18 



cules and gemmules. — Mr. Wonfor showed fora- 

 miniferse in flint; foraminiferfe and portions of 

 corals found in a hollow flint nodule; and 

 MoUer's diatom type slide, very kindly lent for 

 the occasion by Mr. T. Curteis, of Holborn, 

 and which was pronounced a marvellous example 

 of human ingenuity, arrangement, and clean 

 preparation. 



March 11.— On " Microscopic Fungi," by Dr. Halli- 

 fax.— After remarking on the difficulty of pre- 

 senting the subject in such a manner as to 

 convey new information, Dr. Hallifax pomted 

 out there were many peculiarities belonging to 

 fungi which scarcely presented a favourable 

 aspect. Thus, many were of an evanescent 

 nature, others were offensive either by their 

 appearance or odour, while the poisonous quali- 

 ties of some were calculated to produce aversion 

 or disgust; yet there were many points which 

 entitled them to consideration and earnest study, 

 though they were not generally, taken up by 

 botanists. In the first place, they were no 

 unimportant group, but occupied a very wide 

 rano-e. Since the microscope had become a 

 more perfect instrument, the number of species 

 had been increased from about 400 to 4,000, 

 and still many were unknown, as many regions 

 remained unexplored. They existed under all 

 circumstances, presenting great variety of form, 

 colour, structure, and character. Another con- 

 sideration entitled them to the serious attention 

 of the botanist, viz., their destructive ravages 

 among the crops on which man and animals 

 depend, destroying, as was well known, wheat, 



