323 



The President reminded the members that their next monthly meeting 

 would be their anniversary, at which it would be necessary to elect Officers 

 and members to supply vacancies upon the Committee. The time had now 

 ari-ived for nominations for these offices to be made, and he would call upon 

 those present to propose any gentlemen whom they might consider suitable. 

 The President, Vice-Presidents, and Officers were nominated by the Com- 

 mittee, but any member was at liberty to substitute another name on the 

 ballot paper if he wished to do so. 



The following list of nominations made by the Committee was then 

 read : — 



As President, Mr. T. C. White; as Vice-Presidents, Dr. Cooke, Mr. Dads- 

 well, Mr. Groves, Mr C. Stewart ; as Hon. Treasurer, Mr. Gay ; as Hon; 

 Secretary, Mr. Ingpen ; as Hon. Secretary for Foreign Correspondence, Dr. 

 M. C. Cooke; as Hon. Reporter, Mr. R. T. Lewis ; as Hon, Librarian, Mr. 

 Alpheus Smith ; as Hon. Curator, Mr. C. Emery. 



The President intimated that there were four vacancies upon the Com- 

 mittee, caused by the retirement, in accordance with the rules, of Messrs. 

 Dadswell, Oxley, Groves, and Coles, and invited nominations accordingly. 



The folljwing nominations were made : — 

 Dr. Matthews — Proposed by Mr. Sigsworth — Seconded by Mr. Gregory. 

 Mr. Gregory „ Mr. Freeman „ Mr. Waller. 



Mr. Priest „ Mr. Michael ,, Mr. Dadswell. 



Mr. E. M. Nelson „ Mr. Gilburt „ Mr. Waller. 



Mr. Waller „ Mr. Priest „ Mr. Reed. 



Dr. Cobbold „ Mr. Reed „ Dr. Matthews. 



The President said that Mr. Hainworth had been appointed Auditor on 

 behalf of the Committee, and requested the members to nominate another 

 gentleman to act with him on behalf of the Club. 



Dr. Whittell was proposed by Mr. Crisp, seconded by Mr. Buffham, and 

 unanimously elected. 



Mr. B. W. Priest read a paper " On an Undescribed Sponge of the Genus 

 Polymastia,''^ the subject being illustrated by diagrams and by specimens 

 exhibited under the microscope in the room. 



Mr. J. G. Waller said this was an exceedingly interesting species, and he 

 was very glad to find that it had been first described by a member of the 

 Club. Dr. Bowerbank's description of the genus to which it belonged was 

 so accurate that no one could possibly mistake it, and it might be taken as 

 a testimony to the value of his mode of classification, and of the care 

 with which his descriptions were given. The arched structure was a very 

 curious feature, though it was not altogether unlike what was found else- 

 where in the genus Destnacido/i. Mr. Priest had omitted to mention one 

 very peculiar feature of this Sponge, namely, the very numerous abnormal 

 forms of spicules which were to be met with ; he had never found so many 

 abnormal shapes as in this instance, certainly in no marine species were 

 they so abundant. 



Mr. Bnffham did not quite gather from Mr. Priest's description the 

 character of the cavities. Was the whole of the area of the Sponge 



