THE president's ADDRESS. 37 



Eyes enlarge and become circular instead of elliptical, pectoral 

 fins and border of gill-cover turn black ; reproductive organs only 

 discoverable by the microscope enlarge ; eggs rather large for fish 

 (12 "7 mm. diam.) float, but do not rise. The young which issue 

 are quite unlike the eel of our rivers. They are tape-like, trans- 

 parent, colourless, devoid of red blood, armed with peculiar teeth^ 

 and known to naturalists as lejytocejjhali. When one has com- 

 pleted its first stage of growth it ceases to feed, loses bulk, and 

 develops pigment on the surface of the body ; the larval teeth are 

 cast, and larval skeleton replaced ; then it begins to feed again , 

 comes to the surface, enters the mouth of rivers, and, if caught, is 

 recognised as a young eel, and is now a year old and two inches 

 long. You may imagine, of course, that it could only be under 

 very favourable circumstances and situation that such an inter- 

 esting disclosure could be made ; and this was due mostly to 

 Signor Grassi, an Italian, and it gives us a hint how much more 

 there is yet to learn even of familiar objects. 



But it is not everybody that can extend researches to a 

 depth of two hu.ndred and fifty fathoms, and there is plenty of 

 work to be done on our shores by those prepared for it. I think 

 it is to be regretted that the Marine Algae have not more 

 students amongst us, for in this we miss our late friend Mr, 

 Bufi'ham ; the Spo ges also, which are often found in abundance, 

 and are ever ready for those prepared for their study, have too 

 few students amongst us. 



Before I bid farewell to the chair in which you have done me 

 the honour to place me, T consider it will be well if I go back to a 

 controversy I maintained, and on a subject on which I have now 

 an altered opinion. It is proverbial that "confession is good for 

 the soul." In all my studies I have avoided an unsupported 

 hypothesis, and have ever endeavoured to give evidence for what 

 I have advanced. I have also acted on the principle of the text 

 " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," for by 

 this you are being just to yourself, and if you are in error, and it 

 is proved upon you, or you have convinced yourself, it becomes 

 your duty as an investigator of truth to avow it, and to give the 

 reasons for your change of opinion. This is then my position, and 

 the question is that of the Clionse or Boring Sponges. 



When I entered into this subject, after reading Mr. Hancock's 

 paper, and the argument of Dr. Bowerbank, vol. ii., p. 212, 



