173 



tenths are eapposad to exist in the sea, the remainder being found in 

 fresh water. Numerous not only in species, but also in individuals, 

 they are found in every pool of water or collection of moisture. Thev 

 live on animal mabcer and are active scavengers of our wate.s. Some 

 are parasitic on other animals inhabiting their element — a favorite 

 place to obtain iiiany forms being the gills ot fish. In their turn thev 

 are tlie chief food for our fishes. Nearly all are microscopic, but a few 

 forms grow to a great size, the most familiar of which is our crav-fish 

 and these would make an excellent boginning for observations in this 

 class. 



Of all the sub-kingdoms the Mollusca is the one least represented 

 with us, the term being equal to Yertebrata or Arthropoda with their 

 vast number of species. But two of its classes. Gasteropoda and 

 (Jonchifera, are present, the combined number of their species col- 

 lected being only 116. This is not for want of work on the part of 

 our conchologists, as it is one of our most thoroughly studied branches 

 but because the land and fresh water contain but few members of that 

 division, so abundantly present in the osean. The collections in this 

 branch are not difficult to make, and to those who wish to study their 

 habits they offer special inducements, for an aquarium and a handful 

 of snails will supply all the necessary material for a long series of 

 experiments. 



lu passing beyond the divisions enumerated we come to those 

 lower forms of animal life, the study of which may hardly be in. 

 keeping with the title of our Club; with the exception of one class all 

 are microscopic, and so demand work confined to the library rather 

 than to the field. But there may be many who find this more suited 

 to their tastes and circumstances, and to each a varied and attractive 

 world is oj)ened, from which might be produced papers most accept- 

 able for our meetings. The only member who brought this sul>- 

 ject before our notice was the late Dr. Kemp, who presented a few 

 notes on the fresli water sponges, and referred incidentally to some 

 members of other classes in a paper on the filterings of our water 

 supj.ly. 



The Annelida form a class well worthy of your attention and are 

 known to you through the common earth worms and leeches. 



