PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
223 
stem, in others dividing into two or more branclies. From these 
branches arise, on the one hand, a capsule (sporange), with its cluster 
of stylospores, and on the other spermagonia, with imprisoned sper- 
matia. The slides exhibited showed different portions of the plant, 
and proved that it was not the coffee blight — Hemileia vastatrix— 
wliich proved so injurious in the island of Ceylon. 
The Doctor also exhibited a specimen of confervoid algge, the 
oedogonium, from Saucelito, and explained the marvellous manner 
of the formation of its pores ; also from the same locality the 
filaments of Zygnema cruciata in a state of conjugation. His lecture 
was listened to with interest, and was made plain by diagrams on the 
black-board, at the conclusion of which he was requested to speak of 
matters of microscopical interest which fell in his way at the islands. 
Among them he mentioned that of the organization of the Royal 
Microscopical Society of Hawaii, and which, from the interest mani- 
fested by its members, will prove an adjunct to science ; while it and 
our Society, its nearest neighbour, can maintain an intercoui'se to 
their mutual advantage. 
After the unanimous adoption of the following, the meeting 
adjourned : 
Eesolved, — That the thanks of the San Francisco Microscopical 
Society be tendered to Dr. Adolf Barkan for his interesting and 
instructive lecture on the " Ophthalmoscope " at the last meeting, and 
that the trustees be and are hereby authorized to extend to him the 
privileges of the rooms and apparatus for one year. 
The regular meeting of the San Francisco Microscopical Society 
was held on Thursday evening, May 6, with a large attendance of 
members and the following visitors : John H. Caswell, of New York, 
a corresponding member ; John W. Young, Salt Lake City ; J. M. 
Red way, Placerville ; S. B. Christy, Berkeley ; Henry Taylor, M. de 
Kirwan, Chas. G. Yale, and Arthur Hayne, of this city. 
Under the head of donations the library received many important 
additions, among them being four numbers of the 'Monthly Micro- 
scopical Journal,' April number of the 'American Naturalist,' and 
three scientific works, entitled , ' Fungi, their Nature and Uses,' 
' Chemistry of Light and Photography,' and ' Nature of Life.' 
Dr. Christopher Johnston, of Baltimore, donated material for 
mounting, in the way of spicules of Euplectella speciosa, rosette form, 
and teroxide molybdenum for the polariscope. 
Mr. D. Mason Kinne presented two slides mounted by him with 
diatoms, Isthmia nervosa, Cliff House beach; and seeds of Paparium 
somnifera. 
Letters from Drs. C. Johnston, R. H. Ward, J. A. Thacker, 
Messrs. Eugene Bourgogne and J. Edwards Smith, were read, each 
containing matters pertaining to microscopy, and evincing interest in 
our Society, after which Mr. H. G. Hanks placed on the table his 
spectroscope, and proceeded to make a few remarks relative to the 
construction and use of this instrument. His remarks were devoid of 
technicalities, and with the use of the black-board he made the subject 
quite clear. 
