PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 67 



none ; but still a fair proportion of the examples seen byliim showed, 

 within the perforate shell, an inner sharply-marked outline, 

 possibly indicating that of an inner vesicle or membrane of some 

 kind, which might represent the boundary of a very thin -walled or 

 delicate central capsule, or at least correspond to that part of the 

 typical organisation of a " Radiolarian " in Hackel's application of 

 the term. But be that as it may, further examination of future 

 specimens might, he hoped, throw some further light on this 

 interesting form, seemingly connecting, be it more or less di- 

 rectly, the fresh-water Actinophryans with the marine Eadiolaria. 

 It was to be regretted, however, that this creature seems suffi- 

 ciently rare — only a limited number of specimens had as yet 

 turned up ; they are exceedingly minute, and hence, in a great 

 measure, only accidentally observed ; therefore, the discovery of 

 even a dead shell at the other side of the Channel might have some 

 interest. This form had been brought before the Natural History 

 Society by Mr. Archer at a recent meeting, under the name of 

 Fodosplicsra HaecJcellana. 



Mr. Tichborne exhibited a slide of Cryptopia. This is an alka- 

 loid, occurring in opium in very minute quantities. It was lately 

 discovered by Messrs. T. and H. Smith. It is difficult to 

 crystallise well on a slide, but when produced makes a very 

 pretty and characteristic polariscopic object. It forms hexagonal 

 plates when crystallised from alcohol. 



Read — the following extract from a letter addressed by Dr. 

 Steele to Mr. Archer, secretary: — "Will you kindly mention at 

 the Microscopical Club a very singular fact relative to the pollen 

 of certain species of Primula which appears to me deserving of 

 record. Most persons are aware that the flowers of the garden 

 ' Polyanthus,' as well as those of the Primula veris and P. vulgaris, 

 assume two forms, called by gardeners ' Pin-eyes' and ' Trim-eyes,' 

 In the former the pistil reaches to the summit of the corolline 

 tube, within which latter the anthers are sessile, about halfway 

 up. In the latter the pistil is relatively much shorter, the stigma 

 reaching to about the middle of the tube, whilst the anthers are 

 sessile at the mouth. The point to which I wish to direct the 

 attention of observers, however, is, that the grains of the pollen of 

 the former ('Pin-eyes') are about half the size of those of the 

 latter ('Trim-eyes')." 



\^th August, 1867. 



Rev. E. O'Meara exhibited some new and interesting diatoms ; 

 amongst which were a new species of Pleurosigma, remarkable 

 for a row of bead-like dots running round the margins and along 

 both sides of the median line, and a new Navicula. These were 

 from the prolific Arran gathering ; full descriptions and figures 

 thereof will appear in this Journal. 



Mr. Archer showed specimens of a Staurastrum which he 

 considered identical with Staurastrum apiculatum (Breb.) ; it was 



