102 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The 452nd Ordinary Meeting was held on December 4. A new 

 growing cell for use with the highest powers, designed by Mr. A. A. C. 

 Eliot Merlin, F.R.M.S., was exhibited by Messrs. Baker. Mr. D. J. 

 Scourfield, F.Z.S., F.R.M.S., gave a lecture, illustrated with lantern 

 slides, on "The Locomotion of Microscopic Aquatic Organisms." The 

 organisms discussed included Amaba, flagellated organisms, and those 

 with cilia. Other more specialised types were dealt with, such as those 

 with medusoid motions, the methods adopted by Nematodes and by 

 Salpa, and the highest form of locomotion— that due to appendages 

 actuated by muscles— in more complex forms. 



At the 453rd Ordinary Meeting, held on January 1, 1909, Mr. 

 A. Earland gave a lecture, illustrated by a large number of specimens 

 under Microscopes, on ''The Selective" Powers of Arenaceous Fora- 

 minifera." The preparations shown were chosen to show the great 

 diversity of structure and technical skill exhibited in the tests of this 

 group. Nearly every species has well marked characteristics, which 

 serve to distinguish its test from those of closely allied forms, and 

 nearly all possess the power of selecting material, which, when considered 

 in relation to the extremely low organisation of these animals, can only 

 be regarded as wonderful. This selective power reaches its highest 

 development in the genus Technitella, but varies in different species. A 

 new and as yet undescribed species of this genus was shown, which 

 built its test entirely of calcareous plates from Echinoderms. 



Rules for the Sections and Sectional Meetings.— Sections for the 

 informal study and discussion of such branches of science connected 

 with the Microscope and its use as may from time to time be sanctioned 

 by the Council may be formed by voluntary association on the part 

 of not fewer than ten Fellows of the Society, subject to the following 

 rules : — 



1. Membership of the Sections shall be open to all Fellows. Any 

 Fellow joining one or more of the Sections shall signify his adhesion 

 thereto and his acceptance of these rules by signing a book to be re- 

 tained in the custody of the Hon. Secretaries of the Society. 



2. The general management of each Section shall be vested in a 

 Committee consisting of a Secretary and four other Membars of the 

 Section. The Committee shall be elected at the first Meeting of the 

 Section in each year, Any vacancies occurring during the year shall be 

 filled up by election by the remaining Members of the Committee. The 

 Sectional Committees shall be responsible to the Council for the proper 

 management of their respective Sections. 



3. Each Sectional Secretary shall keep a list of the Members of his 

 Section and an attendance book to be signed by all persons attending a 

 Sectional Meeting. He shall report to the Council any infringement of 

 these rules, or any matter connected with the Section that may appear 

 to him to be necessary. He shall also report any other matter on which 

 the Council may desire to have information. He shall not be required 

 to keep any Minutes or other record of the proceedings of hi&\Section. 



4. Sectional Meetings may be held in the Society's Rooms at any 

 convenient time between 6 p.m., and 10 p.m., on any Wednesday 

 except the third in each month, from November to June. 



