Report, Sfc. 51 



produced in October and November, as « opaque, yellow bodies 

 v.s.ble to the naked eye, and without any definite forra^ize or 

 distribution, except that they are most ab.indant in the deeper 

 parts of the sponge, and rarely seen at the surface." When 

 mature the excurrent stream carries them through the oscula. 

 Ihe cilia cover the broader end, leaving only the " stalk" free 

 Ihey thus move with the broad end in front. If two come into 

 collision they stop for a moment, turn round, and swTof^ a 

 opposite directions. In three days the power of locomotion ceases" 

 the geiumule settles down, and spreads itself by secreting the kind 

 of skeleton peculiar to its order. If two of the same specis touch 

 n the course of extension they coalesce, and in two or three days 

 the point of union cannot be distinguished. ^ 



It is a curious fact that almost every flint we see was once a 

 living sponge now formed into a stone by the secretion of silica 

 in and around it; this, however, is the case, since not only do we 

 fiijd the structure of the sponge preserved in the flint, but veTy 



norye^Xfied'^"""' '"' P"""^" "'^ '^"^^'^^^^ '^ ^^- -^^dle^ 



Thursday, July 18th, 1867. 

 The^ Thirty.first Meeting of the Society was held at Mr. Farrar's 

 It was announced that the following Prizes had been awarded • 



ori^:l^;o^S:er^?s/^- --eSS^a 



Equal prizes for essays on Coal to Temple, sen. and Balfour. 



The objects exhibited were :— 



Roman Coins dug up at Frome. 



Piece of Lava from the Euy de Dome n,, t. 



