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On examining the rain which had fallen in both these localities I found, naturally enough, no animal or plant germs in that from the lower part of the town, although it was highly charged with soot and various kinds of dirt; but in that which had been collected near my house, I found on the same day a few of the unicellular organisms as before, some single, others undergoing sub-division; also a little soot and silex. On the following day I expected these germs would have sprouted, and I was not mistaken. I had cleansed my tubes well with sulphuric acid, after having made them red-hot, and had taken every possible precaution to avoid fusion of the fluids or their contents; but the result was unmistakable. The particles of soot and silex were present in the Vauxhall Road water, but no germs of any kind, nor any mycelium; whilst that caught in Everton was full of unicellular organisms in various stages of growth and subdivision, and the particles of soot had become beds, as it were, in which the germs were sprouting, for out of them grew fibrous filaments precisely resembling those which I had first observed in the infusions (Fig. 7). On the 24th (the following day) these filaments had assumed the form of a straggling mycelium, not so thick as in the former infusions, and not so much interlaced, but the identity of the organisms was quite undoubted. There were also swarms of minute rapidly-moving infusorial germs along with somewhat larger ciliated infusoria.

Coupling, then, my experiments of former years with those recently tried by me, the results, as far as they bear on this controversy, are as follows:

In 1863. I found in infusions of orange and cabbage juice the germs and mycelium, which constitute the earlier stages of mildew fungi, and at the same time I found those lowly plant forms in pure distilled water which had been exposed to the atmosphere. Recently I again found this plant type in an infusion of orangejuice, and traced its growth into a mildew fungus. I also found it in pure distilled water, and afterwards, well developed, in rainwater caught as it fell direct from the clouds. This plant, or one closely allied to it, Dr. Bastian believes to have been spontaneously generated in an infusion of turnip-juice contained in vacuo in a closed tube.

Again in 1862-3. Dr. Balbiani in Paris, and I in Liverpool, found simultaneously in pure distilled water exposed to the atmosphere, and in dust taken from window-panes and elsewhere, various infusorial animalculæ, especially one well-defined type, which I have again recently found in pure distilled water, and in dust which had been submitted to a high temperature. And that such animal germs are present in the atmosphere in all parts of the world, I showed some years since, by submitting to microscopical observa

tion the dust shaken from rags which had been picked up in the streets of Tunis, Trieste, Melbourne, Bombay, and other places from which such rags are imported. These animal types, too, are believed by some to be spontaneously created in infusions.

Here I leave to the judgment of men of science the results of my experiments, which any boy possessed of a microscope may repeat as effectually as I have performed them. And if the believers in spontaneous generation still insist that their hypothesis has not been refuted, and that, assuming my observations to be correct, their view of the case has not been fully disproved, I am not prepared to deny this; but on the other hand I must be permitted to retort that their experiments have only proved, so far, their inability, notwithstanding all their precautions, to exclude invisible germs from their infusions. As to the mysterious appearance of these microscopical types on their solutions in vacuo, what is it compared with the presence of some of the internal parasites of man and the lower animals? And who would have credited twenty years since, the story of the wanderings and metamorphoses which those forms undergo before they find their way into the final habitat designed for them by Nature? There is, however, very little chance of the controversy coming to an end at present. It is fascinating and exciting, and in so far quite in accordance with the spirit of the age. Nor is it desirable that it should cease, for it is causing microscopical observers to direct their attention more and more to the beginnings of life, and to the development of those living types which are visible only with the aid of the lens; and I know of no subject more worthy of the consideration of biologists.

VII. THE DEVONSHIRE

ASSOCIATION

FOR THE

ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, LITERATURE, AND
ᎪᎡᎢ .

EARLY in 1862, it occurred to a few scientific men, residents in Devonshire, that they might with advantage establish in their own county an institution resembling the British Association, of which they had for several years been more or less active members. The idea having been favourably received in some of the principal towns of the county, a meeting was held at Plymouth, which, though not largely attended, was thought to be of sufficient weight to inaugurate the proposed Association, to draw up a provisional constitution, to elect officers for the first year, and to announce that the first annual meeting would be held at Exeter on the 14th and 15th of August, 1862.

