QUEKETT MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 365 



tion of generations, and a Medusa may be first budded off to lead 

 a free life and then develop ova and spermatozoa. From the ova 

 ciliated wormlike creatures escape, which, after swimming for a 

 time, settle down and form the beginnings of new colonies. The 

 colonies are formed by the multiplication of the new hydranth until 

 they may consist of hundreds of polyps. It is this process of 

 reproduction that is of such interest to the microscopist. A num- 

 ber of photographs of hydroidswere shown on the screen, finishing 

 with the beautiful branching forms Sertularia and Plumularia. 

 The Siphonophora, which are free-swimming colonial hydroids, 

 were described next, and a beautiful group of Haliclystus octora- 

 diatus (Scyphomedusae) was much admired. The Ecliinoderms 

 furnished the microscopist with many interesting objects. The 

 little Grey Brittle Star is amusing to watch in an aquarium, and 

 has the peculiar power of breaking to pieces when touched. The 

 Purple Sun Star and the Gibbous Starlet, the latter being the 

 smallest British species, are both very beautiful objects. Sea- 

 urchins and Synapta are well known to most microscopists on 

 account of the beautiful structure of the spines of the former 

 and the peculiar calcareous plates and anchors that occur in the 

 skin of the latter. The worms form the next large class of the 

 animal kingdom, and many of the marine worms are extremely 

 beautiful in both form and colour. Having shown photographs 

 of the wonderful organs of the barnacles for catching their prey, 

 Mr. Cuzner described a small Pycnogonid that he had found 

 plentifully in South Devon, and, after briefly noticing the 

 Mollusca and their radulae, he passed on to the Polyzoa, which 

 have a certain amount of outward resemblance to the hydroids, 

 but on closer study are found to belong to a much higher group. 

 The highest class of the invertebrates is the Tunicata, of which 

 Botryllus is a genus, species of which may frequently be found on 

 fucus, while Salpa, which has a remarkable life-history, is a free- 

 swimming form that occurs in deep water round the Channel 

 Islands. In conclusion, Mr. Cuzner expressed the hope that his 

 survey of some of the many interesting forms of life that were to 

 be found in the sea would inspire those who visited the coast in 

 the summer with a desire to look for the creatures and study them. 

 The meeting closed with a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. 

 Cuzner for his lecture and the fine collection of specimens and 

 photographs that he had brought to the Club. 



