151 



The President observed that everyone present must have noticed with great in- 

 terest Mr. Slade's mode of preparing these sections successfully, in which the 

 use of marine glue was a good example of a " little dodge,'' such as is acquired 

 only by experience. Everyone must have noticed the difficulty with balsam, that 

 from its brittleness it frequently broke up at the last minute and spoiled the 

 specimen. Marine glue was evidently the substance which prevented this catas- 

 trophe, and it would doubtless occur to others that marine glue might in other 

 instances also lead to success where balsam had failed. 



Mr. W. T. Suffolk said that he had written no paper, but had simply come for- 

 ward in obedience to a wish that small matters of interest might be brought be- 

 fore the Club. One evening recently, two friends called upon him, and the 

 newest thing in the house being a cheap 1-sixteenth inch objective, they pro- 

 ceeded to try it. Yalisneria spiralis was at hand, and was at once placed upon 

 the stage. Unfortunately, however, Yalisneria would not work on that occa- 

 sion, as is sometimes the case, but they discovered something going on in the 

 cells, a kind of movement of rotation which closely resembled something which 

 is sometimes seen going on in Closterium, and which is known as " swarming," 

 that curious movement of particles uot more than l-20th the size of the grains of 

 chlorophyll, rather flattened, and of a bright green colour. He had never seen 

 these granules in motion like this in Yalisneria, where the cyclosis was going 

 on. Whether, therefore, it was an action of life, or whether it was an action of 

 decay, was a matter, he thought, which further observation would throw light 

 upon, and he had therefore thought it worth bringing before the members of 

 the Club. Although upon the occasion he had mentioned, a very high power 

 was used, yet he believed a half inch objective might do very well for the pur- 

 pose, provided black field iilumination were used. 



Mr. T. Crook said that the circulation described by Mr. Suffolk might be very 

 well seen in a little conferva, the Spirogyra. If carefully examined, this move- 

 ment might be seen going on actively ; it was like a number of very minute 

 granules in constant rotation and movement about each other without any cir- 

 culation like the cylosis in an ordinary plant. 



Mr. T. White expressed his obligation to Mr. Suffolk for bringing the matter 

 before the Club ; he thought that the question of molecular movement was one 

 of great interest, and one about which all would be very glad to know more. He 

 had observed this kind of motion going on in other things beside plants ; some 

 time ago he mounted a female Cyclops in some of the water in which it had been 

 caught, and it remained there for about two years before it broke up. During 

 part of that time, whenever he looked at it, this molecular motion was seen 

 going on inside, and was kept up for about seven months. He was, therefore, 

 inclined to think that it might be the result of the process of decay which 

 was going on. 



Mr. Suffolk observed that he was inclined to think that this motion differed 

 from the swarmiug seen in Closterium, because that went on whilst the Clos- 

 terium was in full vital action. 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Suffolk for his interesting communication was pro- 

 posed by the President, and carried unanimously. 



The Secretary announced to the meeting that he had recently received a letter 

 from Mr. T. W. Wonfor, the Secretary of the Briguton and Sussex Natural 

 History Society, announcing that he had, as Secretary of the Quekett Micro- 

 scopical Club, been elected an Honorary Member of that Society. In the name 

 of the Club he had written to thank Mr. Wonfor for the honour, and had for- 



