that if he' had the time and the power to do it, he would certainly 

 do something for the Folkestone Natural History Society, so that 

 they would^see at least Dr. Fitzserald had done one thing — made 

 one convert to the work, and he hoped there would be a great many 

 more. He should ask them to accord Dr. Fitzgerald a vote of 

 thanks, which was done. 



ELECTION OP OFFICERS. 



On the motion of Dr. Tyson, seconded by Mr. Hambridge, Dr 

 Fitzgerald was re-elected president. Dr. Bowles, Dr. Tyson, and 

 Dr. T. Eastes were elected vice-presidents, and the committee was 

 composed as follows : The Mayor, the Rev. J. Burgess, the Rev. 

 C. Bosanquet and Messrs. Walton, Scholey, Clark, and Smurth- 

 waite. Mr. Ullyett was re-elected secretary. 



A conversation ensued as to arrangements for future meetings, 

 and the Secretary said live papers had been promised, and it was 

 suggested that members of other societies in the county should be 

 invited to read papers, in order that the monthly meetings might 

 be held without interruption. 



A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. 



May 12th, 1885. 

 At this meeting the following paper by Mr. G. C. Walton, F.L.S., 

 L.D.S., was listened to with great interest. The diagrams and 

 specimens were carefully examined by the members. 



ON MOSSES. 



Mosses or Musci belong to the great division of the vegetable 

 kingdom called Cryptogamia or Acotyledones. With the Hepaticoe 

 they constitute the group called Musciueoe. It will onlj be neces- 

 sary for us to note the chief points of agreement and of difference 

 between these two families. They are both made up of cellular 

 tissue— that is to say, there is no vascular or woody tissue in them 

 — and reproduction in both is effected by means of organs called 

 Antheridia and Pistillidia. In both what is called alternation of 

 generations is very clearly defined. On the other hand. Mosses 

 have always a leafy stem — the leaves in two, three, or four rows, 

 bemg usually arranged in a spiral manner — whereas in many 

 Hepaticoe only a Lichen -like thallus is produced (as in Marchantia). 

 When there are leaves they are arranged not round the stem as in 

 Mosses but in two opposite rows each leaf overlapping another. 

 Mosses have a spore-capsule — at first green and finally brown — 



