50 JOURNAL OF THE [April,, 



tinuity of living matter — one individual — and not made up of 

 millions of individuals, as the cell theory had suggested. 



" My present photograph demonstrates the interconnection of 

 the protoplasm by threads of living matter traversing the bulky 

 layers of the so-called ' sclerotic cells ' of the ivory plant, to per- 

 fection, with a power not exceeding five hundred and twenty-five 

 diameters. Even the hardest wood, therefore, is not only sup- 

 plied with protoplasm, but is rendered a continuous mass of living, 

 or contractile matter. 



** A peripheral irritation of this substance in certain plants will 

 suffice to produce its contraction, either locally in the leaves or 

 petals, or throughout the whole plant. What we call nervous 

 action is probably based altogether on the contraction of the liv- 

 ing matter which, running centripetally, is termed 'neuration,' 

 and running centrifugally leads to motion in the apparatus 

 termed 'muscles.' Motion is again nothing but contraction of 

 the heavy masses of living matter stored up in the muscles. 



" The contraction of the living matter is all that is needed for the 

 understanding of the peculiar ' intellectual ' movements of plants, 

 which are destitute of both nerves and muscles. The voluntary 

 actions, even in the highly-developed animals, are only automa- 

 tic." 



Meeting of January 2oth, 1893. 



The President, Mr. Charles S. Shultz, in the chair. 



Twenty-eight persons present. 



Dr. H. G. Piffard was elected a resident member of the So- 

 ciety. 



The following were appointed by the chair as Committee on 

 Admissions: F. W. Devoe, William E. Damon, George F. Kunz, 

 William Wales, F. D. Skeel. 



The following were appointed Committee on Publications: 

 J. L. Zabriskie, William G. De Witt, Waller H. Mead, John L. 

 Wall, Charles F. Cox. 



Dr. Alexis A. Julien read the announced paper, entitled " Sug- 

 gestions in Microscopical Technique." This paper was illus- 

 trated by the exhibition of many pieces of apparatus, and is pub- 

 lished in this number of the Journal, page 23. 



