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present in the atmosphere, and under conditions favourable for 
their development giving rise to various forms of disease ; and, 
with special reference to these low forms of life, he asked, 
‘Whether we have not here approached nearly to the confines 
‘of life itself by two gradually descending lines; by the one, 
‘through man, the highest form of animal life, to monads ; by 
‘the other, from the highest form of vegetable life, to fungi, the 
‘two meeting at a point where there is but little distinction 
‘between organic and non-organic substances?’ Various interest- 
ing questions cropped up during the evening, ¢9., whether 
any volatile oil has been found in fungi; the importation of 
various destructive insects from America, especially the beetle 
that attacks potatos, whose approach from over the water we 
are all dreading, &c. This was succeeded by Mr. Blomefield’s 
remarks on the Planaria terrestris, the so-called ‘Land-leech.’ 
Belonging to the invertebrate division, it is classed among the 
Entozoa, and was first discovered in Cambridgeshire by Mr. 
Blomefield in 1846; since then Sir John Lubbock has found it 
in the woods of Kent ; subsequently one of the members of the 
Club, Dr. Bird, found it in our own neighbourhood. Several 
interesting details were given as to its food and habits, especially 
its power of extraordinary reproduction of itself by division. 
And as a cognate subject some remarks were made respecting the 
leech of commerce, which was stated to consist of two distinct 
species, the Hirudo officinalis, a foreigner, and the H. medicinalis, 
formerly abundant in England in the Eastern counties, though 
now, in consequence of drainage, comparatively rare. At present 
the supply of leeches for medical use is entirely from abroad, 
consisting chiefly of the H. officinalis which seems to be more 
and more taking the place of the other species in the chemists 
shops. The Rev. Prebendary Scarth, who had taken the chair, 
thanked the President for his extremely useful and clear account 
of this comparatively small but important little animal. There 
being. still a few minutes to spare Dr. Hunter concluded the 
