LIIfNEiLN SOCIETY OF LONDON". 53, 



June 16th, 1898. 



Dr. Albert C. L. G. Gpnther, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 



Messrs. Eus:ene F. A. Obach and Selmar Schonland were 

 admitted, and Messrs. Charles Chamberlain Hurst and William 

 Toogood were elected Fellows of the Society. 



Prof. J. B. Farmer, F.L.S., and Mr. W. G. Freeman, F.L.S., 

 demonstrated the action of germinating peas, cress, and barley 

 in causing the deoxidation of a watery solution of methylene 

 blue to a colourless liquid on shaking up the latter with air, 

 while on adding a drop of hydrogen peroxide the blue colour 

 was restored. Green plants placed in the solution were found 

 to act in a manner precisely similar to the seedlings, though the 

 action may be moditied by assimilation in sufficient light. A 

 number of experiments were shown. 



A discussion followed, in which Mr. A. W. Bennett, Prof. 

 Howes, and Mr. Thomas Christy took part. 



Mr. F. Enock, F.L.S., exhibited and made remarks on the eggs 

 of an Hemipterous insect containing living parasites {Prestwichia 

 aquattca), of whose life-history aud habits he gave a detailed 

 account. 



Prof. Herdman, D.Sc, F.E.S., exhibited some dissections, 

 microscopic preparations, and drawings to illustrate the presence 

 of modified pedal muscles in the Oyster. It was shown that there 

 was reason to believe that these muscles, the insertion of which 

 into the shell had been noticed in the American Oyster by Eyder 

 and Jackson, were the representatives of the protractor pedis of 

 other Pelecypoda. But, as the oyster has no foot in the adult, 

 the muscles have been modified in their distribution and have 

 acquired a new function. The fibres can be traced in sections to 

 the external (anterior) lateral palps and to the anterior end of 

 the external gills ; and experiments and observations upon the 

 living animals show that the action of the muscles in question, 

 when the oyster opens its shell for the purpose of feeding, is to 

 draw the anterior palps and the external branchije forwards and 

 outwards, and so open up more widely the ciliated food-avenue 

 on each side which leads to the mouth. 



Some remarks were made by the Rev. T. E.. K. Stebbing. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " Observations on the Seasonal Variations of Elevation ia 

 a Branch of a Horse-Chestnut Tree." By R. Miller Christy, 

 F.L.S. 



