44 HALF-AN-HOUR 



A paper on this subject was laid before the International Botani- 

 cal Congress of South Kensington in 1866, and will be found in 

 the published report of their proceedings. 



Polycystina from West-Indian Soundings (PI. V., Fig. 2). — 

 This slide contains a large number of forms ; and for its correct 

 appreciation it requires to be gone over carefully, seriatim; 

 examining every specimen with Maltwood's finder, taking the 

 place of each, drawing and taking notes on everything present. 

 Even fragments must be treated with the same care, for they 

 often throw a light on structure which examination of perfect 

 forms fails to reveal ; they are, in fact, dissections made ready to 

 hand. The slide will then be found to be truly a multum in 

 parvo. To stimulate, not satisfy, inquiry, a few have been 

 sketched. Access should, if possible, be obtained to Ehrenberg's 

 original papers on the subject, published in the Transactions of 

 the Berlin Academy ; a few forms are figured in " Carpenter on 

 the Microscope," pp. 520 — 23 (ed. 1856); also in the Microgra- 

 phic Dictionary, " Opaque Polarising Objects." Some figures 

 executed on a large scale by a lady were to be seen at various 

 places in London a few years ago. Thus, in the Proceedings of 

 the Linngean Society (1866 — 7) are some valuable papers on 

 " Living Polycystina," by Major S. R. J. Owen \ an abstract of 

 these will be found in "Hogg on the Microscope " (1867). Dr. 

 Wallich also has had some important papers on the subject, and 

 there have been various notices of these interesting forms in the 

 accounts of the Challengei- expedition. It would be desirable to 

 state when they were obtained, by what vessel, the depth whence 

 procured, and any other particulars of value. 



Foraminifera from March, Cambridgeshire (PI. V., Fig. 3). 

 — In this instance again it would have been desirable to give 

 particulars whence the specimen shown was obtained, and when ; 

 the character of the bed, etc. Though there are many forms 

 here, the number of species is not great. A few of the roost 

 marked types have been sketched to stimulate examination and 

 inquiry. The slide will be found to present much of interest on 

 proper study. The work to read in connection with it is William- 

 son's " Foraminifera," Ray Society, Monograph, 1857 ; Carpenter's 

 "Introduction to the Study of the Foraminifera," Ray Society, 

 vol. for 1862, may also be read with advantage. These two will 

 probably satisfy most of our members' appetites for the present : 

 to those who have strong digestion, it may just be remarked in 

 passing that the literature of the subject is a vast one. I believe 

 it correct to state that the beautiful glass bottles classed under 

 various specific names in the genus Lagena are most abundant in 



