246 president's address. 



development of three series of chains from the same asexual and 

 gemmiparous mother. Each of these chains (not always produced 

 entire, but more generally separated by the act of extrusion into 

 two or more parts) contained between sixty and seventy animals, 

 aiTanged in double row, those in the one side being vis-a-vis to 

 those on the other, so that the posterior opening in all the animals 

 is directed outwards. The rapidity of growth in the Salpa-chain 

 while in the act of extrusion from the mother, and during the 

 first twenty-four hours afterwards, is astonishing. The asexual 

 individuals have a threefold mode of progression: first, a regu- 

 lar gliding motion ; secondly, an irregular jerking motion ; and 

 thirdly, they would sometimes turn somersaults, revolving as it 

 were upon a transverse axis. 



Mr. G. S. Brady then read a " Note on the Occurrence of Bos- 

 try chia scorpioides on the Northumberland Coast." This alga, 

 which had not previously occurred in the district, was found by 

 Mr. Brady in brackish water pools at Alnmouth, where it was 

 growing freely, without any basis of attachment. 



This was followed by " Entomological Notes, by Mr. Thomas 

 J. Bold ;" after which Mr. Barkas called attention to the recent 

 sudden appearance in the neighbourhood of Newcastle of an aero- 

 nautic spider, in countless myriads, and its equally sudden dis- 

 appearance. The spider in question is a species described in the 

 "Annals of Natural History" for 1863, under the name of Neriene 

 dentipalpis : up to that time it had only been seen in small num- 

 bers in "Wales. On Sunday, the 15th October, 1865, they were 

 exceedingly abundant in all parts of Newcastle, and on the same 

 day they were observed at Hexham. The previous day they 

 were noticed at Bedlington. On the Sunday (October 15th) 

 myriads of them were seen around Bilston, in Staffordshire, and 

 similar numbers on the same day at Blackburn. On the 12th 

 of November swarms of them were covering the rails around 

 Victoria Park, London. These spiders disappeared from the 

 neighbourhood of Newcastle as suddenly as they came, and not 

 one was to be found on the following day. 



Six members were added to the Club. 



