262 



There is not sufficient detail either in the description or 

 the drawings to be of much use to the microscopist, but 

 further information has been written for. 



Mr. Brothers presented to the Section photographs of 

 the four drawings by Dr. Alcock, illustrating his Paper on 

 the Tongues of the Mollusca. 



Mr. SiDEBOTiiAM exhibited a drawing of an undescribed 

 species of Zygnema, found by Mr. Watson and himself, at 

 Southport, in brackish water. It exhibited no appearance 

 of conjugation, and the spores were like balls covered with 

 spines, which when released from the cells move rapidly 

 through the water like vol vox. 



Mr. MosLEY reported upon the specimen of the outer 

 coating of a bulb, received through Dr. Fairbairn from Mr. 

 Niven, of Jeffrey's Bay, Cape of Good Hope. 



On examination with the microscope, he found that the 

 leaf is about rio of an inch in thickness ; that between the 

 outer and the inner cuticle a number of tubes or vessels run 

 longitudinally through the structure of the leaf; and that 

 these tubes are composed of very delicate fibres, coiled up so 

 as to form spiral vessels. On breaking the leaf, the fibres 

 may be uncoiled and drawn out to an almost indefinite ex- 

 tent. From the thicker middle portion Mr. Mosley had 

 drawn out fibres to the extent of 18 to 20 inches without 

 breaking; they arc beautifully fine, but are in his opinion 

 too weak and delicate, as well as too long, to be used as a 

 substitute for cotton. He considers it possible some applica- 

 tion may be found for the fibre if a sufficient sample were 

 sent for experimental trials. Desirous of knowing the 

 botanical history of the plant, lie wrote to Sir W. J. Hooker, 

 director of the Royal Gardens at Kew ; but it was not 

 possible to classify the plant with certainty from a specimen 



