128 



age and dissolution, and its corruption and renovating effects upon the soil as 

 continuing the cycle of fresh existences. 

 A vote of thanks to Mr. Jackson was unanimously carried. 

 Mr. Ackland called the attention of the members to the circumstance he had 

 mentioned at the last gossip night — of his having found an extraordinary mass 

 of diatoms some time ago vp-hilst travelling in Switzerland. The position was 

 easily found, and he hoped if any members were going to the place they would 

 notice whether the same mass was to be found there still. He had travelled 

 over the Furea pass in the month of July— and they would be able to judge of 

 the season, when he mentioned that the snow laid upon the pass about three 

 feet deep — from the Furea he descended by the road to the Rhone Glacier, and 

 having rested at the Hotel du Glacier du Rhone proceeded to visit the glacier 

 from which the river flowed. At the glacier there was a hut in which the guides 

 stayed, and where refreshments could be had, and having passed this he noticed 

 a large mass of a chocolate-brown substance, which could not have been less 

 than forty feet long, and about ten feet wide and eighteen inches thick. His 

 attention was attracted by this mass, and he at first thought it must be oxide of 

 iron, but on taking some into his hand and squeezing it moderately dry he 

 found that such was not the case. He, therefore, collected some, and when he 

 reached home found it to be a mass composed entirely of diatoms— chiefly 

 Odontidium. Last year he went to the Upijer Valley of Lauterbrunnen, and 

 visited the Glaciers and the Schilthorn, but could not there find anything of the 

 kind. He had brought with him to the meeting an abundant supply of these 

 diatoms for distribution amongst the members. 



Mr. Ingpen exhibited and described an instrument which had been constructed 

 for him by Mr. Curties for the purpose of ascertaining the power of micro- 

 scopical objectives, 

 A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Ingpen for his communication. 

 The proceedings then terminated with a conversazione, at which the following 

 objects were exhibited: — 



Drawings of Microscopic Objects by Mr. Rochfort Connor. 



Dolichopus trivialis (Feintsiil Fly) Mr. Curties. 



Presumed Mode of Attachment of Web of~j 

 Epeira Diadema J 



Ichaboe Guano Mr. Goodinge. 



Chalcedony (polarised) Mr. Hainworth. 



Section of Brain of Rabbit Mr. Oxley. 



Foraminifera from Egyptian Limestone ... Mr. J. A. Smith. 



Section of Potato, shewing Starch Grains,) _^ ^ „ 

 ., > Mr. Tafe. 



tn Sim ... ^ 



Injected Bone of Bird Mr. Topping. 



Batracliosxiermu'in moniliforme Mr. J. G. Waller. 



Young Actiniae (Gemmacea) Mr. T. C. White. 



Freshwater Shrimp (alive) ... Mr. G. Williams. 



Attendance — Members, 82 ; Visitors, 7- 



R. T. Lewis. 



Mr. Fitch. 



