SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 27 



of Ouramceba, which he thought should be regarded as a common Amcnba 

 attacked by a parasitic fuugus. 



Mr. G. C. Druce communicated a paper on a new species of grass in 

 Britain belonging to the genus Bromus, for which, from the character of 

 its inflorescence, the specific name interruptus was proposed. It appeared 

 to have been characterized by Prof. Haeckel as Bromus mollis var. inter- 

 ruptus, but Mr. Druce considered that it was sufficiently distinct to be 

 entitled to specific rank. He had found it growing abundantly in a field 

 of vetches near Upton, Berkshire, and specimens had been examined from 

 Headington, Oxford, and Dartford, Kent. In a discussion which followed, 

 Dr. 0. Stapf reviewed the literature of the subject, and gave reasons for 

 regarding the so-called new species as merely an abnormal growth of 

 Bromus mollis. Critical remarks were made also by Mr. H. Groves and 

 Mr. A. B. Rendle, who were inclined to share the opinion of the last 

 speaker. 



A paper was then read by Mr. W. F. Kirby on some new or little-known 

 Phasmidce in the collection of the British Museum, with illustrative 

 specimens. 



Dec. 19th. — Mr. W. P. Sladen, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Mr. William Scott was elected, and the Rev. T. R. Stebbing, Rev. H. P. 

 Fitzgerald, and Mr. A. W. Geffcken were admitted Fellows of the Society. 



Mr. W. B. Hemsley exhibited specimens and photographs of Cactea from 

 the Galapagos Islands, and gave an account of some of the more remarkable 

 species. 



Mr. George Brebner exhibited and described, with the aid of microscope 

 and lantern-slides, the following new and rare Algae '.—Colaconema Bonne- 

 maisonm, Batters ; C. chylocladice, Batters ; Trailliella intricata, Batters 

 {Spermothamnion Turneri, var. intricata, Holmes & Batters, ' Revised List 

 Brit. Algae'); Ectocarpus velutinus, Kiitz., var. later if ructus, Batters; and 

 Hymenoclonium serpens, Batters (Callith amnion serpens, Crouan). These 

 were found by Mr. Brebner while studying the marine Algae of Ply- 

 mouth and the neighbourhood. The first two are endophytic and new 

 to science ; the discovery of the tetraspores of the third (which in regard to 

 position and development are unique in the group to which it belongs) 

 justified the creation of a new genus for its reception (cf. Journ. Bot. 1896, 

 p. 8). The fourth is a variety of a well-known parasite on Himanthalia 

 lorea, Lyngbye, probably only a late autumn and winter form not hitherto 

 described. The fifth was a young specimen of a rare Alga first discovered 

 in this country by Mr. Holmes, and found, like the others, in Plymouth 

 Sound. 



Mr. J. E. Harting exhibited a living specimen of the Snow Bunting, 

 Emberiza nivalis, which had been captured with several others off Cape Race 



