284 Dublin Microscopical Club. 



the flexor brevis minimi digiti, and superficial to it the abductor 

 minimi digiti. The line of demarcation between these two is not so 

 distinct as it was in the former section. The full number of inter- 

 ossei are present, and they are arranged as follows : — The interspace 

 between the first and second bones is almost entirely filled up w'ith 

 the first dorsal interosseus, which is attached to the whole radial 

 and part of the palmar aspect of the second bone. In the second 

 interspace there are two interossei — the dorsal, placed more com- 

 pletely on the dorsum of the hand than any of its fellows, and a 

 palmar, attached to the lower portion of the ulnar aspect of the 

 second bone. In the third interspace the dorsal interosseus lies 

 midway between the bones ; the palmar is placed on the radial 

 and partly on the volar aspect of the fourth bone. The two inter- 

 ossei in the fourth interspace lie side by side ; the palmar, how- 

 ever, curves much further round the volar aspect of the fifth bone 

 than the dorsal does with respect to the fourth. In the centre of 

 the palm there are to be seen three lumbricales and the tendons of 

 the long flexors of the fingers. 



Omentum of ElepJiant. — Mr, Abraham mentioned that, as the 

 members were aware, the large elephant died at the Zoological Gar- 

 dens a few weeks ago ; and naturally he embraced the opportunity 

 of obtaining portions of the animal for microscopic examination, 

 knowing that little had been made out regarding the histology of 

 the animal. Unfortunately by the time he was able, through the 

 kindness of Prof. ITacalister, to secure any pieces of tissue, decom- 

 position had already set in ; the results therefore which he had 

 obtained were not so valuable as they would otherwise have been. 

 Nevertheless the specimen on the table presented some interest — a 

 piece of the omentum in a nitrate-of-silver and logwood prepara- 

 tion. When Prof. Macalister produced this membrane from the 

 abdomen it was found to consist of a large bag stretching some 

 12 feet in length and upwards of 4 feet in diameter ; in fact he 

 was able to get inside of it. In spite of the size, the texture and 

 thickness were as delicate as in the smallest animals ; and, as in the 

 case of the other tissues, the diameter of the histological elements 

 was found to be by no means in ratio to the large size. The slide 

 exhibited showed that the elephant's omentum is a beautiful fenes- 

 trated membrane. 



Spicules of a neiv Alcyonarian. o 



some mounted specimens of the spicules of a new r form of Alcyonaria 

 allied to Primnoa. The spicules were but feebly calcareous, were 

 very varied in form, but in a manner that seemed characteristic, 

 mostly flat and colourless ; in the stem portion of the colonial mass 

 they were sufficiently felted together to form a fairlv solid column. 



K 



March 30, 1882. 



Moss-protoncma living on a Fern. — ilr. Greenwood Pirn showed 



