Proceedings of Scientific Societies. fel 
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’, Lmpusa 
musce. The gentlemen explained how the tungus 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 restless- 
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 
shellremains. From anexamination 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 
ee ready to be thrown off and carry on their work of inocu- 
ation 
_It was suggested that here might be found a remedy for these 
annoying pests by systematically inoculating Aphis colonies 
