292 



spores, containing a fat-like nucleus, grouped together between 

 the layers of the epithelial cells. Sometimes the cells, by union, 

 form long branching tubes, with here and there a nucleus scattered 

 along their course. The cells sometimes subdivide also. It does 

 not appear to be very rare here, as Dr. White had seen three 

 cases in as many weeks. 



Mr. C. J. Sprague exhibited five specimens of Artotro- 

 g-us Asterophora, Fr., parasitic upon Nyctalis, and showed 

 the copious echinulate spores under the microscope. He 

 also exhibited specimens of a nearly allied fungus, Sepe- 

 donium cei'vimmi, Fr., which is rare, and which in this 

 case grew upon a matrix where it had not before been 

 detected. 



This fungus has generally been associated with Peziza macro- 

 pus^ and was imperfectly figured by Ditmar upon this plant in 

 Sturm's Fl. Deutsch, where the species was first described under 

 the name of 31ycogone cervimim. The specimens exhibited were 

 found by Mr. Denis Murray upon Helvella ephippium Lev. The 

 lower portion of the hymenial surface was clothed with a white, 

 felty envelope, while the upper portion was brown with the copi- 

 ous spores of the ripened parasite. The spoi'es were exhibited 

 under the microscope in dilFerent stages of growth and maturity. 

 Mingled with them were many spores of an entirely different 

 character. They were linear, narrowed at each end, uniseptate, 

 pellucid, nearly colorless, with a yellowish tinge. Mr. Sprague 

 had detected their growth from the ends of long, slender fila- 

 ments, much smaller than those of the Sepidonium. Bonorden 

 mentions that other parasites are frequently found in company 

 with the Sepedonium, such as Monosphorium and Sporotrichum ; 

 but neither of these genera bear spores like those in question. 



Prof. Parsons, of Cambridge, exhibited and presented 

 a specimen of Infusorial Earth, from the neighborhood 

 of Bangor, Maine. Copper was said to have been de- 

 tected in the silica of which the specimen was composed. 



Dr. J. C. White was appointed one of the Committee 

 on Chemistry of the Department of Microscopy. 



