28 



Microscopical Science,' nnd are about l-SOOOth of an inch in 

 diameter, and occur very abundantly in chains of cells along the 

 fibro-vascular bundles of the leaves, calyx, and pods, and also scat- 

 tered throughout many membranous parts. In one inch of one vein 

 of a single leaflet of clover he counted no less than 17,500 of the 

 short prismatic crystals ; and his lecture was concluded by obser- 

 vations on the significance of these crystals in the economy of 

 animals and plants. 



Dentate Scales of Pleuronectidae. — Mr. Hayward showed some 

 prepared slides of the notched scales (ctenoid) of the sole, being a 

 good example, contrary to the rule, of this form of scale in soft- 

 finned fish. 



November 5th, 1873. 



The late Major William Augustus Munn. — Refeiring to the 

 recent death of this eminent apiarinn, and the loss which his 

 widow and family and entomological science had sustained thereby, 

 a motion expressive of the sympathy and regret of the t^ociety, of 

 which he had long been a most valuable member, was unanimously 

 carried. 



I Statoblasts of PlumatelJa. — Colonel Horsley remarked the abund- 

 ance of Plumatclla repens about Canterbury, and how easily this 

 beautiful species may be kept in the aquarium. This had enabled 

 him to confirm Dr. AUman's observations, that the statoblasts are 

 not ova, but a peculiar form of bud pi'oduced in the funiculus. 

 The Colonel exhibited the statoblasts under the microscope, and 

 suggested, lor futiire research, the question as to how far they may 

 admit of comparison with the winter ova of Rotifera, and the 

 ephippia of Daphne. 



Hydras and their Prey. — Mr. FuUagar showed many live speci- 

 mens of Hydra viridis and Cyclops quadricornis. When the 

 Cyclops was put to the Hydra, the former was instantly taken by the 

 latter, sometimes ingested immediately, and often only seized or 

 touch' d by the polyp's tentacles, and allowed to float away. Eut 

 in either case the death of the prey w.is sure, as proved in many 

 trials. Hence he concludes in the affirmative as to the vexed 

 question of the power of the fiesh-water polyp to destroy its prey 

 by mere^stinging. 



December 4th, 1873. 



Eggs of Fresh-water Polyps. — Mr. Fullagar exhibited and made 

 some observations thereon. The ovum (if Hydra vulgaris is of an 

 orange color, nnd about l-50th of an inch in diameter ; the ovum 

 oi Hydra viridis is of a light brown colour, and about l-66th of an 

 inch in diameter ; these ova of both species are spherical. 

 An egg of Hydra viridis, detached from the parent towards the 

 end of May, was hatched in his aquarium about thirty days 

 thereafter 



Utiicular Hairs of Chenopods .—The Hon. Sec. showed, by draw- 



