74 Royal Institution. 



cavities on the surface of Ganymeda and the pits in them have very- 

 much the form of those figured hy Dr. Goldfuss in his fossil, but I 

 cannot regard them as being fitted for the attachment of spines : 

 they have much more resemblance to the mouths of cells. So great, 

 indeed, is this resemblance, that I entertained doubts whether the 

 whole mass might not be a congeries of cells like the Lunulites, 

 rather than the case of a single body, until I considered that it was 

 impossible, from its form, that it could increase in size with the 

 growth of the animal, and that its exceeding regularity proved that 

 it must be the formation of a single creature. 



" I am induced to consider these two genera, though differing in 

 the above-stated particulars, as forming a family or order between 

 the Echinida and the Asteriidce; allied to the latter in having only 

 a single opening to the digestive canal, and agreeing with the former 

 in form and consistence, but differing from it in not being composed 

 of many plates. 



" I only know two specimens of this genus, which I believe were 

 found on the coast of Kent, as I discovered them mixed with a quan- 

 tity of Discopora Patina which I collected several years ago from 

 Jiici and shells on that coast. The specimens are i of an inch in 

 diameter. 



"I propose to call the species Ganymeda pulchella." 



FRIDAY-EVENING PROCEEDINGS AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION 

 OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



April 11. — Mr. Faraday on the definite action of Electricity. — This 

 was an experimental exposition of a part of his seventh series of Re- 

 searches, fyc, which has been reported at p. 293 of our last volume. 



April 18. — No meeting, in consequence of the burial of Mr. Fuller. 

 This gentleman had, in the foundation of funds and the endowment of 

 Professorships, appropriated no less a sum than £10,000 to the ser- 

 vice of science and the welfare of the Royal Institution. 



April 25. — Mr. Davidson on the pyramids of Egypt, illustrated from 

 his personal examination, and by models from measurements and 

 drawings made on the spot. 



May 2. — Dr. Lardner on Babbage's calculating machinery, illus- 

 trated by numerous drawings and models. 



May 9. — Dr. Dalton. Review of his scientific life, and especially of 

 the development of the atomic theory. 



May 16. — Mr. Cowper. Illustrations of recent improvements in 

 Calico-printing. 



May 23. — Dr. Williams on a new law of combustion. — This was 

 the matter of a Paper read at the Royal Society, which has been re- 

 ported p. 440 of our last volume. 



May 30. — Dr. Lardner on Babbage's mechanical notation. 



June 6. — Dr. Grant on the development of the vertebral column 

 in the animal kingdom. 



June 13. — Mr. Faraday on new applications of the distilled pro- 

 ducts of caoutchouc or Indian rubber. — Conclusion of the Season. 



