202 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



The present may have some aflGinity to the so-called Xanthidium 

 artiscon (Ehr.), but, on the whole, though this appeared to be a 

 new form, Mr. Archer would defer coming to a decision respect- 

 ing it until he might have an opportunity to obtain from abroad 

 examples of one or two forms not very explicitly recorded in 

 ' Hedwigia.' 



Another fine and comparatively large Staurastrum (of which 

 Mr. Archer showed a drawing), possessing long arras at each of 

 the three angles, these arms curved downwards on each segment, 

 so as nearly to touch those of the opposite segment and with a 

 nearly semicircular arch, thus offered, when seen in ^full front- 

 view, a nearly circular general contour ; the constriction being 

 shallow and the segments slightly constricted above the some- 

 what globose base, then gradually widening upwards, caused 

 the space enclosed at each side between the converging arms to 

 present a broadly cordate outline ; this figure, combined with the 

 upper outer margin being elegantly, but irregularly and tole- 

 rably deeply creuulate, even on to the ultimate extremity of the 

 arms, all taken together, rendered this form one of singular ele- 

 gance. This was very rare in the gathering, and so far as he was 

 aware was a new form, and he hoped to prepare a detailed descrip- 

 tion of this and a few others at an early date. Several other pretty 

 thiugs were met with in the same material. Amongst those a 

 Cosmarium surrounded most elegantly by four series of very pro- 

 minent, semi-hyaline, emarginate tubercles, and with a central 

 group of prominent but entire tubercles, was a beautiful object (this 

 bad been obtained two years since at Glengarifi*), a new but minute 

 Hyalotheca, a new Didymoprium — but to expatiate on these any 

 further in this place without figures, and without systematically 

 prepared descriptions, would not serve any good purpose, yet, 

 perhaps, the lovers of the beautiful forms appertaining to this 

 group might not take these desultory references altogether 

 amiss. 



East Kent Natueal Histoet Society. 



President, the Eev. John Mitchinson, D.C.L., &c., Oxon ; 

 Honorary Secretary, George Gulliver, E.R.S., &c. 



Confining, as before, these reports chiefly to observations in- 

 volving microscopic work, details will be omitted of extensive 

 business in other departments. But the whole proceedings of 

 the Society are so extensively and accurately reported, at Can- 

 terbury, in the ' Kentish Gazette,' as to afi"ord an excellent 

 example of local joui'nalism, or indeed of any journalism ; and 

 extracts therefrom appear in many of the scientific and other 



