232 Dublin Microscopical Club. 
made by the ‘Challenger’ expedition, belonging to the group of the 
Primnoade. These spicules were feebly calcareous, longer than 
broad, and smooth on their edges. 
Cerebellar Cortex, Cerebral Cortex, and Gastric Mucous Membrane 
stained with Klein’s Cochineal Fluid, and its Formula.—Dr. R. J. 
Harvey showed specimens of cerebellar cortex, cerebral cortex, and 
gastric mucous membrane stained with Klein’s cochineal fluid. The 
preparation of and modus operand: with this fluid are exceedingly 
simple. One per cent. of alum and cochineal in distilled water are 
boiled to four sevenths of the original volume; when cool, a few drops 
of carbolic acid are added and the liquid filtered. Sections will stain 
well in three or four hours, but will not be injured if left twenty-four 
hours. They require nothing but washing in distilled water. The 
branching processes of Purkinje’s cells in the cerebellum, the con- 
nexion of the kite-shaped cells of the cerebral cortex, and the 
“chief”? and ‘‘ investing” cells of the gastric mucous membrane 
were rendered especially evident by this method. 
Conceptacles of Xylaria polymorpha, the spores with two wucler, one, 
or no nucleus.—Mr. Greenwood Pim exhibited sections of the concep- 
tacles of Xylaria polymorpha showing the asci and spores. He drew 
attention to the fact that some of the spores presented two nuclei, 
some a single nucleus, and some were even destitute of any nucleus, 
and observed that this character, of considerable value amongst 
Pezizas, failed in the Xylarias. 
Staurastrum, nov. spec—Mr. Archer showed examples of an 
undescribed Staurastrum, which, so far as he was aware, had not 
been found out of Connemara, and there it was rare. It somewhat 
resembles St. maamense plus horns, these slender, sometimes fur- 
cate, and more or less dissimilar, the crenatures on the margins of 
the semicells smaller and less pronounced. Of this distinct form 
Mr. Archer would defer a description. This had so long stood as 
the ‘‘ Horned” Staurastrum, it might probably remain as Stauras- 
trum cornutum. 
Testis of Hirwdo.—Prof. Mackintosh exhibited cross sections of 
the testis of Hirudo medicinalis, showing the axis from which 
budded off the mother cells of the spermatozoa, which were seen in 
various stages of development. 
March 23, 1881. 
Capnodium Footii—Mr. Greenwood Pim showed specimens of 
Capnodium Footii from Stephanotis-leaves, and of C. citra from 
orange-leaves. The chief interest in these somewhat obscure leaf- 
parasites turned on the fact that an action had recently been brought 
in Scotland against the Shotts Iron Co. to restrain them from 
smelting iron within a certain distance of the extensive and valu- 
able plantations belonging to the Lord President of the Court of 
Session. The defence tried to show that the black deposit on the 
