73 
Sept, i, 1885.] TJu Australasian Scientific Magazine. 
Fishes : 
Tail of an Indian Stinging Ray, Mr. W. H. Backhand. 
Crustacea : 
A Hermit Crab, Pagrus sp., Mrs. John McCance. 
Relics, etc.: 
A Paper, The Saunders News Letter , Friday, May 16, 1777, Dublin, Mr. 
J. F. Echlin. 
Two Swedish Coins, Mr. L. O. Laroson. 
Mr. W. F. Ward, A.R.S.M., Government Analyst, read a paper on the 
Impurities of Water in Relation to Typhoid Fever. The paper was of 
some length, and was exceedingly interesting. Messrs. R. A. Bastow, 
R. M. Johnston, A. B. Crowther, B. Perkins, and Ward spoke in the 
discussion which followed the reading of the paper. 
The Curator read a paper by Baron F. Von Mueller, K.C.M.G., entitled 
“Notes on Jean Julien Houton Labellardiere, botanist of the search 
expedition sent out under Admiral D’Entrecasteaux to ascertain the Fite of 
Count La Perouse and his crew.” The paper was accompanied by a 
photo-lithograph of Labellardiere, a copy of which will be inserted in the 
proceedings of the society for the year. 
Mr. C. J. Atkins read some notes on the sea-worm Synapta, illustrated 
by Polarized Light. He said : — The class Echinodermata includes the 
marine objects known as the sea-hedgehogs, sea-urchins, and sea-eggs. 
The members of the group generally develop a calcareous skeleton (set 
with spines) as an outer covering or integument. The body is globose or 
cylindrical, and a ring of nerve branches issues from the mouth. The 
genus of this class called Synapta are cylindrical in form, the body being 
traversed by an alimentary canal, and the mouth is surrounded by a fringe 
of radiate feelers, which are the ends of the nerve system of the animal, 
and serve the purpose of drawing in its food. A skeleton of calcareous 
plates exists below the tough outer skin, and embedded in these plates are 
curious anchor-like appendages, which protrude through the skin, giving a 
rough or rasp-like appearance to the worm. The anchors are used both as 
an assistance to the Synapta in its movements, and for fixing itself in the 
mud or sand ; they are attached to the anchor-plates, and are immovable. 
The Synapta is common on the coast of the south of France, and on other 
shores of the Mediterranean, also in those of the Red Sea. Dr. Herapath 
mentions the species galliennii as being obtained by him at Torquay, Eng- 
land. (Quart. J. Microscopy, 1865.) It is generally found in burrows in 
the. sand, and is difficult to collect as a perfect specimen, owing to its 
dividing into separate pieces when handled. The anchor-like spicule and 
plates appear as very brilliant objects when polarised, and I have placed 
under the microscopes specimens of them this evening. 
Mr. Saville-Kent, in reply, said: — I have much pleasure, in illustration of 
of the paper last communicated, in exhibiting to the society living examples 
of the genus Synapta, dealt with by Mr. Atkins, and also of a yet rarer, but 
closely allied form belonging to the genus Chirodota. 
THE MICROSCOPE. 
A most interesting feature of the evening’s proceedings was the micro- 
scopic exhibition which took place at its close, illustrative, to some extent, 
of the papers read. There were seven microscopes on the table, five of 
them binoculars, viz., three of Ross’, one of Baker’s, and one of Smith’s. 
Mr. Atkins’ very fine Ross instrument was used for the display of the 
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