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Esq.. 62, Camden Square, London. With reference to the 

 past, Mr. Patterson explained the progress that had been made 

 during the past summer in the re-arrangement of the collec- 

 tions contained in the Belfast Museum. The fossils had been 

 under revision by Messrs. Stewart, Robinson, Swanston, and 

 Gray, whose untiring labours in that department would be 

 soon perfected. But there were other departments, particularly 

 the Archaeological one, in which the Museum was peculiarly 

 rich, whose re-naming and classification would involve the 

 continuous attention for some time to come of several mem- 

 bers of the two societies so harmoniously working together 

 for one common object. More such workers were needed, 

 and he hoped they would be forthcoming. The collection of 

 coins had been named and carefully recorded in a special book 

 by the Rev. Richard Oulton and Mr. W. H. Patterson, who had 

 prepared a report thereon. To all the gentlemen mentioned, 

 and to others whose general assistance was always ready, 

 the council of the Museum felt extremely indebted. As regards 

 the special winter work — namely, the reading of papers of a 

 scientific and varied character, he had reasons to anticipate a 

 pleasant and instructive session lay before them. 



Dr. Henry Burden then read a paper on "Cuttle Fishes." 

 He exhibited and handed round for inspection a specimen of one 

 of our native species of cuttle fishes — " Sepiola Rondeleti;" and 

 described its external appearance, directing particular attention 

 to the dark purplish-brown spots with which the surface of the 

 body was covered. These, he said, were due to the presence 

 in the integument, of cavities filled with granules of pigment. 

 The cavities, which were called chromatophores, were re- 

 markable for the variations in size and form they experienced 

 under different circumstances. The mechanism by which 

 these changes were effected was explained. The lecturer then 

 proceeded to say: — " Having clipped off a piece of the skin 

 from the living animal, I placed it upon the stage of a com- 

 pound microscope and examined it with an inch power. The 



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