189 



found to be very much like that of an Alga, but at other times the 

 Fungus element prevailed, and the growing forms were accordingly more 

 like the Fungi. The other point was that under ordinary circumstances 

 the Gonidia were entangled, but had been seen sometimes to be fused 

 with the Hyphae ; this was clearly explicable on the supposition of the 

 latter being parasitic. (Diagram drawn showing the cell wall of the 

 Hyphae being fused with that of the gonidium.) Illustrative specimens 

 were also exhibited under the microscope. 



The Chairman thought the members would respond very heartily to a 

 proposal that a vote of thanks be given to Mr. Stewart for his very 

 interesting communication. 



Dr. Matthews said that he had always thought it to be their duty, as 

 well as their privilege, to appropriate, but with due acknowledgment, the 

 labours of their predecessors and contemporaries. Now, there were two 

 ways of doing this — there was the way which might be called with more 

 correctness mis-appropriation, namely, that of the poet, who was described 

 by the satirist as stealing his verses from half the town — 



" But reading them damnably, made them his own ;" 



there was also the case of the man eulogised by the old Roman writer 

 who — 



" Touched nothing that he did not adorn ;" 



and this remark, he thought, might well be applied to their friend, Mr. 

 Stewart. He thought that they were much indebted to Mr. Stewart for the 

 very able and interesting manner in which he had brought this subject 

 before them — personally, he felt much indebted to him for so doing. As 

 regarded the theory involved in that subject, he was not prepared nor 

 indeed competent to express any opinion ; it might be only a theory after 

 all, and yet it was supported by some very high authorities. Perhaps it 

 was too soon to decide the question in one way or the other ; but however 

 that might be. it was one well deserving their attention. He had great 

 pleasure in seconding a vote of thanks to Mr. Stewart. 



The vote of thanks was then put to the meeting, and carried by accla- 

 mation. 



The Chairman announced that, at the next gossip night, Mr. E. T. Newton 

 would give an account of the General Structure of an Insect, and at the 

 next ordinary meeting would read a paper upon " A Method of Making 

 Models of the Brains of Insects from Microscopical Sections." 



The meeting then terminated with the usual conversazione, at which 

 the following objects were exhibited : — 



Stem of Synapta inlieerens (polarised) ... Mr. F. W. Andrew. 



Leaf of Adiantum cuneatum, stained and polarised Mr. T. Curties. 



Minute Diptera ... ... ... ... Mr. H. E. Freeman. 



Protococcus, showing its cell-division ... ... Mr. A. Martinelli. 



Cuttle bone ... ... ... ... Mr. J. Slade. 



