i9o6. 17 
IRISH SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
Recent gifts include a Monkey from Mr. K. Curzon, a Goldfinch and a 
Canary from Mr. Beers, a Chacma Baboon from Mr. A. M'Clintock, a 
Gevet from Mr. R. M. Byrne, a Ring-vSnake from Mr. N, Cromwell, a 
Sparrowhawk from Mr. D. Ouillian, and a Squirrel from Mr. N. Cannon. 
A pair of Siamese Cats deposited by Surgeon Lentaigne have been placed 
on view in a large cage in the Monkey House. The Rhesus Monkeys in 
the open air "Aviary" continue to enjoy excellent health, and suffered 
no harm from the frost and snow of November. 
DUBLIN MICEOSCOPICAL CLUB. 
October 18 The Club met at Leinster House. 
Mr. F. W. MoORR showed hairs from the leaf of Chjysophyllum macro- 
phylhun. This plant is very rare, and is a native of tropical Africa. 
The backs of the large leaves are of a beautiful " old gold" colour, the 
colour being given by a thick coating of hairs These hairs are remark- 
able in shape, being curiously forked. 
Mr. D. M'ArdIvE showed sections through the male receptacle of 
Cojiocephahis com'cus, Neck., one of the largest of the frondose Hepaticse. 
These receptacles arise from the midrib, near the apex of the frond, are 
hemispherical in shape, immersed in the cavity of the frond, free, and 
united at a central point beneath. The upper surface is rough, showing 
a few well-marked apertures through which the antheridia escape. The 
sections showed six antheridia contained in linear oblong antheriferous 
vesicles, immersed in the fleshy disk. Mr. M'Ardle also showed sections 
through a capsule freeing the muriculate spores, which are of a dark- 
brown colour, variously shaped, with a well-marked echinate border. 
The elaters are copious and bi-trispiral. This is one of the few liver- 
worts in which the first division in the germinating spore takes place 
while the spores are still within the sporogonium. The plant differs 
from all others in the frondose section, on account of the reticulated 
epidermis, and the numerous stomata, which are white, and occur in 
lines on the green frond, and can be observed by the unaided eye. 
Fruit is borne in spring. The whole plant has a remarkable aromatic 
smell ; it is common on damp banks of streams, abutments of bridges 
etc., and has a geographical range through Europe, Asia, Japan, and 
North America. The male plant, which is separate, is rarer or over- 
looked, which often happens in dioecious hepatics. 
NovKMBiCR 8.— The Club met at Leinster House. 
Mr. F. W. Moore showed sections through parts of the flower of 
Bulbophylluvi bisetum, a new species recently described. The sections 
showed the delicate fringe of curiously-marked hairs which occurs on 
the labellum. 
