6 



intimating that a copy of a work entitled " Flora Capensis," by Drs. "W. 

 H. Harvey and O. W. Sonder, had been presented to the Society by the 

 latter gentleman. (See presentation No. 12.) Dr. Sonder also took the 

 opportunity of conveying his thanks for his election as a corresponding 

 member of the Society. 



Mr. M. Allport informed the meeting that he had this season success- 

 fully stripped and fecundated the ova from the indigenous grayling 

 (Prototroctes murcend). The male and female fish were taken with the rod 

 at the Falls, New Norfolk, during the last week in March. The ova 

 were brought to town and deposited in a slate tray with a gentle stream of 

 water running through it. The embryos first showed in 3 days and hatched 

 out in 8 to 12 days. Unfortunately the delicate little fish scarcely survived 

 the extrusion from the q^^ more than a few minutes, and were all lost, 

 probably from want of greater depth, or other physical condition of the 

 water, of which we are at present ignorant. The main interest attaching 

 to the experiment is, that it upsets the theory long held by many fisher- 

 men that these fish spawn in salt water. 



The Secretary read a paper by Mr. E. D. Harrop, of the Bank of Van 

 Diemen's Land, Launceston, on the fluke (Faseiola hepatica). The subject 

 was illustrated by several microscopical preparations (mounted by the 

 author) of the Ova, Ovaries, &c., of the animal, which were examined with 

 much interest by the Fellows present. 



Discussion followed, and, after a well-merited compliment to Mr. 

 Harrop, for the care and neatness displayed in the mounted specimens of 

 fluke presented to the Society, Mr. M. Allport observed that Mr. Harrop 

 regrets that he has been unable to prepare any specimens of the Cerca- 

 rise of Faseiola hepatica, thereby implying that he has found such Cerca- 

 riae ; has he done so ? and if so, where ? Mr. Allport believed that reliable 

 information as to the Cercarise being found elsewhere than in sheep, would 

 supply a link hitherto missing in the natural history of this fluke. Cob- 

 bold expressly states that the life of the liver fluke subsequent to the 

 hatching of the ciliated embryo, and until its re-appearance in the liver of 

 the sheep, is at present unknown, but, that analogy (based on the well- 

 known history of other allied creatures) would lead to the conclusion that 

 the embryo takes up its residence in a molluscan host, and forms sporocysts, 

 the progeny from which ultimately get to the interior of the sheep. Mr. 

 Allport admitted that the probabilities are strong that some other hosts 

 than mammalia were concerned in the development of the liver fluke, but 

 stating that to the best of his belief proof was yet wanting. 



Mr. Walter Gellibrand mentioned an instance in which he had known 

 Bound ground on which a few fluky sheep were pieced for a, few days, 

 to transmit the disease to sound sheep in three weeks, in this case it seems 

 hard to believe that any intermediate host was concerned in the development 

 of the perfect fluke. 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Harrop, and to the donors of presentations, 

 closed the proceedings. 



