read. It did not relate to any branch of microscopical science. 
Professor Asa Gray and Dr. Maxwell Masters, who were present, 
made some remarks from a purely botanical point of view. 
Mr. Kent read a paper “ On the Branchial Organs of Mysis,” 
in which he described the long filamentous processes of the six 
pairs of natatory feet of the trunk of this Crustacean as bran- 
chial organs, giving as his principal reason that they were in 
constant motion, and did not present on search any striped mus- 
cular tissue, whence the motion was inferred to be involuntary. 1 
Living specimens of Mysis sp. from the docks were exhibited. 
Mr. Baker of Holbom exhibited a marvellous slide of over 350 
diatoms of various genera and species arranged in order in a space 
of about a quarter of an inch. A slide of ten species of typical 
test-diatoms was also exhibited. These slides, which appear com- 
pletely to baffle all explanation of the method in which they have 
been set up, were prepared by a German manipulator, J. Moeller, 
of Wedel in Holstein, by whom they are sent to this country for 
sale. It was resolved to purchase one of the slides of test diatoms. 
December 9th, 1S6S. 
The President in the Chair. 
Dr. Carpenter exhibited numerous specimens of Foraminifera, 
&c., obtained during his deep-sea dredging expedition, and made 
a few remarks thereon. He could not bring before the Society a 
formal paper for publication, as it was due to the Koval Society, 
under whose auspices the expedition was fitted out, that that 
Society should receive the first regular paper on the subject. 
The expedition was suggested by the extraordinary results that 
had been obtained in deep-sea dredging off the coast of Norway 
by Professor Sars, who was Inspector of Fisheries to the Swedish 
Government, and had therefore all the requisite appliances at his 
disposal. It was proposed by his friend Professor Wyville 
Thomson that the Government should be requested, through the 
Council of the Society, to furnish a vessel for a similar expedition 
off the British coasts. The request having been made, aud liber- 
ally complied with, that part of the coast between Scotland (Cape 
Koss) and the Faroe Islands was fixed upon for operations. The 
vessel, “ The Lightning,” with himself and Professor Thomson on 
board, duly arrived on the ground, but the weather being very 
unfavorable, operations could not be commenced for several 
1 G. O. Sars, in his ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Crustaces d’eau douce de 
Norvege, 1807/ gives a very different account of the branchial organs of 
Mysis, to which we would draw the author’s attention. Instead of distinct 
gills, he states that there are, under the cephalothorax, at the bases of the 
feet, six peculiar organs, forming tlexuous cylindrical tumours of the sides 
of the body, containing blood, aud communicating with the lateral slits of 
the heart ; they are homologous with the branchial vessels of Decapods, but 
are here peculiarly developed, so as to perform the function of gills. Mr. 
Kent should also consult Dr. Dohrn’s recent paper on Cuma. — E. R. L. 
