43 



somewhat short, he should like to read an interesting letter he 

 had received from Mr. T. H. Buffham earlier in the year, 

 relating to the organisms found in the estuary of the Thames 

 at a certain period, and which gave rise to the phenomenon 

 known as "foul " or " May- water." The subject was brought 

 forward at the May meeting of the R.M.S., by Mr. Shrubsole, 

 of Sheerness-on-Sea, who gave an interesting account of this 

 peculiar state of the water, and distributed samples. Knowing 

 Mr. BufBkam's active concern with anything relating to marine 

 algae, to which these organisms presumably were related, and 

 thinking he might be able to throw some light upon it, I wrote 

 to him, and he, after examining material provided by Mr. 

 Shrubsole, sent me this letter (read). The chief forms found 

 in the water were spheres, about the size of small volvox, or 

 cylindroids of transparent, gelatinous stuff, and containing 

 large numbers of greenish-yellow or brown crescentic bodies 

 imbedded in it. The exact nature of these organisms appears 

 to be, at present, quite undetermined. The matter was of 

 economic as well as of scientific importance, because Mr. 

 Shrubsole states that during their apparition the whole of the 

 fish precipitately retire from the mouth of the river and so put 

 an end for a time to one of the chief industries of the locality. 

 It seemed reasonable to suppose that the reason for this 

 emigration of the fish was either that the organism was 

 poisonous or unfitted for food, or, from its abundance and 

 slimy consistence, it would choke up the breathing apparatus 

 of the fish if they remained. I understand the phenomenon is 

 of yearly recurrence and it certainly deserves careful study. 



Notices of meetings, etc, for the ensuing month were then 

 given, and the proceedings terminated. The following objects 

 were exhibited : — 



Syringa, section of flower bud Mr. H. E. Freeman. 



Floscularia campanulata, mounted ... Mr. C. Rousselet. 



November 2nd, 1894. —Conversational Meeting. 



The following objects were exhibited : — 

 Floscularia cornuta ... ... ... Mr. M. Allen. 



Rotifer a, various species .. . ... .. Mr. W. Burton. 



Corethra jplu unicornis ... ... ... Mr. J. A. JJaniell. 



