72 



The Irish Naturalist, 



April, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a pair of Elands and a Brindled Gnu from the 

 Duke of Bedford, a Bonnet Monkey from Mrs. Bryan, a Jerboa from 

 Mrs. Tombe, and a Ring-necked Parrakeet from Mrs. Mullally, Four 

 Lion cubs (three males and a female) have been born, the parents being 

 " Red Hugh " and " Nigeria ;" also two families of Dingo puppies. 



The *' record " collection of the four anthropoid genera has been un- 

 fortunately broken by the recent death of the Orang-utan. The Gorilla 

 continues, however, in good health. 



DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 



February lo. — The Club met at Leinster House, D. McArdle (Presi- 

 dent) in the Chair. 



W. F. GuNN showed a slide of the gizzard of an Indian species of 

 locust, mounted dry, and drew attention to the efficient apparatus it 

 provided for triturating and reducing the food before passing into the 

 stomach. Attached to the interior walls of the organ is a complicated 

 arrangement of teeth, spines and ridges which are strongly chitinised 

 and in some parts quite horny in texture. These parts are controlled 

 by a system of strong circularly arranged muscles which enable them to 

 act upon each other. 



Prof. G. H. Carpenter showed a transverse section through the body 

 of a larval Newt, in which the development of the arch of a vertebra 

 above the region of the notochordal sheath was exceedingly well shown. 



C. J. McCarthy showed feelers of the Ox Warble -fly {Hypoderma 

 bovis) pointing out the sub-globular shape of the terminal segment which 

 fits into a hollow of the inflated cup -like second segment. 



Dr. G. H. Pethybridge exhibited specimens of wheat received in August 

 from Co. Kerry suffering from the disease known as " White Heads." 

 It is said to be caused by a fungus known as Ophiobolus graminis, Sacc, 

 which is found at the bases of the stalks, forming a blackish mycelial felt 

 between the leaf -sheaths and the haulms. Microscopical preparations 

 were exhibited showing this black mycelium, as also were others showing 

 the presence of the fungus within the tissues of the haulms. No spores 

 of any kind were present. The fungus is said to develop its perithecial 

 form of fructification during the winter on the stubble, but on specimens 

 kept under observation for this purpose the perithecia had not up to that 

 time been developed. It was hoped by means of them to isolate the 

 fungus in pure culture and study its life history more closely, but owing 

 to the non -development of the perithecia this could not be done. 



