no 



NATURE 



[December 3, 1891 



gills, which, though for the most part differing in struc- 

 ture from the gills of the Polychaeta, must be branchial in 

 function. The most remarkable instance hitherto known 

 is Alma nilotica, lately redescribed by Levinsen {Vidensk. 

 Meddel. naturh. For. KjoMunm, 1889) under the name 

 of Digitibranchus niloticus. The posterior segments of 

 this Annelid possess four to five branchial processes on 

 each side of the dorsal middle line of the body. It can- 

 not yet be regarded as an absolute certainty that this 

 species belongs to the Oligochaeta at all ; but in any case 

 processes of the body-wall, containing each a capillary 

 loop, and therefore probably branchial in function, have 

 been recently described by Prof. A. G. Bourne {Quart. 

 /ourn. Micr. Sa'., vol. xxxi.) in a new genus of Naids — 

 Chcetobratichiis. These processes, though doubtless 

 branchial in function, are rather suggestive of the para- 

 podia of marine Annelids, since they inclose, partially or 

 entirely, the dorsal setae. I have lately had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining this Annelid, through the kindness 

 of Mr. Sowerby. The " Victoria regia tank " at the 

 Botanical Society's Gardens, which produced the cele- 

 brated "Fresh-water Medusa" and other remarkable 

 forms, furnished me with Chcetobranchus, and with a new 

 and interesting form of branchiate Oligochaete, which I 

 propose to call Branchiura Sowerbii. 



In its general aspect this worm recalls a Tubifex ; the 

 setae, in their shape, and in their arrangement, resemble 

 those of Tubifex. But here the resemblance ends. The 

 last sixty segments or so of the body (there are from 130- 

 170 segments altogether) are provided with a paired 

 series of long tentacle-like processes — a pair to each seg- 1 

 ment— lying the middle ventral and dorsal lines ; towards 

 the middle of the series these processes exceed in length 

 the diameter of the body ; anteriorly and posteriorly they \ 

 diminish, and finally become mere wart-like protuber- J 

 ances. The processes in question are supplied with ! 

 blood from the main vascular trunks. They are in con- '• 

 tinual movement, each branchia moving quite independ- j 

 ently by means of the contraction of simple muscular 

 fibres. The writhing movements, as well as the structure 

 of these organs, is much like that of the tentacles and cirri 

 of certain Polychajta. Apart from the individual con- 

 tractions of these branchice, the tail end of the worm , 

 perpetually jerks from side to side, particularly when the | 

 creature is in any way disturbed. I do not know whether 

 the worm usually rests in the mud with the tail protruding ; 

 and waving about, like many other aquatic Oligochaeta ; ' 

 but it is probable, from the limitation of the branchiae to i 

 the tail end, that it does. I found three specimens, I 

 which were slowly crawling about. i 



Frank E. Beddard. 



THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROYAL 

 SOCIETY. 



IV/rONDAY being St. Andrew's Day, the anniversary 

 ■^* J- meeting of the Royal Society was held in their 

 apartments in Burlington House. The report of the 

 auditors of the Treasurer's accounts having been read, and 

 the Secretary having read the list of those Fellows who 

 have been elected and those who have died since the 

 last anniversary, the President, Sir William Thomson, 

 delivered the anniversary address. After an account 

 of the scientific work of those Fellows who had died 

 within the year, the President proceeded : — 



' ' The Royal Society, since the last anniversary meeting, has 

 been, as always, active both in the proceedings of its 

 ordinary meetings, which have been full of scientific interest, 

 and in the conduct of the important affairs committed to its 

 Council. During the past year nineteen memoirs have been 

 published in the Philosophical Transactions, containing a 

 total of 1020 pages and 60 plates. Of the Proceedings, six 

 numbers have been issued, containing 893 pages. Of the large 



NO. II53, VOL. 45] 



number of papers which have been published in the Pro- 

 ceedings two-thirds are on the physics and dynamics of dead 

 matter and one-third on biological subjects. 



