Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 51 



Mr. Brainbridge remarked that he had no doubt thrown away 

 numbers of the larger stones, thinking them loose quartz crys- 

 tals, as he was only panning out the sand to find gold or large 

 garnets. 



Professor Hanks stated that the small stones, said to be dia- 

 monds, had all the characteristics of a California diamond, and 

 his opinion is worthy of attention, as he has made a close study 

 of the gem. 



The metal platinum is also present in this sand, but whether 

 in quantity sufficient to make it of commercial importance, has 

 not yet been ascertained. 



The zirconite occurs in square prisms with pyramidal termina- 

 tions, and the stones are of a light brown color and very trans- 

 parent. Altogether, the discovery of Mr. Brainbridge is a re- 

 markable one, and its future investigation will be watched with 

 great interest. It might be mentioned that the sand, of which 

 samples were shown last evening, extends over a space of one- 

 half to three-quarters of a mile wide by several miles in length. 



Mr. Wickson exhibited a peculiar entomological phenomenon 

 — the common aphis attacked by the 'Fly cholera', Enipusa 

 vmsccc. The gentlemen explained how the lungus spores lodge 

 on, or become attached to the body of a fly, immediately com- 

 mence growing and penetrate through the skin. Once inside, 

 the spore rapidly increases by self-division, in the manner of yeast 

 cells. The first stage of the disease is indicated by the restles.s- 

 ness of the attacked flies; they soon, however, became weak and 

 slow in their motions. Having securely fastened themselves 

 with their broad tongues to the object upon which they happened 

 to be when attacked by the last stages of the disease, a succes- 

 sion of spasmodic tremors pass through their wings and legs and 

 they stiffen themselves out to fly no more. 



The abdomen of the victim of this disease, previously already 

 swollen, becomes more and more distended, and a fatty, whitish 

 substance pushes through the softer membranes between the 

 chitinous rings or segments. Soon after a whitish halo of spores 

 is formed around the dead body, readily seen, if the fly happens 

 to have fastened to the glass of mirror or window-pane. These 

 spores gradually cover the whole insect with a white dust and 

 they appear in ever-increasing numbers as the body of the vic- 

 tim dries up, until at last its whole interior is empty and only a 

 shell remains. From an examination of the affected aphis, there 

 appeared no reason to doubt but that the fungus developed and 

 ran its cause the same as in the fly, their bodies being distended 

 and surrounded with the white halo of filaments bearing ripe 

 spores ready to be thrown off and carry on their work of inocu- 

 lation. 



It was suggested that here might be found a remedy for these 

 annoying pests by systematically inoculating Aphis colotiies 



