35 
might well be an end-product of evolution, he said, but unlike the dinosaurs, 
it was not a blind end. There was no need for pessimism. The fulfilment of the 
next phase, the complete integration of humankind into a composite society, had 
limitless possibilities. 
New ground was broken by another visitor, Dr. D. K. Ross of the Admiralty 
Materials Laboratory, Holton Heath, who instructed us on the latest develop- 
ments in "Fuel Cells", illustrating his extremely lucid lecture with films and 
slides.. Fuel cells are likely to become of increasing importance, both for domestic 
and industrial use, in the near future. 
Of the remaining lectures two were given by members and two by the Chair- 
man. In January, Dr. Hella Czech, m.i.biol., a summer member, travelled down 
from London to deliver a lecture to us on the subject of "Chemistry and Plant 
Life". She showed how the chemical approach to biological problems had led to 
fundamental discoveries on the nature of living organisms, and has already yielded 
valuable practical results. We were given pointers to methods of dealing with the 
desperate food-shortage in underdeveloped countries, making use of such materials 
as proteins from bacteria grown on oil or methane (the chief constituent of 
natural gas), and large-scale cultivation of algae, in particular the green alga 
Chlorella. Dr. Czech's lecture was packed with other interesting information. 
She spoke as an expert; her easy professional approach to her subject and cheerful 
presence on the platform, were much appreciated. Another of our members, and 
a comparatively new one, stepped into the breach at a time of crisis, when 
Mr. Clark, our well-loved former Chairman, was in hospital following his tragic 
accident. Because of this he was unable to give the lecture which he had planned 
on Meteorology, and at short notice Mr. W. H. Lee gave us a splendid talk on 
"Clouds", treating the subject from many angles, and illustrating it by a large 
number of his own fine colour slides. 
Each of the Chairman's programmes was of an historical nature. In one, she 
gave an account of the activities of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, a little- 
known but highly influential scientific society which met regularly in Birmingham 
from about 1760 to the end of the 18th century. It was a small group, consisting 
over the years of only 14 members, which included such great names as Joseph 
Priestley, Matthew Boulton, James Watt, Erasmus Darwin, Josiah Wedgwood, 
and others almost as famous. More than any other single group, it represented 
the forces of change in late eighteenth century England, for the Lunar Society 
was a brilliant microcosm of that scattered community of provincial manu- 
facturers and professional men who found England a rural society v/ith an agri- 
cultural economy and left it urban and industrialised. The other programme 
was on Sir Isaac Newton, one of England's greatest sons. His work and viewpoint 
changed the current of human thought, and he has been acclaimed by some of 
the world's finest scientists (including Einstein) as the greatest man of physical 
science in historic time. 
Continuing the series of visits to local places of interest to the chemist, a 
party spent a most instructive and enjoyable afternoon at the works of B.D.H. 
Chemicals Ltd. at Poole. The products of this old-established Company, dating 
back to the 18th century, are famous for their purity, and are exported to every 
country in the world. In conclusion, the Chairman would like to express her 
warm thanks to all the lecturers who gave their time so willingly to the Society, 
and also to the team of projectionists who gave her much valuable help and 
support. 
I. M. BlRCUMSHAW 
Hoologp- — (general 
PROJECTS IN NATURAL HISTORY AND BIOLOGY CARRIED OUT AT BRYANSTON SCHOOL 
by G. D. Harthan, b.a., Senior Biology Master and two VI Form Science Students 
Water Flea. P. H. JARRETT gave an account of his observations on the 
physiology and behaviour of the Water Flea (Daphnia). He described the experi- 
ments he had made to determine the reactions of Daphnia to varying factors in 
its environment — temperature, light, oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations: 
its rate of heart beat under varying conditions, and his methods of culturing the 
animal in the laboratory. 
