PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
837 
Mr. A. T. Watson’s paper, “ On the Tube-building habits of Terebella 
littoralis” was read by Prof. Bell, and drawings and museum specimens 
in illustration were exhibited to the meeting. 
Dr. Dallinger said that he had watched for hours together with 
Mr. Watson in observing the development of these tubes in much earlier 
stages than had been mentioned in the paper ,* this was about four years 
ago, and since then the author had done very valuable service, some of the 
results being embodied in this paper. It was also of much interest, as 
showing how a man not specially devoted to biological work might adapt 
himself to it, so as to attain very useful results. 
Prof. Bell thought this was just the kind of paper their President 
would have been glad to hear, as it seemed to fulfil the idea that he had 
in his mind when he gave his last annual address. 
The Chairman said they were extremely indebted to Mr. Watson for 
his very interesting paper, and also to their Secretary for having induced 
him to write it. 
The thanks of the Society were voted to Mr. Watson for his paper. 
Surgeon V. Gunson Thorpe’s paper, “ On a New Marine Annelid,” 
was read by the Secretary, who regretted that Surgeon Thorpe, R.N., was 
unable to be present, having been suddenly called away for service on 
the West Coast of Africa — though happily not in the * Serpent.’ The 
specimen exhibited was brought home from Australia, having been 
obtained, in 1887, off Gloucester Island, on the coast of Queensland. It 
had the appearance of a very curious tube-building Rotifer ; but there 
seemed some doubt as to whether it might not be an Annelid. 
Dr. Maddox’s paper, postponed from the last meeting, entitled, 
“Some Observations on Various Forms of Human Spermatozoa,” was 
read by Prof. Bell, drawings and photographs in illustration being passed 
round for inspection. 
Mr. Dowd es well’s note on the same subject was also read, and a 
photograph by Mr. Andrew Pringle was exhibited. 
Mr. E. M. Nelson said he had worked a good deal at this question 
some time ago, and then found many curious points in the structure of 
these bodies, which he found to be constant, but which were passed 
over in these drawings. There was one thing which he thought most 
important, as to the shape of the head ; it was really shaped as if set in 
a kind of cup, and it had a small spike upon the top. This feature 
was not represented, but then, as Mr. Pringle’s specimen was stained, it 
was therefore utterly destroyed for all purposes of minute examination, 
though the staining made the filament more distinctly visible. There 
was also a distinct joint at the foot, which was not shown, and there 
were also what he called vacuoles — though perhaps they were not 
vacuoles at all — and he had not only seen the nucleus in the vacuoles, 
but he had seen the divided nucleus as well. When he first saw the 
filament on the head he recognized at once the analogy to that which he 
had seen in the spermatozoa of the newt, where it was shown to have a 
distinct bulb, which was no doubt the means by which it attached itself 
to the ovum. In order to discover if this also existed in the human 
spermatozoon, he had worked at it for a whole week until he succeeded 
