marvellous example of skilful arrangement and clean mounting 
they had ever seen. 
March 11 th. 
The President, Mr. Glaisher, in the chair. A paper on 
“ Microscopical Pungi ” was read by Dr. ITallifax. Among other 
points it was shown that since the microscope had become a more 
perfect instrument the number of known species had been in- 
creased from 400 to between 4000 and 5000. This number would 
doubtless be increased, as many regions were at present unex- 
plored. The ravages they committed among the crops on which 
men and animals depended was a great inducement for their 
study, for, as was well known, the cereals, potatoes, vines, hops, 
silkworms, &c., had been destroyed by their agency. To the 
scientific botanist and microscopist they offered many grounds of 
interest : they afforded a striking illustration of the unity which 
pervaded organized life, for though so diverse in form and cha- 
racters, they were all resolvable into the same elemental thread- 
like substance, called mycetia, sometimes filamentous in their 
appearance, at others fitted and consolidated into a leathery con- 
sistency. Many interesting problems in connection with their 
form, propagation, and supposed influence in disease, remained 
involved. Some of these points had been cleared up ; thus, some 
species, aud even genera, had been proved to be only different 
stages of development of the same fungus, or diflerences of form 
resulting from the nidus on which growing. Especial attention 
was called to those attacking the potato and the wheat, while allu- 
sion was made to the so-called cholera fungus. The paper was 
illustrated by a number of microscopical preparations, among 
which the most noticeable were — 
Peronospora infestans, on potato leaf ; 
Cladosporum herbarum, on stone-crop ; 
Stilbyum aurantiacum, on stem of sage ; 
Aspergillus glaucus, on thyme leaf ; 
Melotium ceruginosuvi, in oak-wood, exhibiting the germination 
of the spores, and section of mushroom. 
