PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 147 



Mr. Latham exhibited various specimens of sand and mud from 

 the East Indies, portions of which were distributed amongst the 

 members. 



February ISifA, 1861. — Letters were read from Captain Andersen, 

 R.M.S. Canada, and from Dr. Wallich, respecting the pamphlet, 

 'On the Presence of Animal Life at Vast Depths in the Sea.' 



Mr. Sidebotham described his experience in mounting Desmidise, 

 and the difficulty he found in discovering a suitable medium for 

 their preservation. He had tried syrup, Goadby's fluid, and a 

 number of other chemical preparations ; but the specimens, in course 

 of time, were spoiled from one cause or other. The fluid which has 

 best withstood the effects of time is simple distilled water ; the cells 

 being made of gold size and Japan black, Mr. Sidebotham exhibited 

 Desmidias, mounted in distilled water, in the years 1842 to 1846, in 

 which the chlorophyll is comparatively little altered. 



Professor Williamson observed that Dr. Carpenter had mounted 

 starfishes in glycerine, and had found the colours were well pre- 

 served. He himself had used a mixture of glycerine and distilled 

 water for volvox, and had found it to answer well. 



Mr. Sidebotham also exhibited specimens of Diatomaceae, mounted 

 in 1844. The specimens (IstJimia enervis, Biddulphia, &c.) were 

 obtained fresh, immersed in spirits of wine to absorb the water, and 

 mounted in balsam ; the green colour of the cell-contents is yet 

 perfectly preserved. 



Professor Williamson exhibited some scales of fish, prepared by 

 Dr. Kolliker, of Warzburg, containing remarkable examples of 

 fusiform lacunse. He also pointed out how these and other similar 

 discoveries, to which he referred, confirmed his previous conclusions 

 in the ' Philosophical Transactions,' viz., that fusiform lacunae were 

 not characteristic of reptilian bones, as some had supposed, but that 

 they existed in many fishes ; he especially referi-ed to the Salmonidse 

 as presenting this oblong form of bone-corpuscle. 



Mr. Brothers exhibited a modification of the kaloscope, and 

 objects to illustrate the same. 



Soundings were received from the steamers Canada, from New 

 York ; Armenian, coast of Africa ; Tagus, from Lisbon ; and from 

 several vessels of war, from difi^erent parts of the world ; which were 

 duly acknowledged. Incrustations from the boilers of several sea- 

 going steamers were also presented by Mr. W. A. Hayman, of 

 Liverpool. 



MarcJi 18^A, 1861.— Mr. Arthur M. Edwards, of New York, pre- 

 sented several papers on Diatomacese and other microscopical subjects, 

 published by the Boston Society of Natural History, &c. Mr. 

 Edwards's kindness was duly acknowledged. 



A communication from Captain Anderson, R.M.S. Canada, written 

 at sea on his homeward voyage, excited considerable interest. He 

 states that Dr. Wallich's pamphlet would be communicated to 

 the Boston Society of Natural History, by Professor Agassiz, who 



