The attention of the members was next directed to some re- 
markable shells brought from the River Orinoco by Mr. Smith. 
In answer to a question, Mr. Smith said he had only seen the 
shells in the delta of the Orinoco, where they were to be found in 
thousands on the muddy banks, and on the eastern coast of 
Trinidad. 
_ Mr. Taytor referred to some snakes which had been found in 
the neighbourhood of Surrey-street, living in a dust-hole, and raised 
a question as to the kind of diet they were seeking. He also men- 
tioned that in turning out the dust-hole a large batch of eggs was 
found. 
The Cuarrman appeared to be of opinion that there was some 
mistake as to facts in regard to the snakes; he did not think they 
were scavengers that would dispose of any kina of garbage; if they 
were proved to be so, it would certainly be a new feature in natural 
_ history. 
The meeting then resolved itself into a conversazione, and the 
following members exhibited their microscopes :—J. Berney, Fred. 
Fletcher, J. 8. Johnson, Geo. F. Linney, H. Long, EK. Lovett, K. 
_ McKean, and Dr. Strong. 
ptember 26th, 1874.—Visit to the Bricnron Aguartum.—A party, 
consisting of members and their friends (as well as the répresenta- 
_ tives of the Croydon Press) to the number of 54, assembled at the 
Kast Croydon Station, and proceeded to Brighton by the 11.41 
_ train. On arriving at the Aquarium, the party was welcomed by 
Mr. Lee, and conducted through every part of the building. 
_ Almost the first object of interest was a preserved specimen of the 
_ Sturgeon, and Mr. Lee explained the fallacy of the notion that 
_ the flat-nosed and the sharp-nosed are two separate species ; he 
_ said the shape of the nose underwent an alteration as the animal 
_ developed in age and size; Acipenser huso was, however, a distinct 
‘species. The tank containing the Sterlets was then visited, and an 
_ account of their passage from the interior of Russia to this country 
was narrated by the President. The Octopus came in for a large 
share of attention, Mr. Lee having kindly arranged that it should 
. be fed in presence of his guests. The ‘rough-hound” (scy yllium 
 canicula), and the ‘‘ nurse-hound ” (scyllium ‘stellare ), two species 
of dog fish, with a number of the sham gorgonias having eggs at- 
tached, were of speeial interest to the Club; the habits of these 
fishes having formed the subject of a paper read by Mr. Lee, ata - 
‘meeting of the Club on the 19th of February, 1873. After having 
inspected the seals, the mackerel, and the herrings, and in short 
the whole of the tanks, and everything of interest in the Aquarium 
proper, the visitors were shown the engines, the laboratory, and 
the store tanks, all of which are closed to the general public. 
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