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PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
weighing as much as 1500 lb. These large masses must be taken to be 
formed by a single species, and yet they exhibited almost every variety 
of form and size in the calicles, totally distinct forms being sometimes 
found within a few inches of each other. 
Mr. H. Bernard said he had not much to add to the interesting facts 
which had been mentioned by Prof. Bell, but he thought when they con- 
sidered the remarkable differences in size and form of the calicles in 
different portions of the same mass, it would be understood at once that 
attempts to classify these Corals from an examination of fragments were 
simply impossible, for, as they had seen, one mass might give rise to a 
tall cylindrical group with calicles projecting like branches, and at the 
same time other portions might spread out or exhibit the nodules which 
had been pointed out on some of the photographs. Possibly the larger 
growth might indicate that, from aspect or position, that portion got more 
food than the other and became consequently more vigorous. In a large 
Brain Coral at the Museum it would be seen that one half had large 
calicles and the other had small ones, and that here and there small 
streaks of the large were found running over into the small. Un- 
fortunately they did not know enough of the natural history of Corals to 
form a true opinion of these matters, and they did not know how or 
where to get the requisite series of observations to enable them to obtain 
that knowledge. All the Turbinarians began with the formation of a 
small cup ; some of these persisted as cups, whilst others grew up into 
all kinds of forms, so that there really seemed to be no method in the 
growth. At present they could not get at the laws which regulated 
these forms ; possibly here was something which had responded to its 
surroundings, and these were really the chief cause. If this was so 
they might have to modify some of their ideas on heredity, because it 
seemed as if they had here an alteration produced by an immediate 
response to surrounding conditions. 
The President said the subject which had been brought before them 
by Prof. Bell was undoubtedly one of considerable interest and import- 
ance, and the slides which had been exhibited to them that evening had 
been a remarkable object lesson upon the undesirability, especially in 
the case of low organisms, of naming things as new species without 
knowing something about their life-history. The ordinary method of 
division into genera and species was a very useful method of cataloguing 
but it did not exist in nature, and it therefore required the greatest 
judgment to determine where to separate into a genus or a species ; but 
usually if they found that a stop or a break occurred, they saw in it a 
reason for a new species; or if a wider break in the continuity was 
noticed then it was called a new genus. The subject was full of diffi- 
culty, and required the exercise of great judgment, and that kind of 
intuition which enabled one man to be right more often than another ; 
but all would no doubt agree that it was most undesirable that people 
should rush to make new species upon incomplete data. It was only 
when an opportunity occurred such as had been placed before them that 
evening, that they could quite realize the danger of the practice. Some 
years ago Entomologists made no less than about thirty-two distinct 
species of Button Tortrices ; but at last some one procured a pair, male 
and female, a large quantity of eggs were deposited and hatched ; from 
