88 
REPORTS OE SOCIETIES. 
reproduction by lithography, which was very effective. Mr. Egbert 
de Hamel, President of the Midland Union of Natural History 
Societies, and Treasurer of the Tamworth Natural History and 
Antiquarian Society, read a paper on “ Elementary Biology.” 
He began by drawing a parallel between the elements and the 
alphabet. Just as from the letters of the alphabet syllables are 
formed, from the words sentences, and finally, an eloquent book which 
lives in the hearts of men long after the hand that wrote it has passed 
away ; so from atoms are formed molecules, from molecules chemical 
compounds, from chemical compounds minerals and organic beings, of 
which the beautiful world of nature is composed. He then proceeded 
to trace out the numerous analogies which are now known to exist 
between the organic and the inorganic kingdoms—the resemblance of 
a snow-crystal to a fern, a flower, and even to a skeleton; the similarity 
in form of a starch granule and a crystal of carbonate of lime, 
crystallised under certain conditions ; the formation of pseudo cells 
from truly inorganic matter ; the gradual passage from the molecules 
of the simple crystalloids, with their few atoms, to the more 
complex colloids, and finally to the complicated molecules of 
albumen (containing 883 atoms) and bathybius (containing 1,120 
atoms.) He showed, too, how pure crystalline substances, when 
crystallising in the presence of ammonia or free nitrogen, assume more 
tree-like forms than those which are proper to them under ordinary 
conditions. A series of beautiful slides illustrating this change was 
exhibited, and the paper was also illustrated by many diagrams 
and other means. Dr. Hill then made some remarks drawing 
especial attention to Dr. Beale’s discovery of mildew (1870) and 
also to a fallacy (as he believed) in the reasoning concerning the 
crystallisation of chloride of ammonium and bichromate of potash, 
in the one case the result being the same whether ammonia is 
added or not, in the second, not, the latter being a double salt. 
A discussion then arose, in which Messrs. Hughes, Grove, Great- 
heed, and the Chairman, Mr. W. P. Marshall, took part.— General 
Meeting, Feb. 19. — A vote of condolence was passed to the 
family of the late Mr. B,. M. Lloyd, a gentleman who was much 
respected for his quiet but efficient services in the care and 
manipulation of the microscopes of which he was in charge.— 
Mr. T. H. Waller, the President, showed, by means of the Society’s 
new oxyhydrogen microscope, a number of thin sections of rocks, 
illustrating the order in which the various minerals composing them 
have separated, and the different forms which minerals, especially 
quartz, have assumed, under varying conditions of formation. Mr. J. 
Levick also exhibited the following living specimens of pond life, the 
moving cilia of some of which were beautifully shown by his careful 
dark background illumination : Stylonickia viytilus, Brachionus 
urceolaris, Synclueta Mordax, Stephanoceros Eichhornii , Stentor poly- 
morphus, S. Rceselii, and S. Mullari. Mr. K. T. Brain also exhibited a 
lichen, XJsnea barbata, the fruit of which was well formed on 
the ciliated disks; this lichen is common, but is rarely met 
with in fruit. Also a fungus, Polyporus versicolor, from the south 
coast, and a piece of rock supposed to have come from Java. 
Sociological Section, February 21st.—Mr. Hughes was re-elected 
President of the Section, and Mr. F. J. Cullis was elected Secretary. 
A few of the members assembled an hour before the ordinary meeting 
and made a commencement with the compilation of an index to 
Mr. Herbert Spencer’s smaller work on Sociology. This enterprise 
has the approval of Mr. Spencer, and is being conducted on a plan 
