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Ok the History and Structure of Corals. 



By John Matthews, M.D., F.R.M.S. 



Bead September 27, 1878. 

 PLATE VIII. 



I have a few words to say by way of preface to the subject on 

 which I am to address you this evening, and, if they appear to you 

 to be somewhat egotistical, I ask you to believe that they seem to 

 me to be absolutely necessary thus far, that I am able, in that way 

 only, to set clearly before you the raison d'etre of this paper, and, 

 therefore, to excuse me. 



I have ever held strict mutuality to be one of the most indispen- 

 sable conditions of fellowship of this as well as of kindred societies. 

 It is not enough that a man merely become a member. By doing so, 

 he not only acquires certain privileges and advantages which he can 

 scarcely rate too highly, but he— ipso facto — takes on himself cor- 

 relative duties, the former immediate, the latter most probably post- 

 poned — deferred — until he shall have passed his novitiate. His 

 privileges are, to see, to hear, to observe, to question, and the more 

 he exercises this last, the better for him. In due time, it is incum- 

 bent on him to impart what he knows freely, to help by example, 

 by lucid direction, by patient reply. It must be quite obvious to 

 all who have long been members of this Club, that our conversa- 

 tional meetings have done much to promote its prosperity, not only 

 by the friendly intercourse, which is the natural result, but by the 

 tacit obligation which they seem to enforce — that it is each member's 

 duty to contribute in his turn, as often as he can, to the interest or 

 instruction of the evening. 



It is an uneasy feeling of shortcoming on my own part in this 

 respect, as well as another motive not less powerful, and which I 

 will explain presently, that is the origin of this paper. 



Our field excursions are undoubtedly of the utmost value as 

 feeders and promoters of search for the necessary objects for display 

 and discussion on the gossip nights — or ought to be ; but it is cer- 



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