90 Transactions of the 



ture of Fossil Arborescent Lycopodiacese, valuable not only from the 

 amount of accurate information it conveys, but as opening important 

 views of the connections subsisting between different groups of plants. 



Dr. Carpenter has placed on record a description and drawing 

 of the ova of a fish, the parentage of which is unknown. Ho has 

 also supplied interesting details of the structure of Fusulina, and 

 the reparation of spines of Echinida. 



Mr. E. Bay Lankester contributed a paper on Mr. Sheppard's 

 Dichroic Fluid ; and our late President during his last illness 

 sent us another on Fluorescence v. Pseudo-dichroism, which has a 

 melancholy interest as the closing work of his scientific career. 

 Mr. Thomas Charters White also supplied some fresh details on 

 Phycocyan at our last meeting, and which will be found in the 

 February number of the Journal. 



To Mr. S. J. Mclntire we have been indebted for careful re- 

 searches into the structure and appearances of scales of Thysanurae ; 

 and ]\Ir. Joseph Beck pointed out a valuable method of investigating 

 the physical configuration of the markings on such bodies. 



From Mr. W. Saville Kent we have received the earliest inform- 

 ation and description of New Silicious Sponges, of great interest to 

 the naturalist. 



]Mr. Slack brought before the Society the range of patterns to 

 be found in artificial diatoms ; the peculiar appearances of cracked 

 films of colloid sihca, and the action of colloid silica in modifying 

 crystalhne forms. 



An interesting,' and perhaps hitherto unrecognized creature was 

 brought under the Society's notice by Mr. Barrett, and by him 

 called a Stentor, though it is not probable naturalists will range it 

 under that genus, 



]\Ir. Bell contributed a series of researches on Fermentation and 

 Ferments. 



Mr. Hogg described and figured a Circaria parasitic on Lymn^eus. 



The Society is indebted to Mr. Lowne for details and drawings 

 illustrating the anatomy of the Eound "Worm, and it may be safely 

 afiirmed that his elaborate and painstaking researches possess a very 

 high degree of interest from the discoveries to which they have led, 

 and which are regarded by comparative anatomists and physiologists 

 as a valuable contribution to their sciences. Dr. Maddox has con- 

 tributed further researches on Air Dust. 



Turning from microscopical investigation to microscopical appa- 

 ratus, the year has been remarkable for a new series of deep 

 objectives by Messrs. Powell and Lealand with single front lenses, 

 and capable of being adapted for dry or immersion use. It is 

 sufiicient to say that these powers exhibit a very marked advance 

 upon the previous productions of these skilful artists. Immersion 

 objectives have hkewise been made by other distinguished English 