From that time, meetings have been annually held in different

towns of the county, the number of members and of papers have steadily increased, and several distinguished men have accepted the office of President. In short, the Association is not only well established in the county, but it is also fully and cordially recognized by the scientific world generally.

We proceed to give a brief sketch of its history, constitution, and operations, believing that there would be little or no difficulty, and very great advantage, in establishing kindred institutions in the other counties of the kingdom.

Being limited to a single county, it was decided not to restrict it to science. It was accordingly named "The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature, and Art," and its objects were declared to be "To give a stronger impulse and a more systematic direction to scientific inquiry in Devonshire; and to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science, literature, or art, in different parts of the county." There can be no doubt that this decision was wise, as it was calculated to enlist a greater number of members, and to secure more numerous and a greater variety of papers, whilst it enabled men who might otherwise regard themselves as unqualified, to accept the office of President.

The number of members has steadily increased from 69 in 1862 to little short of 300 at present; and almost every part of the county is represented by them.

Each member pays ten shillings annually, or a life composition of five pounds, and is entitled to tickets of admission for himself and a lady, as well as to a copy of the annual Transactions.' Not only has this small sum been found sufficient to cover all expenses, but at the meeting held on July 26th, 27th, and 28th, of the present year (1870), under the presidency of Mr. J. A. Froude, the eminent historian, the treasurer reported a balance in hand of upwards of ninety pounds, besides property, in the form of Transactions' in stock, to the amount of upwards of one hundred and sixty pounds.

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As the Association was not established for the purpose of accumulating money, there is reason to hope that it may very shortly be in a position to vote small sums for the purpose of conducting or aiding researches within the county. Devonshire, it is well known, is rich in bone caverns and barrows which would well repay investigation, and its moorlands abound in megalithic structures, of which at least accurate models should be made and placed in the museums at Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, and Barnstaple.

The Presidents are ineligible for re-election. The following is the entire list, as well as of the dates and places of meeting, from the beginning:-.

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The earlier part of the first day of each annual meeting is devoted to business, and in the evening the President delivers his address, and thus "reads himself in." The next day is occupied, from eleven to four o'clock, with papers and the discussions they originate; and in the evening the members dine together. The third day is also devoted to papers, and the meeting closes about five o'clock.

During the first five years the papers were disposed of in one day, but since 1866 they have been so numerous as to furnish full employment for the second day, and it is now understood that the meeting will last three days.

During the nine years a total of 152 papers have been read, which may be classified thus:

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The Association claims "the right, at its discretion, of printing in extenso in its 'Transactions' all papers read at the annual meeting," and this right has been exercised ever since the first year, when abstracts only of the papers were printed. The copyright of the papers, however, remains the property of the authors.

One of the laws provides that the Association shall, within three months after each annual meeting, publish its Transactions,' including the Rules, a Financial Statement, a List of the Members, Obituary Notices of all Members who have died during the year, the Report of the Council, the President's Address, and such papers, in abstract or in extenso, read at the annual meeting, as shall be decided by the Council. The annual volumes are accordingly in the hands of the members within the stipulated time.

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The Transactions' for the first year was a pamphlet of fiftyfour pages, whilst that for 1869-the last which has yet been

printed-was a portly octavo volume of 537 pages. Up to this time the annual issues form three goodly volumes; and the first part of the fourth volume, or the fourth volume complete, according to the quantity of matter, will be printed before the end of October. They contain a vast amount of information respecting the county of Devon, together with matter of a more general nature.

Every author receives gratuitously twenty-five reprints of his paper, and may arrange with the printer for any greater number.

The next annual meeting will be held at Bideford, commencing August 2nd, 1871, when the Rev. Canon Kingsley will be the President.

The inhabitants of the towns in which the meetings have been held have always given the Association a cordial welcome. A large amount of both public and private hospitality has been displayed, a conversazione has commonly occupied one of the evenings, and the day after the close of the meeting has usually been spent in some picnic or fête.

It may be stated, in conclusion, that the Devonshire Association originated with men who were and still are members of the British Association, and whose active work for the offspring has not caused them to work a whit the less for the parent.

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