
NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 71 

Mr. Wilson’s view triumphed. The moss was by all leading Muscologists 
accepted as a species of Didymodon; and it is now universally known, not by 
the name bestowed upon it by Dr. Taylor, but by that of Bruch and Schimper, 
Didymodon Cylindricus. 
The Hon. Sec. of this Society wishes us to state that the correction in last 
month’s number was sent by him, but came too late, as we had already gone 
to press. 
MANCHESTER MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—The usual monthly 
meeting of this Society was held on Thursday, Feb. 2nd, Dr. John Tatham in 
the chair. 
Dr. John Smith distributed pork full of Cysticerci, and gave some valuable 
hints for their mounting and preparation. 
Mr. W. Blackburn then read two papers, one entitled, “On a nymph of the 
genus Ceenis : family Ephemeridz ;” the other, “‘ Remarks suggested by a study 
of the Ephemeridz,” a subject upon which he has devoted the past two years, 
Both these papers appear in the present number. 
Mr. W. Stanley then read the following communication on Starch :—“ In 
observing the tissues of plants we find the cells are more or less filled with 
minute, oblong, translucent granules called Starch, and with the exception of 
some small groups of Algze and Fungi, these granules are found in almost every 
plant, and have even been found in the brain of man; but, although so com- 
mon and well-known, their mode of growth has long been a problem to 
microscopists. In examining the starch of potato in particular we shall find 
the mature grain consists, as a rule, of a number of layers deposited around a 
central nucleus or hilum, the point at which, in its early stage, it is attached to 
the interior of the cell, and having all the appearance of growth by the forma- 
tion of layer upon layer ; this appearance however is stated by some authorities 
not to be caused from increase of layer upon layer, but to be the result of a 
larger or smaller quantity of water in the different layers. ~ Perfectly dry starch 
being unstratified throughout. 
Mr. A. F. W. Schimper, of Baltimore University, who has recently made 
‘a series of experiments on the growth of starch grains, says, ‘ that in the parts 
of plants which contain chlorophyll, and are in a growing state, the starch grains 
show certain constant peculiarities of structure. 
‘ They are usually disk-shaped, thick at the margins and very uneven, and 
present under the microscope a flaky appearance. ‘These appearances are due 
to a partial disintegration in consequence of the starch being partially used up 
for the growth of the organ ; this is shown by the fact that grains formed after 
the cessation of growth of the organ have not this character, and that a similar 
structure is seen in the starch grains of germinating seeds. 
“After the growth of the starch-containing organ has ceased, the formation 
commences of definite forms of starch grains, either by a new growth of those 
already in existence in the form of a thin shining layer around the disintegrated 
grain, and which gradually becomes thicker and more dense, or new sperical 
grains are produced, having no trace of the structure described, and which are 
developed in the following manner ;— 
‘1. Differentiation of the original homogeneous grain into a central watery 
nucleus, and a dense peripheral layer. 2. The formation of three layers, of 
which the central one is always watery, surrounding the grain. 3. Increase in 
the number of layers, the outermost being always dense. 4. Increase in the 
amount of water in the centre with the increase in size of the grain. Thus 
growth takes place by exogenous stratification.’ 
Starch is of the same chemical composition as cellulose, viz., Carbon, Os 
Hydrogen, 10; Oxygen, 5, and is always originally formed within the chloro- 
phyll granules, whence it is conveyed in solution in the form of dextrine or 
sugar, to those tissues in which growth is actually taking place, or is redeposited 
