62 PROCEEDINas OF SOCIETIES. [^jSiL,^lTy 
Manchester CiECULATiNa Microscopic Cabinet Society * 
Quarterly meeting, held 13tli April at the Lower Mosley Street 
Schools. Mr. E. Horne, President, in the chair. 
The general business of the evening having been transacted, the 
chairman called upon each member, from a list previously prepared 
by the secretary, to exhibit the various slides of chemical crystals 
they had prepared since last meeting, — the slides of each particular 
crystal being shown under the several instruments and comments 
made thereon, before a new crystal was introduced ; by which means 
the best forms were easily perceived, and the different modes of pre- 
paration and mounting were discussed whilst the objects were being 
viewed, thereby making the meeting more instructive and enabling it 
to pass off in a pleasant manner. The slides of santonine belonging 
to Mr. Horne, and those of a salt of aniline, belonging to Mr. T. 
Armstrong, were exceedingly pretty, and may justly be entitled the 
gems of that class. 
Resolved unanimously that the subject for examination at the 
next meeting shall be " The Structure of Ferns." Each member to 
bring slides exhibiting the same, and what information he can gather 
on the subject. 
Liverpool Microscopical Society.! 
The fourth ordinary meeting was held at the Royal Institution on 
Tuesday, 6th April, Dr. Nevins, President, in the chair. 
The secretary read a letter from Mr. T. C. White, M.R.C.S., on the 
forms assumed by the crystals of hippuric acid at various temperatures. 
Messrs. A. Kent and W. Chadburn were elected as ordinary members. 
Mr. Newton exhibited a large number of slides sent by Mr. T. 
"Wheeler, of London. The paper for the evening was by Mr. J. 
Newton, M.R.C.S.E., "On the Circulation in Plants and Animals." 
He dwelt on the fact that every living thing draws to itself its appro- 
priate food, to supply materials for growth, to counteract the wear and 
tear of its tissues, for reproduction, &c. Whence arises a need for 
some special contrivance by which a complete circulation of the 
nutrient fluid through every part may be effected. Commencing with 
its simplest forms in the movement of the sap in plants, he traced it 
through the lower forms of animal life, until in the jointed worms, 
the annelida, we find a distinct circulatory system, consisting of two 
main trunks, a dorsal and a ventral, by the contractions of which the 
blood is sent through the smaller vessels. The various forms of 
circulation in the insect world, in the gasteropoda, as snails, and in 
reptiles, were next described. The necessity for the aeration of the 
blood in some form of lungs was dwelt on, whence arises the need 
for a pulmonic as well as a systemic heart, to send the blood thus 
purified through the body generally. It was shown that there are 
really two hearts in all the higher animals, separated in some, but 
blended apparently in many, as in man. The merits of Harvey, as 
* Contributed by Mr. J. C. Hope, Hon. Sec, but not received by us till 
June. — Ed. t Report sent too late for last Number. — Ed. 
