Observations on British Zoophytes. 



193 



Wednesday, 9th May. — T. Strethill Weight, M.D., President, 

 in the Chair. 



Various Committees were appointed for conducting special investiga- 

 tions during the recess. 



Mr George Logan reported that, in accordance with the remit of last 

 meeting, the Committee on Marine Zoology had prepared and forwarded 

 a memorial to the Lord Advocate, praying that certain exceptions be 

 granted on behalf of scientific societies, from the restrictions in the pro- 

 posed New Herring Fishery Bill. He stated that he had received a 

 reply, mentioning that due weight would be given to the prayer of the 

 memorial. 



The following donations to the Library were laid on the table, and 

 thanks voted to the donors : — 



Transactions of Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vol. XXII., Part I., 4to; 

 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1858-59, 8vo. — From 

 the Society. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1859. 

 Part III. July to December. — From the Society. Board of Science, 

 Second Annual Report (Gold Fields), 1859-60, Victoria ; presented to 

 both Houses of Parliament by his Excellency's command. — From David 

 Page, Esq. De la Formation et de la Fe'condation des QEufs chez les 

 Vers Nematodes. Par Edouard Claparede. Geneve, 1859. 4to. — Zur 

 Morphologie der Zusammengesetzten Augen bei den Arthropoden, Von 

 Dr Edouard Claparede in Genf. — From the Author. 



The following Communications were read : — 



I. Observations on British Zoophytes. By T. Strethill Wright, M.D. 

 On Halcampa Fultoni (Strethill Wright), a parasitic Actinia. 



The author stated that, in the summer of 1858, he took, by dipping, a 

 great number of Medusae of the genus Thaumantias, oiF Granton Pier. 

 To the peduncle of one of these was attached a small Actinia, about half 

 an inch in length, and one-eighth of an inch in diameter. From its 

 general appearance, he considered it to be a young specimen of Actinia 

 troglodytes, which had been seized by the Medusa, dragged from its 

 native mud, and brought captive to the surface of the water ; but it was 

 unfortunately lost before he could examine it carefully. In June, his friend, 

 Mr Fulton of Granton Pier, brought him some specimens of Thauman- 

 tias, to one of which another Actinia, of the same species as the one he 

 had before observed, had attached itself by swallowing the peduncle of 

 the medusa. The body of this Actinia was of a transparent, yellowish- 

 white colour, and marked by twelve paler lines, indicating the situation 

 of the longitudinal septa within. The oral disc was oval, and formed by 



