24 



sliowing the remarkable alternation in the flow of the nutritive fluid 

 in these animals. 



Ocloher 7, 1874. 



Botanical specimens were sent by Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lord. 



Halchivf/ of Lophopus. — Specimens of this fresh-water polyzoon, 

 with the statoblasts producing the young-, were sliown by Mr. FuUa- 

 gar, who collected them near Chartham, and described them with 

 their manner of generation ; also from the same locality Tubicolaria 

 najus, Vorticella and Eotifer. 



Gordius aquations. — As noticed at this meeting on the 1st of July, 

 this curious worm, which is of a dark colour, about eight inches 

 long, and not much thicker than a bristle, is common about Canter- 

 bury in damp places, and is found in water-spouts and tanks. Mr. 

 Norman sent live specimens of the creature which occurred, after 

 heavy rains, in his yard. The fact should be interesting to medical 

 practitioners, since this worm has been often asserted, and some- 

 times as erroneously admitted, to have been voided from the human 

 bladder. 



November 4, 1874. 



Colonel Horsley exhibited a live and active loricated Polygastri- 

 can, allied to Vaginicola, but probably a new species. Mr. Sibert 

 Saunders sent from Whitstable, Crenilabrus Tinea, or Ancient 

 Wrasse, one of the spiny-rayed fishes which, contrary to the rule, 

 has smooth-edged or placoid scales. Mr. FuUagar contributed more 

 specimens of and observations on Lophopus crystallinus. 



Gall Insects and their Ravages. — Mr. James Eeid, M.R.C.S., 

 brought and described specimens of Cynips quercus-petiolata, which 

 he had hatched out from the smooth oak-galls now so common on 

 the spray of the young oaks in Kentish coppices, though compara- 

 tively rare about a quarter of a century since. He suggested that 

 the depredations of this insect might be easily and cheaply checked, 

 and the galls utilised for their tannin, by employing children to 

 gather them. 



Sphceraphides in UrticucecB and Leonurus. — The Honorary 

 Secretary brought specimens of Urtica, Humulus, aiid Parietaria, 

 and showed that all these plants contain two kinds of sph?eraphides, 

 those in the leaf-blade large and nearly smooth, and composed of 

 carbonate of lime ; in the pith and fibro-vascular bundles smaller 

 and rougher, and composed of oxalate of lime. In the pith of the 

 hop they are very abundant and beautiful, and may be mounted 

 cither dry or wet so as to make very pretty microscopic objects. 

 The leaf-blade of Leonui'us is a remarkable instance of a labiate 

 plant having numerous large sphseraphides ; these consist of Oxalate 



