310 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES, 



ings, at which several excellent papers and valuable communications 

 have been read ; the most important of which were — 



A paper by Mr. John Watson, " On certain Scales of some Diurnal 

 Lepidoptera," illustrated by drawings by Mr. Joseph Sidebotham. 



A paper by Dr. Thomas Alcock, " On the Tongues of the Mol- 

 lusca," illustrated by four drawings, in which the author proves that 

 the lingual dentition and internal organization of these animals are 

 more important, as characteristic of species, than their external 

 forms or shells ; and he points out several errors into which some 

 eminent naturalists have fallen, in consequence of their different 

 methods of classification. 



The before-mentioned papers were considered worthy of recom- 

 mendation to be printed, with their illustrations, in the Society's 

 Memoirs, and the recommendations have been adopted by the 

 Council of the Society. 



Amongst other communications may be named 



A paper by Mr. Thos. G. Rylands, of Warrington, "On the 

 classification of the Diatomacese," in which the author enlarges upon 

 the necessity of a reconstruction of the system of nomenclature, &c. 



A paper by Mr. Thomas Davies, of Warrington, upon " Crystal- 

 lization," in which he describes his method of obtaining flower-like 

 forms in fused films of certain salts, by graduated reabsorption of 

 moisture from the atmosphere. 



And a paper by Mr. Petschler, of this city, " On the Vegetable 

 Forms produced by Crystals of Bichromate of Potash in Gelatine 

 with Collodion," &c., discovered by him in the preparation of pho- 

 tographical plates ; these take the shape of microscopical ferns, 

 mosses, «&:c., and some of them, mixed with nitrate of silver, are 

 very beautiful. 



There can be no question that if these discoveries in crystallization 

 be properly followed up, and experiments made with a variety of 

 salts, and media of various densities, not only may new forms of 

 crystals be obtained for the polariscope, but light may be thrown 

 upon the causes which induce certain compound molecules of matter 

 to assume determinate and characteristic forms. It was observed 

 by one of the eminent chemists of the day, that the revelations of 

 the microscope with regard to certain crystals will necessitate an 

 entirely new course of study to learn their molecular arrangement. 



Abstracts from the foregoing papers have appeared in the printed 

 proceedings of the Society, and in the Loudon ' Quarterly Journal 

 of Microscopical Science.' 



Since the last Annual Meeting, one hundred and twenty speci- 

 mens of soundings and dredgings have been received from captains 

 of vessels, from various parts of the world ; they have been arriving 

 lately from distant stations, and it is supposed that many more are 

 on the way. The thanks of the Section are particularly due to Mr. 

 Dale, for his assistance in separating the material from the tallow 

 in which the soundings are mostly imbedded, and for the use of 

 his laboratory and materials. 



The previous selection of a subject for discussion upon the even- 



