276 



ladies were not specially invited, they would be admitted as visitor* if so 

 introduced by members. 



Mr. E. M. Nelson exhibited and described a new mechanical stage of 

 improved construction, removable at pleasure from the plain flat stage plate, 

 to which it was simply attached by three screws. 



The business of the Annual Meeting was then proceeded with. 



The President appointed Mr. Mainland and Mr. T. F. Smith to act as 

 scrutineers, and the ballot for Officers and Committee was then proceeded 

 with. 



The Secretary read the 22nd Annual Eeport of the Committee, also the 

 Treasurer's Annual Statement of Accounts, which had been duly audited 

 and found correct by the auditors appointed at the preceding meeting. 



Mr. H. Epps moved " That the reports as read be adopted, and that they 

 be printed and circulated in the usual way." He was sure all would 

 feel that the affairs of the Club had been carried out under good guidance 

 and management, and that the meetings had been up to the average of 

 former years. He was struck with the request to members to do more in 

 future, and hoped they would give this portion of the report their attention, 

 as it was clear that the Committee saw there was room for more to be 

 done. As regarded the excursions, they were told that " nothing extra- 

 ordinary had occurred,'' and whilst they could not always expect that extra- 

 ordinary things would occur, perhaps it would be possible to let the mem- 

 bers know a little more of the ordinary results of the excursions. He 

 thought also that more contributions might be made to the Journal, and 

 that it was worth considering whether matter might not be obtained from 

 other sources, especially as a dearth of papers was usually found during 

 the summer season. On the whole, he thought the members might con- 

 gratulate themselves upon the progress which had been reported. 



Mr. Goodwin seconded the adoption of the reports, and in doing so said 

 he should like to make one or two suggestions. He thought perhaps some 

 of the members might have seen the report of the Manchester Microscopical 

 Society ; if so, they would have noticed the practice of holding a meeting 

 upon a given subject, for which purpose material was given out to the 

 members to work upon, and it was found that very good microscopic 

 work could be done in that way by a number of persons working together 

 upon the same subject and combining the results of their observations. He 

 had hinted that something of the kind might be done by the members of 

 the Club, but was told that when tried it did not meet with much success. 

 He would, therefore, propose that two or jthree members should work upon 

 the same subject, or that each should select a particular subject, and all 

 three work upon each, afterwards comparing notes at their meetings. If 

 the idea was taken up, he should be very glad to combine with any other 

 members in the matter. 



The President having put the motion, declared it carried unanimously. 

 Mr. H. E. Freeman said, as an old member, he took it to be the function 

 of the Club now, as formerly, not so much to try to keep abreast with 

 science, as to encourage its pursuit amongst those who were not so 



