NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 37 
On the nomination of the committee, Dr. Hicks and Mr. W. H. Weightman 
were elected vice-presidents, Mr. W. J. Baker and Mr. I. C. Thompson, 
F.R.M.S., were re-appointed honorary treasurer and honorary secretary respec- 
tively, and the following gentlemen were elected members of the committee :— 
Mr. John Abraham, Dr. M‘Lelland, Mr. W. Oelrichs, Mr. J. M. Williams, and 
Mr. John Vicars. 
The Rev. H. H. Higgins moved a vote of thanks to the retiring president 
and officers for their services, remarking that Dr. Hicks had conducted the dis- 
cussions of the society during his term of office in a manner which must receive 
the warm approbation of the members. (Applause.) The motion was seconded 
by the Rev. W. Banister, and carried unanimously. 
Dr. Carter, the president-elect, then delivered his inaugural address. In some 
preliminary remarks he criticised unfavourably the presumed universal diffusion 
of a single substance of uniform composition which serves as the physical basis 
of life. What at most could be meant, unless evidence was to be disregarded, 
was “ protoplasms” (plural)—z.e., the substance special to each kind of organism 
on the presence of which its vital manifestations might depend, and not a single 
protoplasm of undeviating composition, which lay at the root of all vital mani- 
festations whatever. He drew attention then to the influence exerted by a 
number of agents on vegetable cell development, and more especially of light 
and darkness, pointing out simple apparatus by which the action of rays of light 
of different refrangibilities could be studied ; of oxygen, carbonic acid, iodine, 
and ether. He gave illustrations in’ growing seedlings of the retarding effect 
exercised on vegetable cell-development of even very minute quantities of 
alcohol, one part in 400 often preventing development altogether, while a mark- 
edly retarding effect was produced by even one part in 3200. He also drew 
attention to the strong inherent vitality of the vegetable embryo of even the 
more highly organised plants by the power which it possessed of surviving even 
severe mutilation, illustrating the fact by a number of actively-growing seedlings 
reared from seeds which had been cut into various pieces and otherwise injured. 
A very interesting fact, which seemed to be established, was that light, either 
alone or in conjunction with moderate warmth, was not sufficient to develope 
chlorophyll in etiolated plants. Specimens of seedlings in illustration of this 
proposition, which is contrary to the generally received opinion, were exhibited. 
The thanks of the meeting were accorded to Dr. Carter for his address, and 
the usual conversazione followed. 
LIVERPOOL SOCIETIES ASSOCIATED SOIREE.— The fourth soirée 
of the Literary, Scientific, and Art Societies of Liverpool was held on Wednes- 
day, December 22nd, 1880, in St. George’s Hall. 
It was organised on a very grand scale, and seemed a perfect success, so far 
as the entertainment of the guests was concerned, every one seemed catered for, 
there was no ezzuz. ‘The executive committee contained four members of the 
Microscopical Society, the Rev. H. H. Higgins being its Chairman, and to 
their efforts must be ascribed one of the most successful microscopical exhibitions 
Liverpool has ever seen. 
Two lectures were interesting to the microscopist, the first in the Civil Court, 
where Mr. J. Swan delivered a discourse on his new system of “ Electric Light- 
ing for Domestic Use,” and the easy manner in which he had the various lights 
under control with which the court was lit up, showed clearly that the intensity 
and actinism of this light might be easily adapted to photo-micrography and 
other microscopical uses. 
The other lecture was delivered inthe Grand Jury Room by Dr. Hicks, F.R.M.S. 
on “ The Hydroid Zoophytes of the District,” illustrated by the lecturer’s original 
drawings displayed by the lime-light. 
The Microscopical Exhibition was very interesting, the microscopes were 
placed in recesses round the Large Hall, the Liverpool Society being assisted 
by several members of the Chester Society of Natural Science. 
