SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS. NUKE 
the French mouse. The testimony of language - 
then seems to be that the rat came (possibly shortly 
after the Christian Era) imto Europe from the Hast, 
and judging by the fact that ratte, the Low German 
form of the word has become the classical German 
word for rat, it seems natural to suppose that the 
animals in question made their way along the 
Baltic. They were of course the old English Black 
Rats, evidently described by Amyntas as common 
on the Caspian Sea. Cats were unknown in Kurope 
till about 800 B.C. and were evidently introduced 
into Europe from Hegypt, probably to meet the 
newly imported pest of rats. Proofs were given 
that weasels or mungooses were the regular ancient 
substitute for cats; and even the name felis seems 
to be etymologically connected with an old word 
which alike in German and in Celtic signifies a 
weasel. A description was given from old writers 
on Hgypt of the different uses to which Cats were 
put in Ancient Kgypt. 
. KF. W. Gamble, B.Sc., read a Report on the Tur- 
bellaria of Liverpool Bay. (See ‘ Transactions,”’ 
p. 148). 
_ J. Lomas exhibited with remarks some very good 
specimens of fossil plants from St. Helens. 
The fifth meeting of the Society was held at University 
College on Friday, 10th February, 1893, Prof. Herdman, 
Vice-President, in the chair. 
1. Prof. Solms-Laubach of the Botan. Institut, Strassburg, 
proposed by R. J. Harvey Gibson, seconded by 
T. C. Ryley, was unanimously elected an Hon- 
orary Member of the Society. 
9. Prof. Herdman exhibited some wasp’s nests from the 
