PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 291 



encysted condition ? That is, could they really be organisms at 

 all comparable, for instance, to Cienkowski's Vampyrella (' Archiv 

 fiir Mikroskopische Anatomic,' p. 223) ? It is very unfortunat.e 

 that nothing could be communicated of the development of the 

 production now exhibited ; but opposed to the foregoing view 

 would seem to be the definite figure, mostly triangular and pris- 

 matic, the ribbed margins and swollen angles, and the greenish 

 contents. 



Though thus quite unable to throw any light on the curious 

 production now drawn attention to, the thing itself presented so 

 odd an appearance, Mr. Archer felt justified in requesting the 

 meeting to look at it, although by no means a gay or attractive 

 object. 



Dr. Alex. Dickson showed examples of the curious circum- 

 stance of the cells of the root of Neottia filled with the mycelium 

 of a fungus, as described and drawn attention to by Hofmeister. 

 Besides the marvel as to how this parasite obtrudes at all into 

 the cavity of the cells of the orchid, and those not of the super- 

 ficial layer, but of the stratum immediately under them, it is 

 stated that in all the specimens of this plant in which this pro- 

 duction has been sought, it has been found, almost as if it were a 

 part of its nature to be so infested. 



Mr. Crowe recorded Micrasterias finibriata from the late 

 gathering made on the occasion of the Club excursion to Tinne- 

 hely. This is the second instance of this rare species being found 

 in Ireland, the first being that by Dr. Barker, and that only at 

 last meeting. 



Mr. Archer desired to place on record a rather extraordinary 

 example he had met with of that not uncommon kind of mal- 

 formation seen in Desmidieae when no septum is formed during 

 new growth, and an abnormal, misshapen, intervening portion 

 becomes interposed between the old segments, the whole forming 

 but one common cavity. A case of this sort in Closterium was 

 brought forward by Mr. Crowe at last meeting. The present 

 instance occurred in Micrasterias rotata, and the irregular mal- 

 formation was carried on to such an exaggerated degree as to 

 present a somewhat grotesque appearance. The old segments 

 were here separated by no less than five intervening, misshapen, 

 irregularly cut, and lobed portions ; these marked out by rather 

 deep constrictions from one another, and margined by irregular 

 teeth, and at the two constrictions next to the central one at each 

 side a new growth or malformed segment, so to call it, had grown 

 out vertically to the general plane of the whole structure, which, 

 all taken together, formed but a single unbroken cavity, the cell- 

 contents pervading all the compartments of this singular mon- 

 strosity. — Mr. Archer likewise drew attention to a similar mal- 

 formation in Xantliidium armaticm, but the new intervening 

 portion of the growth was simply a large orbicular inflation, the 

 noteworthy circumstance being that at the centre of the latter 

 on each front was a siugle dentate, vertically set process, 



