114 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



demonstrated, amongst other things, " the influence of electric action 

 in the transformation of the blood, in the body, from venous to arte- 

 rial," and explained also, " by electric ciu-rcnts, an action which 

 chemistry has been unable to account for, that is to say, the transport 

 of materials within the organism, that is to say life, for life resides 

 in movement." 



Mr. Tatem exhibited mounts of diatoms from Duckpond Falls, and 

 the Secretary exhibited Ant^nnaria (?) semiovata, a minute fungus. 



Microscopical Society of Liverpool. 



The third meeting of the Session was held at the Eoyal Institu- 

 tion, on Friday, 3rd March, the Rev. W. Banister, B.A., President, in 

 the chair. 



Mr. J. H. Day made a donation of twelve slides of seeds, and 

 Capt. J. A. Perry of a large collection of di-edgings, insects, &c., 

 from the Brazils ; the thanks of the Society were voted to the donors. 

 Capt. Perry exhibited a mechanical turn-table, devised and con- 

 structed by him on his homeward voyage; in this ingenious little 

 instrument the revolution of the table is effected by clockwork, and is 

 controlled by a catch regulated by the finger of the operator. 



Mr. W. Wood exhibited a microscope lamp made by Messrs. 

 Abraham and Co. 



Mr. Thomas Higgin sent for exhibition a number of photographs 

 of diatoms and other test-objects by Lieut.-Col. Woodward. 



Mr. T. J. Moore exhibited some young shrimps hatched that day 

 in the Museum. 



Mr. G. F. Chantrell exhibited and illustrated by a diagram a sin- 

 gular confervoid growth that had made its appearance in a glass cell 

 in which he had kept rotifers for upwards of three months : the 

 rotifers attached themselves to the filaments and became encysted. 



Mr. A. C, Cole exhibited a new diatom which he had foimd in the 

 Nottingham (Maryland) earth, and mounted with his usual perfection. 

 The diatom is not only new as a species, but in all probability is 

 entirely unknown, certainly unnamed, generically. It combines some 

 of the characteristics of Aulacodiscus and Triceratium, but is evidently 

 very distinct from either. In form it is a hexagon, with the sides 

 arched inwards ; has a finely-developed convex umbilicus, from which 

 proceed radial lines terminating in club-shaped bosses, which do not 

 reach the border. The position of these lines may be understood by 

 supposing a letter X to be laid horizontally upon a letter I, so that 

 the intersection of the X may coincide with the centre of the I. 



Three other lines proceed from alternate angles of the hexagon, 

 but are not continued to the centre. 



The surface of valve when viewed with the ^th or ^th objective 

 appears beautifully watered. 



The Eev. W. H. Dallinger called the attention of the Society to 

 the fact that Mr. H. J. Carter had found that the coccoliths of Huxley 

 were abundant in the Laminarian zone of the Devonshire coast, and 

 after careful study had determined them to be vegetable organisms 



