PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 295 



an expansive membrane of extreme tenuity modified from the sarcode ; 

 and that with regard to certain individual j^ortions of sponges bearing 

 flagellate aj^pendages, those organisms ought to be classed among the 

 higher Protozoa, combining the characters of the Flagellate Infusoria 

 and ordinary Rhizopoda, with a skeletal superstructure, and complex 

 canal system essentially their own, 



Mr. Slack said he would venture to remind the President of a spe- 

 cialized organ in the Amoeba, first discovered by Dr. Wallich, who 

 came ultimately to the conclusion that it was developed in a stage of 

 the creature's existence. He (Mr. Slack) had seen this organ, and it 

 was certainly much more specialized than a simple flagellum. 



Mr. Stewart said a short time since he was examining a specimen 

 of a calcareous sponge in the early spring months, and he observed 

 that on withdi'awing it from the water, a milky fluid escaped from it. 

 On submitting this to the microscope he found the milkiness was really 

 due to little masses of the amoeboid particles of the sponge moving 

 actively in the water by the aid of from one to three, or (he fancied in 

 some cases) even four flagella attached to each particle of the com- 

 pound masses. He did not notice the funnel-like membrane. He kept 

 these particles alive some time, and noticed that the flagella were 

 gradually absorbed, and that motion was then effected by pseudopodia 

 the same as in Amcebte. He thought it possible that these bodies 

 might rather rej)resent a form of gemma, than a mere detached group 

 of the ordinary particles of the si)onge. With regard to the connection 

 between sponges and coelenterates, the setting aside of certain of these 

 particles to perform a special function for the good of the entire or- 

 ganism, seemed by this first indication of tissue formation to point to 

 an affinity with some more complex animal. 



Mr. Slack then reminded the Fellows that some time since their 

 attention had been called to a creature called a Steutor, and named 

 after the gentleman who had sent an account of it to the Society, 

 Stentor BarreUii. He (Mr. S.) had then pointed out that if Mr. Bar- 

 rett's statements were confirmed the creature could not j)ossibly be a 

 stentor. Mr. Kent had been kind enough to bring down a drawing of 

 what he thought was the animal not quite correctly described as a stentor. 

 It certainly seemed to be the same creature. The appearance of spines 

 was not at all uncommon. According to Stein they belonged to the 

 ordinary stentors, were protruded on certain occasions, and on being 

 withdrawn left no mark behind. He thought it probable that Mr. 

 Barrett had from some cause or another overlooked the body cilia 

 characteristic of stentor, and had misinterpreted aj)pearances which led 

 him to assume that his creature possessed organs not found in any 

 stentor. Mr. Kent submitted to the meeting a drawing of Stentor 

 polymorphis, Claparede (published 1861), and in reply to Mr. Slack 

 stated that he had recently met with the same foiTU himself, and con- 

 sidered it to be identical with the species introduced to the Society 

 last year, and figured in the Society's ' Transactions ' by Mr. Barrett 

 under the name of S. Barrettii. The author quoted considered it dif- 

 fered from j)reviously described sjiecies in inhabiting a tube, in the 

 possession of stiff" sette, and in having no vibratile cilia distributed over 

 the surface of the body. The two positive characters given, Mr. Kent 



