The President's Address. 
135 
and vitality of the Spongiadse/' consisting of the substance 
of some observations presented at the last meeting of the 
British Association, at Cheltenham, together with a consi- 
derable amount of new matter since ascertained. In this 
paper the author endeavoured to show that sponges consist 
principally of sarcode, strengthened sometimes by a species 
of siliceous or calcareous skeleton, having remarkable repa- 
rative and digestive powers — and consequently a most tena- 
cious vitality. 
As an instance of the singular powers of reparation, he 
•mentioned that having sometimes cut a living sponge into 
three segments and reversed the position of the centre piece, 
after the lapse of a moderate interval a complete junction 
of the parts became effected, so as to render the previous 
separation indistinguishable. 
This paper was not permitted by the author to appear in 
the Transactions of the Society, being still in an incomplete 
state, further investigations upon the subject being also in 
progress. 
The paper by our respected secretary, Mr. Quekett, ^' On 
the white substance surrounding the Coccus infesting the 
Vine,^^ contained, as might have been expected, many inte- 
resting observations, especially as regards the wax-producing 
organs of insects ; but as our knowledge in this direction is 
still very rudimentary, I cannot forbear urging those who 
are in want of a special object for the exertion of their 
microscopic energies, to turn their attention to so promising 
a field for useful results. 
Somewhat connected, as regards the subject, with the pre- 
ceding paper, is that communicated by Mr. Busk — originating 
with Mr. Dobson, of Hobart Town, and previously published 
in the ' Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen^s 
Land,' — On Laap, or Lerp, the cup-like coverings of Psyllidse 
found on the leaves of certain Eucalypti.^' To this paper was 
appended some remarks and observations on the structure 
and chemical nature of the said coverings, by Mr. Busk, 
which that gentleman describes as closely resembling the 
sugar baskets made by confectioners, and consisting chemi- 
cally of nearly pure starch, not indeed in a form in which 
that material is usually met with, but constituted of a 
" homogeneous amyloid substance,'^ affording a sweetish 
taste when applied to the tongue, probably being converted 
into sugar under the influence of the saliva. Under the 
action of iodine and other reagents it comports itself pre- 
cisely as ordinary starch ; but the point of special interest 
appears to be the fact of its production by animal agency, and 
