95 
cells themselves, giving off these filaments, just as some mosses can 
give off buds, a supposition favoured by their constancy of situa- 
tion? The septa between the joints were oblique, the cell-wall 
reddish, thus agreeing in character with certain “ protonemata,” 
and antagonistic to the assumption that this was an independent 
algal growth; but still it so may be, and in this latter view Dr. 
Moore was inclined to acquiesce. 
Mr. Woodworth exhibited some fine micro-photographs which 
had been sent him from America by Colonel Woodward, executed by 
that gentleman, including (on various scales) the whole of Moller’s 
type-slide of 100 diatoms, and all very sharp and beautiful. 
Rev. H. O’ Meara showed a slide of diatoms from African guano, 
supplied to Mr, Early, of the Chemical Laboratory, Trinity 
College. The material was cleaned by incineration, a process which 
in this case was most effective. Amongst the forms presented was 
a fine specimen of Coscinodiscus Mossianus. 
Mr. Archer showed examples of Séaurastrum maamense (ejus), 
and of Micrasterias fimbriata (Ralfs), both rare, and found in the 
recent gatherings from Connemara. The former is, as yet, altogether 
western. The latter occurs very scantily, and only seldom en- 
countered, in County Wicklow and in County Westmeath. 
23rd June, 1870. 
Dr. Moore showed a preparation of the “collecting hairs ” 
clothing the filaments of the stamens of a species of Bulbenia, 
forming a pretty and interesting object. These hairs presented a 
dense mass radiating from the “ filament ”’ all round, of considerable 
length, unicellular, and terminating in a somewhat clavate extremity, 
their walls marked by finely set, closely wound, spiral strie. These 
latter, when viewed on a hair much collapsed, and then seen simul- 
taneously on both upper and lower surfaces, presenting a decussate 
appearance. It could not be well made out whether these spiral 
strize were due to a spiral marking or structure in the cell-wall, or to 
secondary fibres. Whether viewed under a low power as a whole, 
or more magnified to see the striz, this formed an exceedingly pretty 
object. 
ae Archer presented several examples of the conjugated state, 
showing the zygospores, of Stawrastrum furcigerum (Auct.) = Didy- 
mocladon furcigerum (Ralfs). This had never before been recorded, 
although this fine species, whilst never abundant, is seemingly not 
amongst the rarities. The zygospore is rather large compared to 
the dimensions of the pair of conjugating cells in this species, orbi- 
cular, beset (but not very closely) by rather long and slender spines, 
these broadest at the base, whence they quickly taper into a linear 
shaft, and they are twice or thrice branched at theapex. Thus they 
are not exactly like those of any already known species, and they 
form a singularly elegant object. 
Dr. Traquair showed preparations of the scales of Calamoicthys, 
being various sections well calculated to show the histological details, 
