40 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



only to inflate, but also to raise the rows of scales. Some of the 

 " tasselled " scales, beside their points of insertion, had also a kind 

 of ball-and-socket movement. When scales were taken from recently- 

 caught specimens, a slight pressure of the covering glass caused an 

 oily substance to ooze from the point of insertion ; whether this was 

 pigmentary matter or a circulating fluid, was doubtful. 



Considerable difference of opinion prevailed as to the markings on 

 scales, and the learned were at issue on this point. It would seem 

 there were several types. In some, longitudinal striae or ridges were 

 crossed at intervals by transverse strife ; in others there were longi- 

 tudinal ridges with puckerings or wavings of the membrane between 

 them. Some had urged that the longitudinal striae were of a beaded 

 character, and in some scales the lower beads could be seen through 

 the structureless membrane. He had found that, when either the 

 upper or under surface was torn or damaged, the so-called under 

 beads could not be seen, leading to the idea that they were only 

 spectral reflexions of what had been termed surface beading. While 

 it was difficult to disprove the beading and to demonstrate the con- 

 tinuous ridges in the Thysanuridfe, they might be well seen in some of 

 the large and well-marked scales from the larger foreign and English 

 butterflies and moths. Some markings were evidently due to pigment, 

 which in many cases presented quite a granular appearance. 



He was prejjared to exhibit and illustrate what he had advanced 

 by a large collection of scales, in situ and separated, and some of the 

 larger ones broken up to show structure ; and by the kindness of some 

 London microscopical friends, Messrs. T. Curties, Mclntire, and 

 Marshall, he was also able to show some very choice test-scales from 

 Thysanuridse, Poduridae, &c. 



The meeting then became a conversazione, at which a number of 

 very beautiful objects in illustration of the paper were exhibited by 

 Dr. Hallifax, Messrs. Glaisyer, R. Glaisyer, Sewell, C. P. Smith, and 

 Wonfor. 



Mr. C. P. Smith exhibited a very compact, cheap, and handy 

 portable microscope, by C. Baker, of Holborn. This instrument, 

 which was much admired, possessed a revolving stage so contrived 

 that the object under examination always remained in view during 

 revolution. This was an important adjunct, and hitherto had only 

 been applied to the more expensive form. 



Mr. J. Robertson exhibited a wing of Sirex gigas, showing the 

 spines. 



South London Microscopical and Natural History Club. 



An Ordinary Meeting of this Club was held on Tuesday, October 

 17th, at Glo'ster Hall, Glo'ster Place, Brixton Eoad. Mr. Deane, 

 F.L.S., presided. 



Dr. W. M. Ord read a paper " On Polyzoa," of which the following 

 is an abstract : — 



Polyzoa are microscopic animals that one finds tolerably abun- 

 dantly both in fresh-water ponds well shaded by trees, and on all sorts 



