246 



PKOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



only in qnite recent years been found to attach to the extremely minute 

 free-swimming or free-floating organisms constituting what was now 

 known as the nannoplaukton. 



Lastly, there was the question of pure water supply. The problems 

 involved in this were very largely biological, and the more detailed the 

 knowledge of pond-life organisms the more complete would be the 

 control which could be exercised under all circumstances over this very 

 vital matter. 



To those interested in this subject the little pamphlet on the 

 -" Biology of Waterworks," issued by the Natural History Museum, could 

 be recommended. 



Mr. Scourfield then j^roceeded to call attention to the various 

 exhibits, commenting upon some of their more prominent peculiarities. 



At the conclusion of Mr. Scourfield's remarks, the President said 

 that, there was no question about it that the study of Pond-Life was as 

 likely to be as utilitarian as any form of study. What it might lead up 

 to was quite unseen at the time the work was done. Even at the present 

 time, with the extraordinary sanitation in the Army and measures being 

 taken to stamp out disease, 80 p.c. of the illnesses were due to infections 

 conveyed by parasites, living things that are in the strictest sense 

 microscopical. In the case of an enormous proportion of those out of 

 action through disease, the cause might be traced to some parasitic 

 type of living thing. He moved, " That a hearty vote of thanks be 

 accorded to the Fellows of the Society and to the Members of the 

 Quekett Microscopical Club who have exhibited specimens, and to . 

 Mr. Scourfield for the remarks he has made on the exhibits." 

 Carried unanimously. 



The President announced that the Biological Section would pay a 

 Tisit on June 15 to the John Lines Horticultural Institution at Merton, 

 by kind invitation of Professor Batesou. At the next Meeting of the 

 Biological Section, on June 5, there would be a communication by Mr. J. 

 Burton on " Some Fresh-water Alga?." 



The business proceedings then terminated. 



The following 



Mr. C. H. Bestow 

 Mr. A. J. Bowtell 

 Mr. F. W. Chipps 



Objects were exhibited : — 



M 

 M 



M 

 M 

 M: 

 M 

 M 



E. Cuzner . 



D. Davies . 



E. D. Evens 

 J. Grundy . 

 A. Hardcastle 

 C. E. Heath 

 T. H. Hiscott 



Vaginicola crystallina. 



Monas sp. 



ConocMlus volvox ; Polyzoa {Alc7jo- 

 nella) developing from statoblasts. 



Melicerta ringens ; Carchesium sp. 



Free-swimming Rotifers. 



Larva of SimuUum ; ova of fish. 



Glenodinium sp. ; Plumatella repens. 



Stephmioceros eichhornii. 



Hydra vulgaris. 



Closterium lineatum conjugating, show- 

 ing double zygospore ; Lecquereiisia 

 spiralis. ■ 



