280 



thought it was by no means necessary that the organism should be furnished 

 with hard moveable spicules to act mechanically, or with acid or other fluid of a 

 solvent nature. The mere rapid passage of continued currents of fluid would 

 in the course of time wear away the hardest substances. There were many 

 instances of this to be found, such as the absorption of the fang of the tem- 

 porary tooth during the formation or eruption of the permanent set. These little 

 currents alluded to were, of course, quite microscopic, and the particles removed 

 were so small that they would be quite invisible under the highest powers ; they 

 were, nevertheless, not dissolved probably. And when he looked at the appear- 

 ance of the depressions and holes supposed to be made by these sponges, he 

 thought that they bore a remarkable resemblance to the surface of a portion of 

 a bone, or of a fang of a tooth, which had been partly removed by absorption. 

 The President announced that, with a view to informing members of the 

 subject of Papers to be read at the meetings of the Club, it had been resolved 

 to announce them by advertisement in " The Echo" newspaper on the Monday 

 evening preceding each meeting. 



The President having to leave the meeting, requested Mr. Henry Lee to take 

 the chair in his stead. This having been done, 



Mr. Unwin exhibited and explained a new apparatus, which he had designed 

 for cutting thin sections of soft substances. A surgeon's amputating knife was 

 firmly clamped upon a wood block fixed upon a planed wood stand, the upper 

 surface of the block being bevelled in such a way as to admit of the knife being 

 readily set, with its edge either horizontal and parallel with the stand, or in- 

 clined towards it at any given angle. The object to be sliced was then fixed by 

 means of set screws in a string cylindrical brass holder, the height of which 

 could be adjusted with great nicety by a screw thread cut on its outside, and 

 working up from within a solid brass base. The holder, when adjusted, was 

 passed by the hand beneath the knife blade, and in this manner sections of any 

 required thickness could be cut with great precision. The thickness of the slices 

 were regulated by rotating the holder, which could be firmly retained in any re- 

 quired position by means of a back nut. 



The Chairman expi*essed the thanks of the meeting to Mr. Unwin for his com- 

 munication, observing that though some of the machines in use left little to be 

 desired, he thought the one just exhibited to the meeting might be very use- 

 fully employed ; a great amount of steadiness was obtained by this method of 

 fixing the object, and it was for many purposes an advantage to have the knife 

 a fixture. 



The Secretary exhibited a new and simple form of compressorium, designed 

 by Mr. Locke, consisting of a wood slide, having a small block on one side 

 carrying the arm, from which the required pressure was obtained. 



The proceedings then terminated with a conversazione, at which the following 

 objects were exhibited : — 



Campylodiscus costatus , By Mr. M. Burgess. 



Section of Human Brain . . Mr. J. Gibson. 



Calyx of Deutzia... Mr. Jackson. 



Eye of Earwig Mr. R. T. Lewis. 



Proboscis of Exotic Moth Mr. S. J. McTntire. 



Spirorbis Nautiloides Mr. Martinelli. 



A Simple Erecting Glass Mr. E. Richards. 



Elytron of Goliath Beetle Mr. Slade. 



Also Specimens of Peziza lanuginosa for) *r yt n n v 



Distribution J 



