75 
General Meeting, March 18th, 1879. 
J. P. Joule, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., &c., President, in the 
Chair, 
Mr. Hastings Charles Dent, 112, Bury New Road, Man- 
chester, was elected an Ordinary Member of the Society; 
and Monsieur A. Letourneux, Conseiller a la Cour d’Appel 
d’Alexandrie, Egypte, was elected a Corresponding Member, 
Ordinary Meeting, March 18th, 1879. 
J. P, Joule, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S,, &c., President, in the 
Chair. 
“ On Siliceous Fossilization, Part II.,” by J. B. Hannay, 
F.R.S.E., F.C.S., Assistant Lecturer on Chemistry in the 
Owens College. 
In a former paper it was shown by chemical and optical 
means that the fossil siliceous rods Hyalonema Smithii were 
identical in constitution with those from modern sponges, and 
that the curious nodulised appearance of some of the rods was 
due not to the original form of the rods, but to certain physical 
and chemical changes which have passed over them since they 
were deposited where they were found. It was also shown 
that of the three forms of silica, transparent, gelatinous, and 
opaque, the first and second were easily acted upon, and 
retained the original structure of the organic silica, whereas 
the last was in the truly mineral form and had lost every 
trace of organic structure, and was not easily acted upon by 
chemical means. Mr. John Young, F.G.S., having kindly 
Proceedings— Lit. & Phil. Soc.— Yol. XYIII.— No, 9.— Session 1878-9. 
