FIELD CLUBS AND SOCIETIES. 
185 
lumps of protoplasm. The lines of development in the various classes of animals 
were next considered. It was found that, when a certain point had been 
leached in the increasing complexit) of animal structure, an attempt at an over 
development led to a return to a simple organisation. Thus when we arrived 
at the octopus, the most highly organised invertebrate, we could not proceed 
at once in the upward scale to the first manifestation of the backbone ; but we 
were forced, in order to discover this, to take a most simple creature, the 
lancelet ( Amphioxus lanceolapis) , a little fish that, while it gave us the first true 
sign of a vertebral column, was yet, in other respects, far below the cuttle-fish 
in its structure. The highest vertebrate was the gorilla,—for the lecturer, while 
recognising man’s position in this class, regarded him as a being quite separate 
from the lower animals by reason ot his mental and moral faculties. He finally 
added some remarks on tne effects of the study of natural history on the mind, 
which were, contrary to a generally received opinion, most beneficial, showing 
us, as they did, our ignorance and our smallness in the vast universe that 
surrounded us. Previous to the lecture, Mr. F. Slade showed some living 
specimens of the edible snail ( Helix pomatia) from Caterham.—F. P. Perks, 
41, St. Martin’s Lane, Charing Cross, w. c. 
North Kent Entomological and Natural History Society. —The 
20th biennial meeting was held on May 9th, Mr. J. Potter presiding. Messrs. 
Jones, Stewart, Elton, Walker and Wensley were elected members and Mr. 
Hithersay an associate. Exhibits :—Mr. Poore ; land and freshwater shells 
(including some rare and local specimens), bird’s eggs and larvae Mr. Potter; 
living specimens of S. maculosa. Mr. Cooper ; some very nicely mounted 
blossoms of Scotch fir, willow and wood sorrel, showing the and 9 bloom ; 
also marine shells. Mr. Albuary ; a series of L argiolus and otherlepidoptera. 
Mr. S. Pine, slow worms (A fragilis), land and freshwater shells. Mr. Old; 
pupar cases and imagines of L depressa. Mr. J. Wilson ; larvae of B. quercus, 
L. quercifolia and G papilionaria. Mr. E. Knight; a richly marked variety of 
P. meticulosa. Messrs. Wand and H.. Broughton various lepidoptera. The 
following were elected officers for the ensuing six months :—President, Mr. J. 
Potter, Vice President, Mr. E. Dennis Treasurer Mr. A. S. Poore, Secretary 
Mr. H. J. Webb, Assistant Secretary Mr. J. H. Broughton. Committee, 
Messrs, H. Albuary, W. Broughton, A. Old, S. Pine, E. Knight and J. 
Woodward. Auditors, H. Albuary and W. Broughton. Afterwards Mr. A. 
S. Poore gave the first of a series of object lessons in Natural History, the 
subject selected being “ drilling and blowing birds’ eggs” apparently a very 
simple matter but, as Mr. Poore remarked before commencing his lesson, many 
specimens were ruined in all branches through young collectors being ignorant 
of the way to proceed, and he thought it would be beneficial to the younger 
and less experienced members to have the proper mode of preserving", mounting 
and setting the various specimens exhibited to them as object lessons from time 
to time. Blackbird’s, chaffinch’s, and other eggs were then side blown by 
Mr. Poore. 
Hastings and St. Leonards Natural History Society. —About 30 
members of this society, left Hastings station, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 
April 18 th, for Bexhill, in order to visit some woods about two and a half miles 
distant from that place. The weather was all that could be desired, and after 
a pleasant afternoon spent in the woods and fields, the party returned to Hast¬ 
ings, shortly after seven o’clock. The most notable capture was a male speci¬ 
men of the pine saw fly (Lophyrus pini), taken by Mr. Bennett. Over 60 
members were present at the meeting, held on Thursday, April 19th. Mr. T. 
H. Cole, in the chair. A most interesting and instructive paper, was read by 
the honorary secretary, Mr. E. Connold, on “British social wasps and the 
habitations they construct.” The species comprised under this title, aie seven, 
namely :— Vespa crabro , V. britannica , V. sylvestris , V. arborea, V. germanica , 
V. vulgaris , V. rufa . The paper was profusely illustrated by specimens, nests, 