" As stated by Sir George Stokes in his Presidential Address at 

 the last anniversary meeting, a revision of the whole body of 

 the Statutes of the Royal Society had been entered upon, a 

 Committee had recently reported to the Council, and its report 

 had been left to the new Council then entering on office to take 

 such action in the matter as might be judged proper. The 

 Council now concluding its term of office has accordingly given 

 much time to the subject, and has completed the work of re- 

 enacting the Statutes with such amendments as have seemed 

 desirable. The only questions upon which there was effective 

 diiTerence of opinion were those connected with the election of 

 Fellows, which were referred to by Sir George Stokes as having 

 elicited considerable difference of opinion in the reporting 

 Committee. The Council, after much anxious consideration, 

 resolved to make no change of the existing Statutes in this 

 respect. 



" There have been no changes during the past session in the 

 constitution of the staff employed in the Offices and Library ;. 

 but in the Catalogue Department, two lady assistants and' two 

 copyists have been engaged to work under the superintendence 

 of Miss Chambers, who succeeded in July of last year to the 

 post rendered vacant by the death of the late Mr Holt, and 

 who continues to give every satisfaction in the discharge of her 

 duties. 



" In January of the present year a communication was received 

 from our Fellow, Prof. G. S. Brady, intimating that his brother, 

 the late Mr. Henry Bowman Brady, whose decease I have 

 already mentioned, had bequeathed to the Society all his books 

 and papers relating to the Protozoa, with the recommendation 

 that they should be kept together as a distinct collection. In 

 case this recommendation should be adopted, a further bequest 

 of ;i^300 was made, the interest or principal or both to be 

 applied, at the discretion of the Council, to the purchase of 

 works on the same or kindred subjects, to be added to the 

 collection. The Council have accepted both these bequests, 

 and a case marked with an engraved plate has been set aside in 

 the Library for the accommodation of the Brady collection. 



"His Excellency Robert Halliday Gunning, M.D., LL.D., 

 F.R. S.E. , who in 1887 founded certain scholarships and prizes for 

 the promotion of original scientific work and proficiency in 

 scientific education in connection with the Royal Society of 

 Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh, and other institutions 

 in that city, called the Victoria Jubilee Prizes, desires to institute 

 foundations of a similar kind in London. He has accordingly 

 given to the Royal Society a sum of ^1000, to be ultimately 

 invested in such manner as the President and Council, in their 

 absolute and uncontrolled discretion, may think fit, and to be 

 held in trust always for the purpose of forming a fund the annual 

 income of which shall be applied triennially towards the pro- 

 motion of physical science and biology in such manner as to the 

 President and Council of the Royal Society may appear most 

 desirable. The President and Council, for the time being, are 

 given full power to make such rules and regulations as they 

 think fit with regard to the application of the income of the 

 fund, which shall always be kept distinct from and not in any 

 way immixed with the general funds of the Royal Society. 



" A very important resolution for the advancement of natural 

 knowledge has been adopted during the past year by the Royal 

 Commissioners of the Exhibition of 185 1, in the institution of 

 the Exhibition Science Scholarships, to which, after the first 

 year, an expenditure to the extent of ;^50oo a year is to be 

 devoted. Sixteen appointments have already been made to 

 scholarships of ^150, to be held for two years, with possible 

 renewal for a third year. The Commissioners require of each 

 candidate for an appointment satisfactory evidence of proficiency 

 in a three years' course of University or high class College 

 study, and of capacity for experimental work. To the tenure of 

 each scholarship the duty is assigned of advancing science by 

 experimental work in physics, mechanics, chemistry, or any 

 application of science tending to benefit our national industries. 



" A Committee of the British Association, appointed for the 

 purpose of reporting on the best means of comparing and re- 

 ducing observations on terrestrial magnetism, has strongly 

 recommended the re-establishment of a magnetic Observatory at 

 the Cape of Good Hope. A conference on the subject was held 

 between the Committee and Dr. Gill, the Astronomer- Royal of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, last June, during his recent visit to 



