MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. l8l 



by our local collectors. Mr. Olliff also showed, under the microscope, 

 specimens of the larvae and females of Phylloxera vastatrix, the vine 

 pest ; and he remarked that, so far, he had not yet been able to find 

 either specimens of the leaf-form of the pest, or reliable records of its 

 having been observed in New South Wales. 



Mr. Whitelegge exhibited a set of herbarium specimens of British 

 species of the genus Equisetum. Also, under the microscope, specimens 

 of the Peridinium, to the presence of which the recent discolouration of 

 the waters of the harbour has been due : also specimens of several other 

 species of allied organisms, including a second species of Peridinium, 

 Prorocentrum micans, Ehr.. Gymnodinium spirale, Bergh, and Gleno- 

 dinhim sp. 



Dr. Cobb exhibited an inexpensive dissecting microscope of simple 

 construction, made by one of the clerks in the Agricultural Department, 

 Sydney. Also, under the microscope, examples of the Nematodes 

 described in his paper. Also, two examples of fungi, one a species of 

 Phallus from the adjoining garden, the other the bird's-nest fungus, 

 Cyathus, from soil near a pumpkin vine ; and coloured dra wings of a 

 number of other Australian fungi which he had recently met with. 



Mr. Fletcher exhibited three specimens of terrestrial Nemertines 

 (Geonemertes sp.) — one from the Bichmond Biver, N.S.W. (collected by 

 Mr. B. Helms), the other from Tasmania (collected by Mr. C. Hedley). 

 The Tasmanian form seems to differ in colour and pattern from the 

 "Victorian specimens recorded by Dr. Dendy and Professor Spencer, Mr. 

 Hedley describing them while alive as "black at the oral extremity for 

 about a quarter of an inch, the rest of the body dull white." The New 

 South Wales specimen may, perhaps, belong to the same species as those 

 noted by Dendy, the colour being brownish-orange, except for a lateral 

 band on each side. If G. chalicophora, Graff, like G. jxdaensis, Semper, 

 has six eyespots, in two groups of three each, then the specimens exhi- 

 bited to-night, in which more than sis eyespots are present, are not to 

 be identified with the former, which is supposed to have been brought 

 with palms from Australia to the palmhouse at Frankfurt Zoological 

 Gardens. 



Also, a male specimen of Peripatus leuckarti, Sang., (the only male 

 out of a total of five specimens obtained on. the Blue Mountains), which 

 presents the exceptionally remarkable character of possessing a pair of 

 papillae — the only pair present. — on the ventral surface of the first pair 

 of legs. 



Also, fruits of Secliium edide, Swartz, a West Indian member of 

 the natural order Cucurhitacece, which has been successfully acclimatised 

 in Queensland for some years past. From a specimen forwarded from 

 Queensland to Sir William Macleay a flourishing plant has been raised, 

 which is now bearing freely in Sir William's garden, the specimen 

 exhibited being from the plant in question. 



Also, a living specimen of Chiroleptes australis, Gray, forwarded 

 from Herberton, Queensland, by Mr. F., Christian. This species of frog 

 inhabits the northern half of the continent, and has not been recorded 

 on the east coast from further south than the Clarence Biver. 



