28 
The Irish Naturalist. 
February, 
DUBLIN MICEOSCOPICAL CLUB. 
December 8. — The Club met at Leinster House, the President (D. 
M'Ardle) in the chair. 
Dr. Geo. H. Pethybridge showed Sphacelotheca hydropiperi de Bary, 
collected at Chfden, Co. Gal way, on Polygonum Persicaria (" Redshanks "). 
This is a parasitic fungus belonging to the group of " Smuts " (Ustila- 
gineae) from the majority of which it differs in the comparative complexity 
of its compound sporophore. The parasite destroys the ovule, with the 
exception of a small portion of its micropylar end, but instead of becoming 
wholly converted into spores, as occurs for instance in the smuts of cereals, 
the fungus produces a peripheral colourless plectenchyma surrounding 
the purplish -violet mass of spores, while through the centre of this spore - 
mass a central colourless " columella " is developed. Owing to the 
continued growth of the fungus in the basal region of the ovule the sporo- 
phore is pushed upwards until eventually the wall of the ovary is ruptured 
and thus the spores are set free. The fungus is included in Plowright's 
monograph, but the present record is the first indicating its presence in 
Ireland. 
H. A. Lafferty showed preparations of the parasitic fungus Septoria 
chrysanthemella Sac, on Chrysanthemum leaves ; on the leaf the fungus 
forms circular brown spots which increase in size and become slate -coloured 
with age, eventually the entire leaf becomes involved and dies. The 
pycnidia, which contain the spindle-shaped spores, appear as little black 
bodies on the diseased areas. This disease, although known in England 
and the Continent, has not, until now, been recorded from Ireland. 
BELFAST NATUEALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 
December 15. — J. Erik Hamilton, m.sc, f.z.s., delivered a lecture 
on " Experiences at an Irish Whaling Station." The station in question 
was that on Ardelly Point, Blacksod Bay, where the lecturer spent parts 
of two seasons as an investigator on behalf of the British Association's 
Committee on Whaling. A detailed description was given of the modern 
method of whale -hunting, which is conducted by small, fast steamships. 
These vessels are armed with small cannon of about 3in. bore, having a 
range of 50 yards which fire a harpoon about six feet long, the point of 
which is a conical shell of cast iron containing a charge of blasting powder. 
The harpoon lines are 2|in. cable and are either 300 or 400 fathoms in 
length. The fishing -ground is extensive, one ship sometimes going as 
far as Rockall, 240 miles distant from Blacksod. When brought in, the 
animals are hauled up a long wooden slope on to a wooden platform about 
100 ft. square. On this platform the dissection is very completely con- 
ducted by means of large knives which have a blade of i8in. length, set 
on a wooden haft four or five feet in length. It is necessary to use 
steam winches in cutting up the whales. The process starts with com- 
plete removal of the blubber from the outside of the animal, this is followed 
