48 
a protruding middle claw with which some birds (such as the Night 
Jar) were furnished, adduced several instances as showing that this 
singular construction of the foot was not yet properly understood. 
He also pointed out that in the invertebrate class of animals there 
were various other difficulties, as might be readily imagined when 
we consider the small size of the objects and the difficulty there was 
in observing them. Mr. Simpson also remarked that there was a 
great difference and uncertainty of opinion respecting the construc- 
tion of the tongue of the bee, some supposing it to be tubular and 
others believing it to be solid throughout. The last subject to 
which he referred was the curious moving little organs on the 
echini, called Pedicellarie. These were long considered to be 
parasites, and although they were now known to be part of the 
shell as much as the animals themselves, yet he thought their fune- 
tions were not clearly understood. Some had supposed that they were 
useful in keeping off parasitic intruders, whilst others looked upon 
them as so many hands by which any object grasped by one of 
them situated on the posterior half of the body, could be gradually 
passed over towards the mouth. As these animals were now very 
common in aquaria, perhaps their President could give them further 
information respecting them. These, concluded Mr. Simpson, were 
some of the points in Natural History which appeared to him to be 
undecided ; and a great many more might be added to the list by 
any one who had studied any particular branch of Zoology. Our 
knowledge must be greatly increased ; more observations must be 
made and facts accumulated, before we could hope to clear up many 
of them ; and it was, in a great measure, by societies such as this 
that much might be done in that direction. Our minds were all 
differently constituted, therefore we saw things in various lights ; 
and it was by meeting together and comparing our ideas, that we 
might hope to elicit the truth which should be the grand aim and 
object of every true Naturalist. 
After some discussion, the Presmpent, then, on behalf of the 
club, awarded their thanks to Mr. Simpson for his able paper. 
Mr. Smrpson having briefly acknowledged the compliment, 
replied to a few observations that had been made in the course of 
the discussion, and this terminated the business of the meeting. 
The following gentlemen exhibited objects with their micro- 
scopes :—Messrs. H. Ashby, W. R. Cooper, C. W. Hovenden, J. 8. 
Johnson, H. Long, G. Manners, J. Price, and A. D. Taylor. 
November 19th, 1873.—Paper read by Dr. Carpenter on “ Dry Ror 
AND ITs CrypToGaMic ALLIANCES.” 
-The minutes of the last meeting having been read by Mr. H. 
Long, the secretary, and confirmed, the undermentioned gentlemen 
