244 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 
NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 
MANCHESTER CRYPTOGAMIC SOCIETY.—The usual monthly meet- 
ing of this Society was held on Monday, August 15th, Captain Cunliffe, 
F.R.M.S., occupied the chair, in the absence of Dr. Carrington, President, 
whose continued illness still prevents him attending the meetings. The members 
are now glad to learn that he is in a fair way of recovery from a long and painful 
illness. 
A number of mosses which had been collected during the late excursion to 
the Grampian and Breadalbane mountains were exhibited. Arctoa fulvella and 
dipodium Griffithtanum from Ben Cruachan. The latter-named rare species 
was found fruiting abundantly. Leskea rufescens was found frequently in fruit 
on Ben Laoigh and other mountains. AMyprum crista-castrensis, Dissodon 
splachnoides, and Bryune alpinum were exhibited in fruiting condition, having 
been found in good quantity in the neighbourhood of Loch Tay. 
A tuft of Zetraplodon mnioides taken from a large patch found growing on 
the dead body of a mountain hare on Meal Farmechan, was exhibited. This 
species is one of a small group of mosses which are always found on the dung 
of animals, or some decaying animal substance. In the present case the body of 
the hare had become quite disentegrated ; in fact nothing could be seen but a 
few small bones and the fur of the animal, into which the roots of the moss had 
been completely felted, presenting a singular appearance, and containing thou- 
sands of capsules. Most of the species exhibited had been mounted on micro- 
scopic slides, so that the mosses were seen as they appeared when growing, and 
also displayed for observing microscopic characters. Mr. Cunliffe also distri- 
buted specimens of /%ss¢dens polyphyllus, and exhibited Splachnum ampullaceum 
which he had recently collected in North Wales. 
Mr. W. H. Pearson announced having found two new stations for the rare 
Jung. myriocarpa (Carr.) in company of Mr. Geo. Stabler, on Langdale, West- 
moreland, and on Clogwyn due Arddu, North Wales, August, 1881. This very 
distinct species which Dr. Spruce characterises as the happiest discovery of our 
President, was first found on Ben Venue, 1876. It has also been found lately 
in Italy by Prof. Massalongo. Amongst the Westmoreland and Welsh specimens 
the male plants were found, which hitherto had not been observed. 
The thanks of the Society were given to the Council of the Royal Micro- 
scopical Society for a copy of their proceedings, and also to Mr. J. Cash, one of the 
active members of the Society, for two sets of moss labels which he has recently 
published. They are arranged after the London Catalogue, and are certainly a 
desideratum for those who keep a bryological herbarium. 
MANCHESTER MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—tThe ordinary monthly 
meeting was held on Thursday evening week, the president, Mr. John Boyd, in 
the chair, There was a good attendance of members. With the assistance of 
the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Brittain, vice-president, distributed to members 
present specimens of a leaf fungus found by him in July upon the bank of the 
river Mersey at Didsbury. The fungus is called Uromyces intrusa, and grows 
upon the well-known ladies’ mantle, Alchemilla vulgaris. Mr. Brittain also 
submitted two specimens of dendritic spots for the inspection of the members, 
and requested an opinion upon them. These curious fungus-like looking objects 
were found upon old paper in a lawyer’s office. Such have been frequently met 
with. Some students affirm they are truly fungoid; others assert they are the 
result of chemical or electric action, but their position in nature has not hitherto 
been demonstrated. 
Mr. C. J. Jones exhibited the larva of the Cossus ligniperda (Goat Moth) 
captured at Thames Ditton, Surrey. The specimen measured in length three 
and a half inches, which length it attains after three years larval existence. It 
