1906. 
Proceedings of Irish Societies. 
solution of the latter substance, the whole rock fell into a powder, pro- 
ducing quantities of mud in wet weather. On his advice, a suitable rock 
occurring locally is now being used instead 
R. Southern exhibited a mounted specimen of the Enchytraeid worm 
Fridericia aurifa, Issel. This species was first described by the Italian 
zoologist, Dr. Issel, in 1905, in the Zoo/og-ische lahrbihher, from specimens 
taken in Piedmont, Italy. Its only other locality at present known is 
in Lambay, where it was found last June. It is chiefl}' characterised 
by the shape of the spermatheca. Attention was drawn to the stoma- 
like guard-cells surrounding the dorsal pores. 
Prof. G. H. Carpenter showed new species of Pycnogonida collected 
by Dr. J. Stanley Gardiner in the Indian Ocean. The species, which 
belong to the genera Pallenopsis, Anoplodactylus, Colossendeis, and 
Rhopalorhynchus, will shortly be described and figured in the Traiisac 
Hons of the Linnean Society. 
J. N. HaIvBERT exhibited specimens of a new Irish plant-bug, Libumia 
hignbrina^ Boh., found in marshy places near Mullingar. The species 
seems to be rare in Great Britain. It was introduced into the British 
list— without locality — manj' years ago, and no definite locality is men- 
tioned for it in Mr. Edwards' recent monograph (Homoptera of the 
British Islands, 1896). 
Dr. G. H. Pethybridge exhibited the parasite fungus Septoria Petro- 
selini (Desm.) var. Apii, which was growing on and causing considerable 
damage to celery plants. The fungus is well known in England and in 
America, but its presence in Ireland has not hitherto been noted. 
BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 
October 25.— Opening Conversazione. — The Forty-fourth Winter 
Session was opened by a conversazione, held in the large hall of the 
Y.M.C.A., which was largely attended by members and friends. Tea was 
served from 6.30 to 7.30 o'clock. The following is a list of the principal 
exhibits shown : — Botany : Botanical Section — Specimens from Club's 
herbarium. N. Carrothers— Mounted plants. Rev. Canon Lett. M.A., 
M.R.I.A., and Rev. C. H. Waddell, M.A., B.D.— Mosses Liverworts and 
Lichens, together with Handbooks. H. C. Marshall— Propagation of 
British ferns, &c. Professor Gregg Wilson, D.Sc. , M. R. I. A.— Microscopic 
demonstration— Plant sections, etc. Geoi^ogy : Miss M. K. Andrews- 
Microscopic sections of Tertiary rhyolites from Co. Antrim. R. Bell- 
Cephalopoda. W. Christy — Chalcedony and opal from Carnmoney; fish 
teeth from the Cretaceous rocks. A. Duncan, B.vSc —Carboniferous 
fossils, etc W. H. Gallwa}-— Chalcedonic geode from vSouth America, 
containing globule of water. J. L. S. Jackson— Liassic fossils from 
Whitby ; Nautilus ; Ichthyosaurus ; Plant Remains, etc. J. Strachan— 
Native Irish silicas, including quartz, chalcedony, flint, opaL hyalite and 
