.S., who first described 

 the genus at a meeting of the JJritisli Association in Ls72, in a 

 ])aper entitled " iVrtjiu/tno, a Kadiolarian Kliizopod from the Coal- 

 Measurcs." 



Count Solms-Laubach, Professors Sclienk, Strassburger, and 

 Zeiller, considered it comparable to the massulK or sporocarps of 

 ylzoUa. Prof. AVilliamson (Phil. Trans. 1880) thought it the 

 spore of a Cryptogam. He found a group of three Traquairice in 

 a sporangium of Lejiidosti-obns, and thought them three megaspores 

 of a tetrad. The true megaspores are, however, now well known. 



Mrs. Scott defined Traqiuiiria thus : — " I'raquairia is a spherical 

 organism, consisting of two parts each surrounded by a sharply 

 detined membrane — an inner capsule, often containing spores, and 

 an outer part, which is surrounded by a thick gelatinous envelope. 

 In this are embedded numerous hollow spines. The apparent 

 bases of these spines are produced into hollow anastomosing tubes, 

 \\liich spread over the surface of the sphere, forming a complicated 

 network. The spines are hollow and are perforated iu every 

 direction by projecting tubular pores. Emanating from these 

 pores are delicate threads which appear to lose themselves in the 

 gelatinous envelope. Sometimes the threads form a regular net- 

 work in it. The inner capsule, a definite brown membrane, can 

 only be observed in the more perfectly preserved specimens. 

 Spores are generally present, which appear to produce small 

 spores. Traqxairici; occur in groups in the decayed wood of 

 Lipidodendron and other plants." 



She then exhibited T. Carruthersii, T. Spenceri, sp. nov., 

 T. hurntislandica, sp. nov., and T. stellata, sp. nov., and a species 

 of an allied genus, Sporocarpon elegans. The most characteristic 

 feature in the organisms described is the very complicated structure 

 of the outer envelope with its elaborate system of anastomosing 

 tubes Connected with prominent spines, which are themselves 

 very complex organs. Nothing parallel to this is known in the 

 vegetable world. 



The presence of an " inner capsule " containing spores, in the 

 interior of which small spores are produced, is reminiscent of 

 Kadiolarians. These features are also common to S2>oroca7po7i 

 ekf/ans, which with its long spines is very much like a Eadiolarian. 



A discussion followed in which Dr. G. J. Ilinde, F.R.S. (visitor), 

 Prof. Dendy, Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing, Prof. Y. AV. OHver, and the 

 President took part. 



The following paper was read and discussed : — 



Mr. R. S. Adamson, M.A. — An Ecological Study of a Cam- 

 bridgeshire Woodland. (Communicated by iVfr. A. G. 

 T^LNSLEl, F.L.S.) 



