286 Dublin Microscopical Club. 



conspicuous central boss or elevation bordered by papillae or orna- 

 mented by scrobiculi of the larger forms was reduced to a simple 

 papilla, yet it too was there. It is true that many minute forms, 

 distinctly Cosmaria, have a similar median papilla ; yet Mr. Archer 

 would lean to the view that, coupled therewith, the presence of the 

 spinules at the corners must compel us to regard this form as a 

 Xanthidium, of which genus it would certainly be the most minute 

 species, and might stand as Xanihidium concinnum. 



Specimens illustrating Development of Cotylorhiza borbonica. 



Prof. Haddon exhibited a series of three slides, showing the 

 planula, hydra tuba, and ephyra of Cotylorhiza borbonica, also ob- 

 tained from Dr. Dohrn's zoological station at Naples. 



Cliftoncea pectinata, Harv., from Port Phillip. — Dr. M'Nab exhi- 

 bited specimens of Cliftoncea pectinata, Harv., found in January 

 1882 by Bracebridge Wilson at Port-Phillip Heads, and kindly com- 

 municated by Baron Ferdinand von Muller. The structure of the 

 ramuli, so far as Dr. M ; Nab could make out from the dried speci- 

 men, seemed to differ from that described and figured by Harvey. 



Histology of Male Flower of Geonoma sarapiguensis. — Dr. M'Nab 

 also showed a section of the centre of the male flower of Geonoma 

 sarapiguensis. The stamens are developed at the end of an inter- 

 node separating the andrcecium from the perianth ; and at the apex 

 three abortive carpels are to be observed. A section showed the 

 fibro-vascular bundles regularly arranged, six going to the stamens, 

 and three others, completely developed, to the abortive carpels. 

 This section showed the value of the presence of the fibro-vascular 

 bundles as indicating the existence of abortive parts. 



Histology of Stem of Urvillea ferruginea. — Dr. M'Nab further ex- 

 hibited sections of the stem of Urvillea ferruginea, a Brazilian plant 

 belonging to the natural order Sapindaceae. The stem was trian- 

 gular, with a longitudinal row of hairs at each angle ; it contained a 

 ring of united fibro-vascular bundles in the centre, with a pith, the 

 bast showing the bast-vessels with great clearness, whilst the bast- 

 fibres were wanting. Three double bundles were developed, one at 

 each angle of the stem ; and a ring of sclerenchyma surrounded the 

 stem a short distance below the epidermis. Collenchyma existed in 

 six patches, one at each angle and one in the middle of each face. 



Drawings of various Starch-granules. — Mr. William Allen 

 showed some excellent shaded drawings made by himself of a variety 

 of starch-granules, a comparative collection of which he was form- 

 ing ; these sketches very graphically showed the characteristics of 

 each. 



Foraminifera from Dublin Bay. — Mr. Balkwill showed a large 

 collection, beautifully mounted and named, of shells of Foraminifera, 

 chiefly from Dublin Bay ; several of these slides contained as many 

 as fifty or one hundred species, the names photographed alongside 

 the specimens, and mounted with the greatest neatness on dark- 

 ground slides. 





