21 



assemble at a Conversazione at his residence, Stourmouth House, on 

 the 2otli of June. 



June 25, 1874. 



Upwards of fifty members and their friends acceptc-d Mr. 

 Dowker's hospitality, and after lunch the visitors wore conducted 

 over the host's geological museum. Hare Biritsh orchids ■were 

 shown by the llcv. S. H. Cook and the Rev. F. T. iScott ; a beautiful 

 collection of pebbles and agates by Colonel Cox ; Puccinca 

 malvacearum and Hydras by Mr. Fullagar ; a new Kentish Sea 

 Ancnome, marine Alga) and their fructification by Mr. Hillier ; a 

 collection of photographs by Mr. Dowker ; vases and baskets of wild 

 flowers of the neighbourhood, proving how gracefully they may be 

 arranged for the adornment of the table, by the Misses Dowker ; 

 curious maps of the County of Kent, and a fine specimen of Sulphate 

 of Baiytes, by Mr. Gardner. 



July 1, 1874. 



Colonel Horsley and Mr. FuUagar displayed, under the micro- 

 scope, several living specimens of Polyzoa and Rotifera, including 

 Melicerta and Plumatella. Mrs. Terry sent a fine Cactus in full 

 bloom, the flower being of a pure white color, the pollen-grains 

 globular, smooth, white, and large. 



Rapfiidcs as Diagnostic Characters. — Mrs. Dean brought a miscel- 

 laneous and rather large collection of wild Phanerogamia, which were 

 carefully examined for raphides, when those acicular plant-ciystala 

 were found only in Galiaceae and Onagraceae ; and always abund- 

 antly in all the species of these orders, which were thus, even in 

 the smallest fragments of leaves or stems, easily distinguished from 

 other allied orders, in conformity with the observations fi-equently 

 made by Mr. Gulliver, at former meetings of the Society and else- 

 where. 



Birth of the Hair-Worm. — This creature, the Gordius aquaticus 

 of Zoology, has been repeatedly found emerging from the abdomen 

 of beetles in the neighbourhood of the Cathedral. These having been 

 submitted by Mr. Piigh, to the Society, the Honorary Secretary 

 deti rmined the insect to be the churchyard Beetle (Blaps mortisaga) 

 and the worms dioecious. They were quite lively, some partly 

 escaped from their host, others nearly or quite coiled up within its 

 abdomen, but all soon died when put into water ; each worm was 

 sexually mature, and the male may be known by his bifid tail. 

 See October 7. 



A Plea for the Starling. — These birds, being now destroyed 

 wholesale by gardeners, were submitted to anatomical examination 

 by the Hon. Sec. (Mr. Gulliver. F.E.S.), when he found the 



