252 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



Sir Ray Lankester, in replying, said Lis paper was based simply on 

 the desire to maintain the correct nse of words. Most people agreed 

 that the English langnage should be applied in accordance with its 

 common usage ; it was not justifiable to select a term and give to it a 

 meaning which was intended to be suggestive or poetical. His objection 

 was to the deliberate attrilmtion by Mr. Heron-Allen of "intelligence" 

 to the Foraminifera. During the evening's discussion several speakers 

 had used the word '' purpose " in a sense which was not the ordinarily 

 accepted one. Professor Thomson, however, was careful in his remarks 

 to jjlace before the word when he used it a number of adjectives, such 

 as " conceptual," " perceptual," " organismal," or " organized." When 

 used with such a qualifying adjective the word " purpose " became more 

 or less metaphorical. It was quite safe to use the word " purpose " in 

 the sense of the definition given in the Oxford Dictionary. 



The President had alluded to certain views, and described the 

 response of Foraminifera to stimulation. He, the speaker, proposed to 

 account for those actions as due to a mechanism established by natural 

 selection. 



The President proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Sir Ray 

 Lankester for his very interesting paper. 



This was carried by acclamation. 



