378 



whose death had occurred since the last meeting of the Chib. 

 Mr. Groves had belonged to the Club since 1868, and had been 

 a member of the Committee and a Vice-President, and was well 

 known to the older members. 



The donations to the Library and Cabinet, including a slide of 

 volcanic dust from Barbados from Mr. Ashe, were announced ; 

 also a small packet of volcanic dust from La Soufriere, St. Vincent, 

 sent for distribution by Mr. H. Epps. The thanks of the Club 

 were voted to the donors. 



Mr. Karop called attention to a statement made in Mr. 

 Cornish's book, "The Naturalist on the Thames," concerning the 

 Bladderwort, which is known to entrap Entomostraca, Rotifers, 

 etc., by means of its bladders. Mr. Cornish refers to these plants 

 as being busily engaged in catching small tadpoles by the tails 

 and holding them until they died ; but as the bladders were 

 usually Yo ^^' i^ ^i^e, and in the largest species not more than 4 in., 

 it was rather ditHcult to understand how they could manage to 

 hold such active creatures as tadpoles. 



The President thought that, as every one was familiar with the 

 Bladderwort, it would be interesting to hear any opinions from 

 those who had made observations upon it. The delicate filaments 

 referred to were generally branched hairs covered with some 

 viscid secretion which was not affected by water ; but whether 

 this was sufficiently adhesive to hold a tadpole by the tail, he 

 should like to hear. It might perhaps be possible if the tadpole 

 was unwell, and only had strength to wriggle feebly. He 

 thought their thanks were due to Mr. Karop for bringing the 

 question before them ; for, although such statements as had 

 been referred to might appear rather ridiculous, there might, 

 after all, be a substratum of truth ^vhich it would be well to get 

 at if possible. 



Mr. J. B. Scriven's paper on " The Preparation of Serial 

 Sections of Insects, based upon Experiments with the Blowfly," 

 was read by the Secretary. 



Mr. Karop said that Dr. Scriven's success in preparing sections 

 of this kind was so great that it was very interesting and useful 

 to have a detailed description of his methods. Years ago, when 

 Professor Lowne was engaged on his work on the Blowfly, he 

 remembered the difficulty caused by a want of adhesion between 

 the insect's chitin and the imbedding mass, and Dr. Scriven's 



