^56 Lin7UTan Society 



atris, oculis prominulis. — In montibus sylvosis Sancti Vincentii. 

 — Bulimus luemos/umus, corpore olivaceo-nigro corrugato: petle 

 slibtus pallido : capite bifariam crenato. — In dumetis Antil- 

 larum. — Bulimulus stramineus. — Pupa undidata. — An Ac- 

 count, by the same gentleman, was also read, of some rare 

 West Indian Crabs. 



The reading of Mr. John Murray's Account of his Experi- 

 ments and Observations on the light and luminous Matter of 

 the Lainpi/r is noctiliica, or Glow-worm, was concluded on this 

 evening. The writer, after detailing the opinions of various 

 naturalists on the nature and cause of the light of the glow- 

 worm and other luminous insects, proceeds to relate his own 

 observations and experiments, which show that this light is 

 not connected with the respiration, nor derived from the solar 

 light ; that it is not affected by cold, nor by magnetism, nor 

 by submersion in watei\ Trials of immersion in water of 

 various temperatures, and in oxygen, are detailed. When a 

 glow-worm was immersed in carbonic acid gas, it died shining 

 brilliantly : in hydrogen it continued to shine, and did not 

 seem to suffer. Mr. Murray infers that the luminousness is 

 independent not only of the respiration, but of the volition 

 and vital principle. Some of the luminous matter obtained 

 in a detached state was also subjected to various experiments, 

 from which it appears to be a gummo-albuminous substance 

 niixt with muriate of soda and sulphate of alumine and potash, 

 and to be composed of spherules. The light is considered to 

 be permanent, its occultations being caused by the mterposi- 

 tion of an opaque medium. 



The Society adjourned to January ISSi. 



We have to announce to our scientific readers, that the first 

 Anniversary Meeting of the Zoological Club of the Linnaean 

 Society of London, the establishment of which has been for 

 some time in contemplation, was held at the Rooms of the 

 Society on the 29th of November, the birth-day of our cele- 

 brated countryman John Ray. The Club is composed of 

 members of the Linnaean Society devoted to the study of Zoo- 

 logy and comparative anatomy, and has been organized witlj 

 the view of advancing the knowledge of those sciences in all 

 their branches under the sanction of the present Society. 

 The Club will not have any publications of their own, but 

 will submit all original communications made to them to the 

 Council of the Linnaean Society, to be dealt with as other com- 

 munications made to the Society. The meetings of the Club, 

 at which all the members of the Linnjean Society are entitled 

 to be present, take place at the Society's Rooms in Soho- 



Square, 



