PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 3:)9 



there was a slide exhibited on the table, accompanied by a drawing 

 in which a reconstruction of tlie living shell had been attempted — 

 possessed many new and strange features. 



Brady, in his well-known monograph on the subject, when figuring 

 the G.foUacea of Philippi, included a so-called "monstrous specimen " 

 (probably an early stage of C. diffusa), ])ut did not refer to its pecu- 

 liarities at all in his text. The fragments found in the ' (loldseeker ' 

 dredgings had puzzled the authors until it became evident that they 

 were portions of a large and e volute Cornuspira, which differed from 

 other known species in the marked tendency of the simple evolute tube 

 to divide into ramifying tubelets. The only other species which showed 

 any similar tendency was G. striolata Brady, which sometimes formed 

 secondary tubes along the marginal aperture. For this and other reasons 

 they thought it not improbable that G. diffusa was a pauperate form of 

 G. striolata. 



Gorniis}jira diffusa was found only on muddy bottoms, and its growth 

 was modified by its environment, the early spiral form of growth 

 being abandoned in favour of protean extensions which spread in all 

 directions round the parent shell, thus obtaining access to a larger 

 feeding area than if the protoplasm was confined to a single aperture for 

 its extrusion. This method of growth might go on indefinitely but for 

 the extreme fragility of the shell, which had hitherto prevented any 

 perfect specimens being secured. 



Individuals broke up into such fragments as were exhibited to-night 

 by their mere weight as soon as any attempt was made to lift them from 

 the mud when dredged. No doubt each fragment, provided nuclear 

 conditions were satisfactory, was capable of continuing its existence as a 

 separate individual. 



On the conclusion of this valuable communication a vote of thanks 

 to Messrs. Heron- Allen and Earland was carried with acclamation. 



The Chairman announced that the next Meeting of the Society 

 would be held on Wednesday, June 18th. 



The next Meeting of the Brass and Glass Section would take place 

 on May 28th, and that of the Biological Section on June 4th. 



The attention of the Fellows was called to the Roll, and any present 

 who had not signed were asked to do so. 



The Chairman, in drawing the attention of the Meeting to the 

 Pond Life Exhibit, pointed out the amount of work necessary to arrange 

 such a representative series of specimens ; he then proposed that the best 

 thanks of the Society should be tendered to those Fellows, and particu- 

 larly to those Members of the Quekett Microscopical Club who had con- 

 tributed to the exhibit, and so materially enhanced the interest of the 

 evening. 



The vote of thanks was carried with acclamation. 



