598 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
toms as with some other groups of plants and with animals, an extremely 
difficult matter to decide what to regard as a species. For some few 
years past he had been working at marine diatoms, and had experienced 
this same difficulty in determining what was really the limit of any 
particular species, and he had applied to Mr. Comber and to others with 
only very conflicting results, and he came to the conclusion that there 
was hardly anything in Nature equal to what existed among diatoms as 
to confusion of species ; they seemed to run one into the other in such 
numerous ways, and in lines which branched out in all directions. 
Numbers of them were found in fossil conditions as far back as the 
Cretaceous rocks, where some of the same forms were met with which 
were existing at the present day, and it would therefore be most natural 
to think that things of such determinate character would at least have 
well-marked forms ; but they found it was not so. It was to be hoped, 
however, that light would some day be thrown upon it, and that by 
working with a strong determination they might perhaps get a little 
better order infused. 
The President said their hearty thanks were due to Mr. Comber for 
his very excellent paper, which he hoped would be a means of reducing 
the enormous number of species, or at least of checking their increase. 
He had been doing a little work himself amongst diatoms, but certainly 
not in naming them ; and it had always appeared to him that the species- 
namers had troubled themselves too much with outside form rather than 
giving their attention to the way in which the structure was built up. 
The thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to Mr. Comber 
for his paper. 
Mr. Vezey said they had received another paper, but this was one 
which they would agree it would be better should be taken as read, as 
apart from the illustrations it would scarcely be intelligible. This was 
by Mr. Chapman, and was Part 10 and conclusion of his series of papers 
on the Foraminifera of the Gault of Folkestone, with Appendix and 
Summary. The paper would of course be printed in a future number of 
the Journal. 
The thanks of the Society were given to Mr. Chapman for his com- 
munication. 
The following Instruments, Objects, &c., were exhibited:— 
The Society : — The following slides of Eggs of Insects from the 
Society’s Cabinet : — Moths : Abraxas grossulariata , Magpie ; Acidalia 
aversata, Ribband Wave ; Biston hirtarias, Brindled Beauty ; Bombyx 
Mori, Silkworm ; Centra Vinula , Puss ; Crocallis flinguaria, August Oak ; 
Bylopbila or Balias prasinana, Silver Lines ; Bemerophilia abruptaria, 
Waved Umbre ; Odonestis potatoria, Drinker ; Orygia anliqua, Yapourer ; 
Noctua triangulum ; Selenia illustraria , Purple Thorn ; Tortrix sp. ; and 
Willow Beauty. Butterflies: Cabbage White; Chrysophanus Phlseas , 
Copper ; Bipparchia Janira, Meadow Brown ; Pontia Brassicse, Large 
White ; Vanessa Urticse, Tortoise-shell ; Anthomyia (?); Sialis surturalis, 
Sedge-Fly ; Cimex lectularius. 
Messrs. R. and J. Beck: — Two new Microscopes; a new form of 
Centrifuge; and two Hand-Magnifiers. 
