PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Dublin Micboscopical Club. 
1 5th October, 1868. 
Rev. E. O’Meaba exhibited a specimen of Toxonidea gregoriana, 
found in a gathering made at “ Ireland’s Eye.” He also showed 
Fragillaria mesolepta, Heiberg, found at Malahide, and Fragillaria 
cegualis, Heiberg, from the oyster-beds at Malahide. 
Dr. John Barker exhibited a new and remarkable form 
of Penium. This was rather large, elongated, somewhat 
attenuated at the centre, and tapering slightly towards the 
rotundato-truncate ends ; it was, moreover, particularly charac- 
terised by the cell-wall possessing a number of superficial con- 
spicuous, rather coarse striae, running in a spiral direction ; these 
somewhat interrupted at a number of annular rib-like projections, 
varying in number; these projections most numerous towards the 
upper third of each segment. This very marked and noteworthy 
form had been taken in a gathering made on a recent excursion 
to Connemara ; but the precise locality Dr. Barker was unfortu- 
nately unable to determine. He would propose the name Penium 
spirostriolatum for this species, as conveying the remarkable cha- 
racter which distinguishes the present form from every other 
Desmid. — Dr. Barker likewise exhibited two forms of Docidium, 
from the same gathering, new to this country ; hut which, how- 
ever, pending an opportunity to examine authentic examples of 
certain Continental forms, it would be premature to consider as 
undescribed. One of these was slender, sides undulate, con- 
tracted just under the ends, which were somewhat dilated. The 
other was still more slender, sides straight, tapering gradually 
towards the ends, which presented each two or three minute 
apiculi at the extreme angles. 
Mr. Archer said that he had had au opportunity to examine the 
three very interesting forms shown by Dr. Barker, all of which 
were new to his eyes, and, so far as he could make out, the first 
at least was undoubtedly a new and undescribed species. The 
spiral striae, which were coarse aud somewhat irregular, as com- 
pared with those of a Closterium, for instance, were unique ; but, 
perhaps, he might be justified in calling to mind a possibly com- 
parable character as described for a form called by Kiitzing Clos- 
terium decussatum. May it not reopen the supposition that a 
species of Closterium may exist with spiral or, at least, oblique 
striae, without being obliged to imagine, with Ralfs, that the decus- 
