87 



of examining living Entomostraca, etc.," the subject being illus- 

 trated by blackboard diagrams. 



The President was sure these investigations must have given 

 great pleasure to the observei*. As regarded cements for the 

 purpose of sticking objects under water, he might mention that 

 if they wished to germinate seeds under water, a drop of thick 

 balsam was usually found sufficient for the purpose. He thought, 

 however, that the descent of an organism in water by gi'avity 

 would be observed to be quite difterent in the living state from 

 what it was when dead. He had noticed particularly that this 

 was the case with spermatozoids. In the cases mentioned it was 

 quite possible, therefore, that there might be something more to 

 be noted than the simple action of gravity. 



Mr. Neville asked what was the special object of the antennae. 

 Also, with reference to Cladocera, it seemed to him that there 

 was a distinct gizzard, or a gizzard-like organ, similar to that 

 found in some rotifers. Did they really possess this important 

 organ ? 



Mr. Scourfield said the functions of the antennae were very 

 important. Besides serving for locomotion, the animal in some 

 cases was able to cling to weeds by means of a small hook on the 

 end of one of the longer antennal setae ; these hooks were a 

 distinctive feature of Simocephalus. The appearance of the 

 gizzard-like apparatus or mastax was really produced by the 

 mandibles. 



Mr. Karop asked if, in endeavouring to find a suitable cement, 

 Mr. Scourfield had tried collodion ; it was waterproof, and dried 

 quickly. Gutta-percha tissue dissolved in chloroform also sug- 

 gested itself as likely to be suitable for the purpose, as the 

 chloroform evaporated very rapidly. 



Mr. Scourfield said he found that nothing dissolved in benzole 

 was of any use ; he had not tried collodion. 



The President thought this was a very interesting and sugges- 

 tive paper, and one which showed them what had still to be done 

 to complete their knowledge of these common organisms. The 

 commonest things all presented problems for solution when they 

 were cornered in this manner, and a paper like this put the 

 points before them on which further investigation was desirable. 



The Secretary said they had another paper on the agenda, " On 

 the resolution of Amphipleurajjellucida," by Mr. Merlin, which he 



