PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Dublin Microscopical Club. 

 16tli July, 1869. 



E.EV. E. O'Meara exhibited a, specimen of Donkinia recta new 

 to Ireland ; this form had been found as British as yet only on 

 the coast of Northumberland. 



Dr. John Barker wished to record the occurrence of a cam- 

 panulate-cased freshwater Vaginicola, in which the case was 

 furnished with a valve similar to that of the form designated 

 Yaginicola valvata. This v, ovild bear out Mr. Archer's note of a 

 valve being existent in the large Vaginicola from Victoria Docks 

 kindly sent by Mr. Reeves, and would, perhaps, go to indicate 

 that the valvular structure may pervade even all the forms in the 

 genus. 



Mr. Archer had again to thank Mi*. Eeeves for kindly sending 

 from London for exhibition a slide showing, in fine fertile condi- 

 tion, two species of Bulbochsete — that form restricted by Pring- 

 sheim as BulbocJicste setigera (Ag.) Brings., along -Kith. Bulhochcete 

 pygmcea, major (Prings.). The latter is very much the smaller, 

 and in every respect a different plant from the former, upon which, 

 however, it grew epiphytically. Indeed, if within a single genus 

 two species might with any propriety be called the antithesis of 

 each other, these might. In B. setigera (Prings.), which is a large 

 species, the oospores are large and depressed ; the septum of the 

 supporting cell somewhat above the middle point ; dwarf-male 

 straight, with foot and " inner" antheridium ; in B. pygmcea 

 (Prings.) the plant is very minute, oospores elliptic, no septum 

 in supporting cell ; dwarf-male with foot and " outer" an- 

 theridium. — These fine specimens were accompanied by a very 

 minute little filament, seemingly agreeing with that named 

 CEdogonium turfosum by Kiitzing ; but on the best examination of 

 the present specimens there was no evidence of cap- or sheath- 

 cells, and it might be hence problematical whether this could be 

 rightly considered as belonging to (Edogonium at all. It, in fact, 

 consisted of a very slender confervoid filament, cells three to five 

 times longer than broad, with an elliptic fruit-like cell, a little 

 longer than an ordinary joint, here and there interposed. The 

 contents of this oogonium-Zi^e cell had become somewhat con- 

 tracted, but had evidently, when fresh, completely filled the cavity, 

 and was of a rather densely granular nature. The extremely fine 

 filaments of this form might, under a moderate power, be over- 

 looked readily, occurring as it did along with the Bulbochsete, as 



