8 
This excursion formed an agreeable close to the series of summer 
meetings. 
On the 1st of October, the society resumed* its evening meetings at 
the Institution. 
The question of election of new members was discussed at this 
meeting, and the future management and responsibility of the 
elections transferred to the Council,— the time of the meeting being 
thus devoted to the scientific engagements of the evening. The 
Council were further empowered to invite the attendance of ladies 
on suitable occasions. 
Mr. Charles Eavis read a paper on the ITatural History of Amber, 
and Mr. Hugh Owen communicated an interesting discovery by 
Mr. Jonathan Couch of an open tube leading from the ear to the 
air-bladder of certain fishes, analogoas to the eustachian tube in the 
higher animals. 
In November, Mr. W. W. Stoddart read to a large audience (in- 
cluding ladies amongst the visitors) an account of the tea-plant, its 
properties and adulterations. 
At a very full meeting in December, Dr. Beddoe gave an account 
of the Maori race of JSTew Zealand, and Dr. Joseph Swayne 
exhibited portraits drawn by himself of the chiefs of that race, 
lately resident in our city. Mr. Charles Ottley Groom also made 
observations on the cranial characteristics of the aboriginal JNTew 
Zealanders. On the same evening, Mr. Frederick Martin exhi- 
bited a collection of specimens illustrating the Marine Zoolo^ of 
Clevedon, and read a paper descriptive of them. 
At the January meeting. Dr. Samuel Martyn read a paper des- 
cribing two species of Holothuridse, known in the commerce of the 
Chinese waters under the name of Trepang, and used there as an 
article of food. Specimens, drawings, and chemical demonstrations 
accompanied the paper. Mr. Henry Swayne then read a paper on 
** Anthropoid Apes," illustrated by examples selected from the 
Museum. 
At the February meeting, a proposition of the Council was made 
