T885.] NEW-YORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 21 



he illustrated his subject with drawings projected upon the screen 

 by the magic lantern, and with a mounted section of Monotropa 

 uniflora showing the pollen-tube in contact with the embryo-sac 

 — a slide furnished for the occasion by Mr. Joseph Schrenk.^ 



The President approved Dr. Britton's criticisms, and invited 

 discussion. 



Mr. Schrenk said: " It has been stated by Strasburger that the 

 protoplasm of the pollen-tube always occupies the end of the 

 tube ; and the truth of this statement is upheld by the longitudi- 

 nal section of Monotropa imifiora which I have the pleasure of 

 exhibiting under the microscope this evening. But, besides this 

 feature, we can observe on this slide an interesting mechanical 

 contrivance by which the contents of the pollen-tube are con- 

 fined to the terminal part of the organ. Close behind the body 

 of protoplasm a sort of partition, thick and shiny in appearance, 

 is formed, and, as the growth of the pollen-tube advances, other 

 partitions are built up. For this we can conceive no other 

 function than to keep the protoplasm from travelling back. This 

 peculiarity of structure certainly supports the theory that the 

 protoplasma of the pollen advances within the pollen-tube itself 

 and nowhere else." 



Mr. J. D, Hyatt said: "Prof. Alphonso Wood told me in detail 

 his researches in this department of vegetable physiology. The 

 cut in his book, representing the pollen-tube of Polygonum Penn- 

 sylvajiicuni, to which Dr. Britton has alluded, was drawn from 

 his own observation." 



Meeting of December 5TH, 1884. 



The President, Mr. C. Van Brunt, in the chair. 



Forty-five persons present. 



Mr. Charles F. Lemcke, Mr. Anthony Woodward, and Mr. M. 

 H. Eisner were elected Active Members of the Society. 



The following objects were exhibited : — 



Pulex irritans, made transparent by hydrogen peroxide : by J. 

 D. Hyatt. 



Pleurosigma angiilatum, shown by the electric light : by G. S. 



WOOLMAN. 



'Dr. Britton's article is given elsewhere in this Number of the Journal. See p. 7. 



