^5] Field Naturalists' Club Proceedings. 5 



vacuole, which, in behaviour, differed in nunc than one 

 respect, with regard to the cell, from such previous records 

 as he had read. The organism may have been a young amoeba, 



or a testaceous rhizopod escaped from its test. His remarks 

 were illustrated by blackboard sketches, and coloured draw- 

 ings were used to illustrate a preliminary description of 

 the structure and classification of the Rhizopoda, during 

 which he referred to the idea held by some that continued 

 division of simple forms by fission was suggestive of immor- 

 tality ; despite which instances of the death of the cell were known. 



Mr. J. Searle remarked that from Mr. Hardy's statements 

 it seemed difficult to decide whether the object under notice 

 was an amoeba or an amoeboid form of some other protozoon. 

 He thought that the vacuole was more probably a food vacuole 

 than a contractile vacuole, as suggested. With regard to the 

 statement that amoeba divided into two, and these again sub- 

 divided, and so on indefinitely, he had found that protozoa, 

 which multiplied by fission, if isolated in a small vessel, after 

 several divisions became enfeebled, and soon degenerated and 

 died : but by introducing fresh individuals into the vessel 

 conjugation between two individuals took place, the proto- 

 plasm of each blending together, and the nuclei fusing into 

 one. Then, after a period of quiescence, subdivision takes 

 place, to be again followed by conjugation. He suggested that 

 it was probably the conjugation of two amoeba? which Mr. 

 Hardy had taken for an instance of cannibalism. 



In reply. Mr. Hardy quoted Prof. Leidy's description of the 

 seizing and assimilation of Amoeba verrucosis by A. Umax, an 

 undoubted and not lonely case of cannibalism. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTE. 



Myna and Moth.— Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., contributed a 

 short note regarding the attempt of an Indian Myna to catch 



a small moth, which he had witnessed recently. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Growing specimen of Wire Fern, 

 Gleichenia dicarfia, R. Br. 



By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S. — Slide of microzoa, obtained 

 from a pinch of sand collected at Williamstown, 1 ; ; 15. 



By Miss Amy Fuller. Seeds of the Silver Tree of South 

 Africa, Leucodendron argenteum. 



By Mr. F. Pitcher. Flowering specimens of the Narrow- 

 leaved Acacia, Acacia linearis, Sims. Sunshine Wattle. Acacia 

 discolor, Willd., [tea-leaved Acacia, Acacia iteaphylla, F. v. M.. 

 and Queensland Fire Tree, Stenocarfius sinuatus, Endl. 



By Mr. J. Searle.— Spei Lmens of Ibla quadrivalvis, one of the 

 cirripedes, or barnacles, collected a1 Williamstown, £3/3/15, 

 and also a mounted slide of the developing ova. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



