62 
MICROSCOPICAL SECTION. 
December 19 th, 1864. 
J. Sidebotham, Esq., President of the Section, in the Chair. 
Exhibitions. 
The skeleton of an adult gorilla, by Thomas Alcock, M.D. 
The more striking peculiarities of the gorilla skeleton were 
explained by comparison with the human bones, by Edward 
Lund, Esq., F.R.C.S. Ex. 
Specimens of comatula rosacea, from the Cove of Cork. — 
Thomas Alcock. 
A jay, with the beaks crossed and very much overgrown. — 
A. G. Latham, Esq. 
Mounted foraminifera, from Dogs Bay, coast of Galway. — 
Thomas Alcock. 
Communications. 
Mr. Latham gave the result of his examination of a shell 
of Helix nemoralis brought by Mr. Glover, from the shore 
of Gorteen Bay, Connemara. The weight of the shell was 
56 grains, while that of an ordinary specimen was found to 
be only 16 grains. By drying it lost a grain of weight, and 
by calcination, two grains. It was then powdered and 
washed with a loss of one grain of soluble salts, the whole 
loss of weight being 4 grains. The residue was perfectly 
soluble in muriatic acid. Mr. Parry showed a section of a 
shell of Helix aspersa, brought by Mr. Glover from the same 
locality ; before cutting, it weighed 126 grains, and the 
section exhibited very clearly its unusual thickness and 
solidity. 
