92 



side, scarcely any mass of algas cast up by the waves being without at least 

 a few specimens of the ordinary hinds. 



Professor Stewart, while cordially endorsing all that had been said by 

 .Mr. Waller, would rather join issue with Mr. Priest in regard to one 

 or two points. Firstly, as concerned the position of the radiant canals in 

 the Sycon figured in his diagram ; and, secondly, as to there being no 

 recognizable rudimentary nervous system in the Spongiadae. With regard 

 to this latter, he was strongly of opinion a nervous system did exist. The 

 external openings of the inhalent inter-radial canals in Lycon compressa 

 showed delicate hair-like processes of the Ectoderm, each having its axis 

 traversed by a fine thread of protoplasm derived from a subjacent branched 

 mecoderm cell. He regarded the hair-like process as a sensory mechanism 

 which, acted upon by special features in the water, transmitted the impres- 

 sion to the cell beneath (nerve cell), and from this impulses would be 

 given off to the contractilecells in its neighbourhood, so that the orifices of 

 the inter-radial canals might be closed or opened, and the current of 

 water regulated. 



Mr. Priest, in reply, stated his own belief in the possession of a nervous 

 system by the Calcaria ; he, however, quoted Dr. Polegaeff, a recent observer, 

 as holding a contrary opinion. 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Priest for his paper was put from the chair, and 

 carried unanimously. 



Mr. Morland read a short paper on " The structure of Julacodiscus 

 margaritaceus" 



Mr. Nelson said he had also observed the appearances as described by 

 Mr. Morland. 



A unanimous vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Morland for his com- 

 munication. 



The Secretary then read a description of a new growing slide sent by Mr. 

 Smithson, of Rochdale. 



Mr. Karop said he thought the idea very good, and much superior to the 

 " hanging drop " arrangement, where the upper surface of the cover glass 

 frequently got dimmed in the moist chamber, and the dimness was with 

 difficulty got rid of without disturbing the specimen. 



A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Smithson for his communication. 



Mr. Karop then gave a short description of some new Lieberkuhns 

 exhibited by Messrs. Schroeder, made of Wolfram steel, and which could be 

 used with magnifications of over 400 diams. The apparatus was exhibited 

 by Messrs. Schroeder in the room, and he thought was worthy of note. 



A vote of thanks was passed to Messrs. Schroeder for their exhibit. 



Mr. Karop said there was a little matter he should like to say a few 

 words about before the meeting broke up, and also to get some information 

 himself. Mr. Richardson, a member of the Club, had sent him some 

 deposits containing Diatoms from Scotland, and one of them, from Loch 

 Kinnord. Aberdeenshire, was very rich in the ordinary lacustrine forms, 

 such as Epithemia, Synedra, Cymbella, &c, &c. It contained very little 

 foreign matter, and was easily cleaned. Another deposit, however, from 



