32 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
F. Bates, who had prepared a microscopic slide showing the moniliform 
character of the gonidial layer. These moniliform curved filaments 
were, he considered, quite undistinguishable from Nostoc, a fact which 
favoured the theory of Schwendeer that lichens consist of a fungus 
parasitical on an aiga ; a collection of dried leaves of various species 
of American oaks, by Mr. Vice ; oak spangle-galls, and the fungus 
Agciricus conflucns , by Mr. Grundy; large haws borne by the scarlet- 
fruited thorn, and a camera drawing of the large mole flea x 40, by 
Mr. Mott. Paper, “ On the life-history of Puccinia graminis, the Wheat- 
Bust fungus,” by Mr. G. Ward, describing its three stages, viz.:—the 
iEcidium stage on the leaves of the Barberry, formerly ranked as a 
distinct species under the name of Mcidium berberidis ; the Uredo stage 
on wheat and other grasses in the summer, producing globular spores ; 
and the Puccinia stage on the same plants in the autumn, producing 
the final, resting, or teleuto-spores, which are clavate and uniseptate. 
Mr. Ward had prepared several interesting slides, which were exhibited 
under the Society’s fine binocular microscope, illustrating the stages of 
this remarkable fungus. The Chairman asked how it happened that 
while Bust was everywhere abundant, the wild Barberry was quite a 
rare plant in Leicestershire hedges. He thought there must be some 
other plant on which the Bust could pass through its first stage. The 
Chairman presented a list of 15 birds which frequented his garden, 
arranged in the order of their abundance, viz.:—1, House Sparrow; 
2, Starling; 3, Missel Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird; 4, Bubin; 
5, Hedge Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blue-tit, Wren ; 6, Great-tit, Pied Wag¬ 
tail; 7, Yellowliammer, Spotted Flycatcher, Greenfinch. He remarked 
upon the scarcity of the Yellowliammer in his neighbourhood, and 
suggested that it might lead to interesting comparisons, if other 
members living in the different suburbs would prepare lists of birds 
arranged on the same principle. 
PETEBBOBOUGH NATUBAL HISTOBY, SCIENTIFIC AND 
ABCHZEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—At a well-attended meeting of the 
members of this Society, held on November 28th, Mr. James T. Irvine, 
clerk of the Bestoration Works at the Cathedral, gave a very interesting 
address on “ Saxon Architecture,” illustrated by numerous drawings 
collected or made by himself. After pointing out the imitation of 
wooden construction this style presented in buildings actually of stone, 
the lecturer dealt with its other chief characteristics—the great 
internal height of the buildings when considered in regard to their 
length and breadth, the extreme thinness of the walls, the great 
height and narrowness of the openings, such openings in the earlier 
examples being wider at the base than at the top, whilst in the later 
ones the sides were parallel—the wedge-shaped quoin stones—the 
rude imitation of Boman mouldings—the gradual adoption toward 
the close of the Saxon period of features closely approaching Norman 
work. Mr. Irvine also called attention to the position of the window 
sashes, the earlier ones being fixed in the mid-wall, and later ones 
near the outside and provided with shutters; the ornamental character 
of the window jambs as at Boarhunt near Portsmouth, and in some 
remains found at Peterborough Cathedral; the use of coloured stone 
decoration as at Stone-juxta-Faversham ; the singularly fine carvings 
found at Bradford in Wilts, date probably about A.D. 975, and at 
Barnack Church, near Stamford, the date of which the lecturer 
considered to be about A.D. 1060. Mr. Irvine also referred to the 
singular fancy for sundials, of which a beautifully carved specimen 
exists at Barnack. 
