REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 
239 
though periods of quiescence, followed by eruptions approaching 
the paroxysmal type, had been known to last for two years. It 
had existed since 1798, and had now reached the height of 
2500 feet. An eruption occurred on an average every 13 
minutes. A specially interesting account, also, w'as given of 
the earthquake phenomena in San Salvador, and the formation 
of a new volcanic cone in a neighbouring lake. 
At the meeting on February 5th, Mr. Edward Wethered, 
F.G.S., F.C.S., described some original researches on the 
structure and formation of coal. He advocated, with Prof. 
Huxley, the microscopical examination of sections cut from the 
coal at various depths, as the best method of investigating the 
nature of its formation ; and gave as his opinion that the plants 
from which coal was formed were more closely allied to the 
aquatic, than to the terrestrial, Lycopods.* Prof. S. P. Thompson, 
D.Sc., then exhibited and described some scientific appliances 
for the rapid extinction of fire. One was the “ Automatic 
Sprinkler,” an arrangement by which, if the temperature of a 
room rises much above a summer heat, a large number of jets of 
water are liberated by the melting of a fusible alloy. In 
America, where factories are commonly fitted with this appliance, 
a great many fires have thus been automatically extinguished 
by the action of their own temperature. Another appliance 
described by Prof. Thompson was the “ Harden Hand Grenade,” 
which, when thrown into the fire, bursts, and liberates large 
quantities of steam or other vapours, which prevent further 
combustion. 
A special general meeting was called on February 21st, to 
receive a communication from Mr. Charles Druery, F.L.S., of 
London, on “ The Aposporous Production of Prothalli of Ferns.” 
To this meeting members of the Bristol Microscopical Society, 
* This paper is printed in full in the Journal of the Royal 
Microscopical Society, Series 2, Vol. 5, Part 3. 
