REPOETS OF SOCIETIES — OBSERVATIONS. 183 



t^oxh of S>otuim. 



QuECKETT Microscopical Club. 



The montHy meeting was held at the 

 University College, on the 22nd instant, 

 Ernest Hart, Esq., President in the chair. 

 A paper was read by Mr. C. A. "Watkins, 

 on "Yeast and other Ferments." The 

 matter was treated broadly and the author 

 explained the similarity of the chemical 

 operations of all Ferments whether they 

 be living organisms as Yeast, or substances 

 derived from organic sources, as Albumen, 

 Casein, Diastase, etc. , and urged the ne- 

 cessity of considering these operations 

 together, rather than separating them into 

 those which are the results of organic 

 growth, and those which appear to be 

 simply chemical actions. In describing 

 the Viscous, Lactic, and Butyric acid fer- 

 mentations, and also the ordinary conver- 

 sion of Alcohol into vinegar, he called 

 attention to the universal appearance of 

 the minute Bacteria, and Vibriones which 

 accompany these changes, and invited Mi- 

 croscopists to the study of these low forms 

 of life, that some light may be thrown on 

 the relation they evidently bear to the 

 various phases of decay of organic products 

 generally. 



Ten members were elected and the pro- 

 ceedings terminated with a Conversazione. 



HIGH WYCOMBE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 

 SECOND WINTER SESSION, 1866-7. 



Fourth Conversazione, Fch. 5th. — Held, 

 by kind permission, at the house of the 

 late E. Wheeler, Esq. Tea and coffee 

 were kindly provided, after which the 

 various objects exhibited were inspected. 

 Among these were a collection of Minerals 



lent by the President ; two or three "Wild 

 Plants in blossom ; a tray of fossils, the 

 property of Mr. E. Wheeler ; local Wild 

 Powers (JJmbeUiferce and Geraniacece) lent 

 by Miss Chandler ; and several illustrated 

 works on various branches of Natural His- 

 tory. Kobert Holland, Esq. , of Mobberley, 

 Cheshire, had forwarded to the Secretary 

 a very interesting paper " On some resem- 

 blances between Plants and Animals," 

 which was much appreciated by the mem- 

 bers ; a short summary of it Avill appear 

 in No. 4, of the Society's Magazine. After 

 an interval for conversation, the Secretary 

 read a few remarks on the necessity for 

 more active work by the members generally 

 during the coming season ; after which the 

 President's microscope occupied the re- 

 mainder of the evening. 



Fifth Conversazione, Feb. 2Qth. — Held 

 at the house of the President, at his special 

 invitation. This meeting was very largely 

 attended, upwards of thirty members and 

 friends being present. A paper by W. G. 

 Smith, Esq. , of London, *' On Toadstools," 

 was read by the Secretary : the author 

 dilated on the instruction and pleasure 

 derivable from a close study of Fungi, pro- 

 ceeding to explain the structure and de- 

 velopment of various members of this 

 marvellous class. The objects exhibited 

 were very numerous ; among them were 

 various bones, shown by the President, 

 including those of the Indian Elephant, 

 the African Wart- Hog (Fhacochcerus 

 ^thiopicus), and the Boar ; also a tooth 

 of Ele2)has primogenius, found at Deptford. 

 The Eev. W. H. Painter exhibited several 

 trays of Fossils, from the Upper Greensand 

 at Teignmouth, Devon, and from the 

 Chalk at Freshwater, I. of Wight. Two 

 fasciculi of dried Wild Flowers, Caryophyl- 

 lacece and Compositoe, were lent by Miss 

 Chandler. The Secretary exhibited speci- 

 mens (in blossom) of the following plants : 

 Hellehorus viridis, Viola hirta, Primula 



