I Mr. Henry Lee. 



144 



Models made by the late Rev. J. B. Reade, to illus- 

 trate his theory of beaded structures ... 

 Dredgings from Gal way Bay ... ... ... Col. O'Hara. 



Twenty-four Slides ... ... ... ... Mr. A. C. Cole. 



Ten Slides Mr. F. H. Ward. 



Two Slides ... ... ... ... ... Mr. H. G. Glasspoole. 



One Photograph for the Album — Mr. Badcock. 



The thanks of the Meeting were unanimously voted to the donors. 



Mr. Henry Lee said that as the new Catalogue of Slides was now issued, 

 it struck him that the time would be an appropriate one for members to 

 look it through, so as to see where there might be some hiatus which they 

 were able to fill up. There were probably still many specimens required to 

 complete some of the divisions which members might be able to supply, 

 and he would suggest that they should look through the catalogue with that 

 object in view. 



The President said that the subject which he wished to bring before them 

 that evening was a sort of contrivance which he had recently adopted him- 

 self, for the purpose of making dissections. They would all be aware that 

 in a microscope to be used for delicate dissections, certain qualifications 

 were absolutely essential. In the first place they must have perfect steadi- 

 ness, the stand must be firmly and well supported, and be of sufficient 

 strength and weight to bear the pressure put upon it without moving. Next 

 it must be of convenient height, so that in working the hands might get a 

 steady support ; it should fulfil these two conditions, and yet not be so large 

 as to be clumsy. The next point was as to the lenses ; they should be of 

 such a form as to give a maximum of power, and yet at the same time afford 

 sufficient distance between them and the object to admit of needles being 

 moved freely to an angle of 60° with the surface of the plate, because the 

 efficiency of the needles obviously depended upon the angle at which they 

 could be used, and if a lens were made with a wide face it would very often 

 interfere with the movements of the needles. Then there was another point 

 of still greater importance — when a careful dissection had been made, it 

 often became desirable to examine it with a much higher power than the 

 one which had served the purpose of preparation, and provision ought to be 

 made to enable as high a power as was desired to be brought to bear with- 

 out disturbing the object, and this could only be done by placing a com- 

 pound body above the simple lens. The President then exhibited the in- 

 strument which he had devised to meet these requirements, and pointed 

 out that it consisted of a glass stage, having a large aperture in the centre, 

 and mounted horizontally upon three supports, one of which was formed 

 by the pillar of the body; in this way it stood with great steadiness, and 

 was strong enough to bear considerable pressure. The lens was carried by 

 an arm projecting from the pillar, and made to turn aside horizontally when 

 required; focussing and illumination were managed in the usual way, but 

 there was a slow motion in addition to the rackwork. In offering the in- 

 strument for discussion, the question would arise as to the best form of lens 



