54 



ensuing year. The election would take place at their next meeting, being 

 the annual meeting of the Club. He asked the Secretary to read the list of 

 officers nominated by the Committee. 



The Secretary then read the list of nominations as follows, viz. : — 



As President, Dr. W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S.; as Vice-Presidents, Dr. M. C. 

 Cooke, Dr. Matthews, Mr. Chas. Stewart, and Mr. Michael. Other officers 

 the same as last time, and as auditor on behalf of the Committee, Mr, 

 Hainworth. 



The President then requested the members to nominate gentlemen to fill 

 the four vacancies caused by the retirement of Dr. Matthews, Mr. Priest, 

 Mr. Waller, and Mr. Hembry. Though only four would be elected, they 

 liked to have at least six nominated, so that the election by ballot was not a 

 mere matter of form. 



The following nominations were then made : — 

 Mr. J. W. Reed, proposed by Mr. Parsons, and seconded by Mr. Newton. 

 Mr. J. Parsons „ ,, Mr. Waddington ,, „ Dr. Matthews. 



Mr. T. C. White „ „ Mr. Dadswell „ „ Mr. Dobson. 



Mr. B. W. Priest „ „ Mr. Hardy „ „ Mr. Emery. 



Mr. E. T. Newton „ „ Mr. Lewis „ „Mr. A. Smith. 



Mr. H. E. Freeman ,, „ Mr. Andrew „ ,, Mr. Buffham. 



Mr. Waller ,, ,, Mr. Newton ,, „ Mr Michael. 



The President having requested the members to appoint an auditor to act 

 on behalf of the Club, and Mr. Dobson having been duly nominated, Messrs. 

 Hainworth and Dobson were unanimously elected as auditors. 



Mr. R. T. Lewis read " A further Note on Mermis nigj'esce/is," the subject 

 being illustrated by coloured diagrams, and by specimens of both the worm 

 and its ova exhibited under microscopes in the room. Living specimens 

 were also shown. 



The President said that Mr. Lewis had commenced with an apology for 

 having brought up an old subject before them, but he thought that subjects 

 of this kind, upon which additional information was desired, were just the 

 kind they ought to have brought there. 



Mr. Gr. C. Karop said that the whole subject Avas so involved in obscurity 

 that it was not easy to say what was the entire life-history of these 

 creatures. It would appear that the ova entered the larvae of insects and 

 there underwent development ; when fully grown the first thunder shower 

 seemed to induce them to quit their first hosts, probably for the purpose of 

 seeking some other habitat in which to fully mature. 



Mr. Lewis thought that the fact that all these worms were found containing 

 large quantities of ova, which whilst under observation they continually ex- 

 pelled, indicated that they were in a mature condition. Those which he had 

 kept since June 6th had remained alive and active, until they had extruded 

 the whole of their ova ; a few days after this was accomplished they died 

 their purpose in nature being then, as he supposed, accomplished. On a 

 former occasion it had been suggested that the electrical conditions of the 

 atmosphere might have had something to do with their remarkable appear- 

 ances in such large numbers after thunderstorms. 



