PEOOEEDING8 
OF THIS 
VI. 
A Notice or Recent Observatiox\s on Amceb^e and Monads, 
By Richard Greef and L. Cienkowski. 
By Henry E. Fripp, M.D. 
Bead at the General Meeting, May IStJi, 1869. 
The discovery of certain species of Amoebae and Rhizopods living in the 
earth is one of great interest and startling novelty ; for all previously observed 
species have been found only in water, either fresh or salt, and all that we have 
hitherto learnt of the mode of life of these creatures seemed to indicate the 
impossibility of their being able to enjoy an active existence in any other 
medium. Least of all, should we have conceived it likely that they could 
find in the driest earth or sand all the conditions necessary to their well-being. 
A fresh and fruitful field of microscopic research is opened to our observation 
by Dr. Greef s interesting discovery, and in introducing it to the notice of 
our Natural History Society, I take the opportunity of recommending further 
researches in this direction to such of our members as are desirous of turning 
the field operations of our summer campaign to good account. Our excursions 
will yield ample occasion, during the period of the year best suited to the 
purpose. The history of the Protozoa, though greatly advanced in late years, 
has many voids and wide gaps, and doubtless some of the missing links in our 
record may be supplied by careful microscopic examination of "mother 
earth," teeming with minute life. Besides the future prospect, however, a 
present and special value attaches to this enquiry, as it bears closely on a 
question much discussed but still far from settlement, namely, this— Does 
structural adaptation precede specialised function or vice versa? or are both 
coincident? The facts I have to relate support the doctrine not yet held ia 
