Professor Michael Foster again presided in this department, which met in the patents-room of the Free Public Library...

     Mr. A. R. Wallace opened the discussion by stating that he generally agreed with the theories of the paper just read, and concluded by expressing the belief that they had only made the most elementary steps towards a settlement of the question treated of in Dr. Cobbold's paper.

     The Chairman alluded to the fact that many of the German professors, who were members of that society, were absent from the meeting in consequence of their doing duty on the battle-field, or because they had found graves on the battle-field. He had thought a good deal during the last few weeks about Dr. Döhrn in this way, and therefore many of them thought they saw an apparition when he appeared at their meeting; but to prove that he was still in the flesh he (the chairman) would ask him to take part in the discussion.

     Dr. Döhrn having thanked the chairman for the kind way in which he had spoken of him, went on to say that one of the most interesting points was that which had been raised by Mr. Wallace, in respect to the length of time which had elapsed since the original existence of organic life on earth.