105 



The thanks of the meeting were voted to the donors. 



The Chairman read a letter from Mr. W. G. Cocks, giving a detailed list 

 of objects found at the last excursion of the Club to Snaresbrook. 



Mr. Michael called attention to a slide which he had brought for exhibi- 

 tion, which illustrated the curious fact that many of the Marine Annelids 

 had a proboscis which was revertible, so that the pharynx became an ex- 

 ternal organ, and practically a supplementary mouth. 



The Chairman said it was not always easy to get a mount of this kind, 

 although they might sometimes be fortunate enough to see this curious 

 condition in a living animal. He should like to know how Mr. 

 Michael managed to get the animal in this position, so as to be able to 

 preserve it. 



Mr. Michael said it was generally much more of an accident than any- 

 thing else. He found no better way than to put the creature under the 

 microscope in a watch glass, and observe it until it was in a good position, 

 and then to drop some methylated spirit upon it. 



Mr. James Mackenzie exhibited two forms of gas lamp, which he had 

 constructed specially for use with the microscope. 



Dr. Matthews inquired if Mr. Mackenzie had tried the effect of an 

 oxidator upon a flat flame gas burner ; he thought this would be worth 

 trying. 



Mr. Ingpen said that the flat flame shown was larger than was necessary 

 for microscopical purposes. 



Mr. Mackenzie considered that a large flame was often wanted. 

 Dr. Matthews suggested that the burner should be made of steatite with 

 an oxidator above it like a paraffin lamp, and with something like an iris 

 diaphragm below to regulate the draught. 



Mr. Mackenzie thought perhaps this might be clone ; he would try and 

 carry out the suggestion. 



Mr. E. T. Newton read a paper " On Fishes' tails," which he illustrated by 

 numerous diagrams and specimens. 



On the motion of the Chairman, a vote of thanks to Mr. Newton for his 

 interesting paper was unanimously passed. 



The Chairman said that the Committee had that evening passed a resolu- 

 tion protesting against the proposed draining of Epping Forest ; a similar 

 course had been adopted by most of the Natural History Societies in and 

 near London. The resolution was then read to, and approved by the meet- 

 ing. 



Notices of meetings and excursions for the ensuing month were then 

 read, and invitations to members to assist at the forthcoming Soirees of the 

 Ealing and Highgate Societies were given. The meeting then terminated 

 with the usual Conversazione, at which the following objects were ex- 

 hibited : — 



Section of a Small Orauge ... ... Mr. F. W. Andrew. 



Microscope Gas Lamp with Argand burner "J 



„ ,, „ „ small ditto > Mr. J. Mackenzie. 



,, „ „ „ Flat flame burner ) 



