176 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETy. 



In Gypsiiia, however, these initial chambers did not occur, and it 

 was possible that this genus was always sedentary and encrusting in 

 habit. The lecturer regarded the sedentary habit as the most primitive 

 for these Protozoa, and considered that the small simple or chambered 

 Foraminifera of free habit were derived from some group of sedentary 

 encrusting forms represented perhaps in the fossil state by the 

 Stromatoporida3. 



At the conclusion of the address Mr. Earland commented on the 

 subject of Professor Hickson's work, pointing out that until his exhaustive 

 paper on Polytrema was published, very few people could have seen 

 Carter's species, which he had, quite justly, separated from the old 

 Polytrema, and for which he had created a new genus Sporadotrema. 

 As far as his own experience went Spoiadotrema was of very local 

 distribution and rare, but Professor Hickson had utilized every oppor- 

 tunity while working out Professor Gardiner's Indian Ocean collections, 

 in which Sporadotrema w^as not rare. 



He did not doubt that in regard to the separation of Homotrema 

 from Polytrema they were on the right track ; but in regard to the 

 rhizopodal nature of Sporadotrema he felt quite unable to follow 

 Professor Hickson. The branching of the tubules in Sporadotrema was 

 a feature quite unique as compared with the tubules of the other 

 Foraminifera, and, in his opinion, would of itself be sufficient to remove 

 the organism to a different Order. The constrictions in the tubuli 

 above the branchings was another distinctive feature, and one which, 

 he thought, pointed to an affinity with the extraordinary organism 

 described by Dakin as Ramulina herdmani, in which each tubule was 

 lined with a chitinous membrane, which itself was closed by a diaphragm. 

 He hoped that Professor Hickson would be able to devote some 

 attention to R. herdmani, and would be able to agree with the speaker 

 on that point. Of course further research might necessitate the removal 

 of Ijotli Polytrema and Homotrema as well as Sporadotrema from the 

 Order Foraminifera, and they would regret that, as they were both 

 beautiful forms. But, as Professor Hickson had told them, the group 

 started their scientific existence as corals, and since then they had 

 figured in other Orders before finding their present resting-place in the 

 Foraminifera, so it would be no novelty for them if they had to travel 

 again. He would like to know whether Professor Hickson, when he 

 was working in the tropics, had an opportunity of seeing Sporadotrema 

 in the living condition. [Professor Hickson : No.] He feared nobody 

 had, and the study of the living organism might entirely revolutionize 

 their ideas of its affinities. 



With regard to some of the other points raised by Professor 

 Hickson, he must say that he admired his courage in venturing to revive 

 the theory that the Foraminifera originated with Eozoon or another 

 similar form. The whole of geological evidence was against an original 

 spreading or reef-building form. The ok^est geological records of 

 Foraminifera consisted of small single-chambered or primitive rotaline 

 types. He did not quite follow whether the primal form which Professor 

 Hickson postulated was to be an organism of large size or a spreading 

 mass formed by colonies of small individuals ; but it appeared to him 



