PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 57 
6. Resolution of third band of the same Nobert plate, 22,500 
lines to the inch, with Tolles’ 1-inch objective of 30° aperture, 
41-inch solid eye-piece, amplifier and draw-tube: amplification 740 
diameters. 
In view of the unusual nature of some of these tests, and the 
acknowledged difficulty of showing them by lamplight and in a 
crowded room, a statement that each and all had been shown, and 
that the resolution in each case was palpably strong and decisive, 
was drawn up, and has been signed by all the members of the 
Society, and their guests who were present. 
Mr. Mills presented the Society witha beautiful slide of 
Stephanodiscus Niagara and a quantity of living Chara. 
After a vote of thanks to Professor Smith for his paper and demon- 
strations, and to Mr. Isham for his hospitality, the Society adjourned. 
San Francisco Microscopican Socrery. 
The regular meeting of the Microscopical Society was held on 
Thursday evening, October 5, Vice-President Hyde in the chair. 
Mr. C. Mason Kinne donated a slide mounted by him with spicules 
of sponge in situ, which was found, on examination, to be well adapted 
to show the manner in which the acicular spicules were thrust through 
the leathery portion of the animal. 
Dr. Harkness sent a slide and some leaves, as set forth in the 
following paper. 
Dr. Harkness’ Paper. 
Dear Sir,—I send to-day to your address, for the Society’s cabinet, 
a few leaves of the Xanthium strumarium, a plant well known to the 
stockmen under the name of “cockle burr.” 
You will observe upon the under surface of the leaves many dark- 
brown spots, in some instances no larger than a pin’s head, in others 
exceeding in diameter one-fourth of an inch. They may be found at 
the present time in the greatest profusion throughout the valley of 
the Sacramento. In many localities scarcely a leaf may be gathered 
which is free from them. These spots are formed by the aggregated 
spores of puccinia (a coniomycetous fungus), growing parasitically 
upon the plant. 
The accompanying mounted slide contains a section of leaf 
showing the brand spores, each septate, with a dark-brown inyest- 
ment, and attached hy a short stalk. Mingled with these are a few 
sub-globose bodies with yellowish contents; these are uredo spores, 
indicative of one stage of development of the fungus. 
C. Mason Kinng, Esoa., 
Secretary San Francisco Microscopical Society. 
The regular meeting of the San Francisco Microscopical Society 
was held on Thursday evening, October 19. President Ashburner 
was in the chair, having returned from quite an extended tour among 
the microscopists over the mountains, and during the evening gave an 
interesting and full report of what he had seen and learned. 
