NOTICES OF MEETINGS. LTS: 
dition. Mr. Brittain referred to the notes he had recently written respecting 
various local micro-fungi for the NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST, and said he was 
glad to have heard that some of the members had successfully made use of the 
information he had given. To those who had not been successful he said he 
should be glad to supply them with specimens from his own gatherings if they 
would call upon him. 
During the evening the circulation of the blood in the Tadpole was shewn by 
Mr. A. Doherty, and several tadpoles were distributed by him amongst the 
members. Mr. J. Robinson brought with him a fine catch of Hydra, and these 
were liberally supplied to all who wished for specimens. 
Mr. H. C. Chadwick exhibited the eggs and young of Water Boatman, and 
capsules on Dytiscus marginalis. Mr. Daniel Alston shewed specimens of 
Chirocephalus diaphanus. Mr. Hy. F. Jenkins Fredericella sultana and Cordy- 
lophora lacustris, and Mr. Lofthouse a capitally prepared specimen of the 
gizzard of the Cockroach. 
THE MANCHESTER SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.—The fourth meeting 
of this Society was held in the Memorial Hall, Albert Square, on Tuesday, 
June 14th, Mr. E. Ward in the chair. 
After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed, Mr. 
Tozer (Treasurer) read a deeply interesting paper, entitled “The Blow Fly” 
(Musca vomitoria). After describing the family, class and order to which this 
well known object belongs, he proceeded to give the external anatomy and uses 
to which the different organs are put by this fly. The head, he said, is composed 
of five segments, three of which form the proboscis, two belong to the head 
proper, the fifth connecting it with the thorax. There are two sets of eyes, the 
compound and the simple. The first are large, and contain 4000 to 5000 facets, 
which are hexagonal ; and owing to the great convexity, and the fact that no two 
facets can see exactly the same object at the same time, it is very doubtful if the 
fly can see any objects placed near these eyes. The simple eyes are three in 
number, and are placed on the upper part of forehead, and form a triangle; 
they have great refractory power and convexity of form, and are thereby adapted 
to see objects very near to them. The antennz he believed to be organs of 
touch and smell combined. The proboscis is protected by a sheath, within 
which it moves, and is composed of three parts or joints—at the end of which 
it forms two fleshy lobes, or oval shaped suckers. Fluids do not pass between 
the lobes in the same way as solids, but through the spiral tubes which open 
from the innerside through a very small entrance, the fluid then passes along 
these spiral channels which empty themselves in the centre of the lobes and 
from thence into the mouth. The thorax is composed of three rings, each of 
which support a pair of legs. The legs consist of five parts, the coxa, trochanter 
Semur, tibia, and tarsus; the last also consists of five parts, and has two appendages 
in the shape of claws. Beneath the claws are two pads, the su/vi/ii ; the claws 
and pads are connected by a single muscle which projects into the tarsal joint, 
and runs direct through the thighs into the thorax. No part of the fly’s 
anatomy has given rise to more discussion than the pad. It is covered with 
hairs which are tubular, with trumpet-shaped ends, and which terminate in the 
shape of a disc. Mr. Lowne says ‘ there are about 1200 hairs on each pad, each 
of which secretes a glutinous fluid, never becoming hard till the foot is removed, 
and that when the foot was removed obliquely there was little or no resistance ; 
now exactly the same action would take place if the hairs were held by the 
pressure of the atmosphere acting upon them when a partial vacuum was formed 
within the tube of the hair.’ The reader’s opinion is that the foot is fixed by 
2400 hairs, held by a vacuum, assisted by a moist (not gummy) fluid given off 
from the tubes when pressed. The muscular arrangement of the wings is very 
complicated, and terminates in the cavity of the back; at the base they are 
thickened, and are so connected that they form a powerful fulcrum, by which 
