422 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



with advantage be completed and classified, and that it would prove of 

 great value to Fellows if thereafter it was systematically kept up to 

 date. 



9. The " Suffolk " Collection, to which allusion has already been 

 made, consisted of a separate cabinet of about 1000 slides of a very 

 miscellaneous character, largely vegetable preparations mounted by 

 Mr. Suffolk. It has now been merged in the general collection in 

 accordance with the decision of the Council. 



In our opinion detached collections lose value by their isolation from 

 the general cabinet, besides entailing more work on the Curator. 



10. Two factors became obvious as soon as we started the revision 

 of the cabinet : — (1) The repeated duplication of all favourite micro 

 subjects. (2) The very inferior quality of many of the mounts. The 

 duplication has no doubt been due largely to the absence of a systematic 

 catalogue, but it is probably not unconnected with that policy of never 

 looking at the teeth of the gift-horse, which has certainly been a 

 standard rule of the Society in the past, and which has been responsible 

 for the inclusion of a great number of worthless slides. Donations 

 have been accepted and incorporated in the cabinet, and the grateful 

 thanks of the Society no doubt tendered for slides which were often 

 below the mounting standard of a novice. We are aware that it is not 

 always an easy or a graceful business to refuse a gift tendered by an old 

 esteemed Fellow, but we are strongly of opinion that the situation is not 

 beyond tactful treatment, and that the Curator or a Sub-Committee 

 should in future report on proffered donations before they are definitely 

 accepted. 



11. Our first step was to go through the cabinet and remove all 

 slides which might be regarded as entirely worthless, owing to inferior 

 methods of preparation or deterioration from age and neglect. This 

 resulted in the scrapping of over 1100 slides, and of these it is sufficient 

 to state that they have neither scientific nor commercial value. They 

 represent merely their value in waste slips, and in accordance with the 

 Council's decision will be distributed among such Fellows as may feel 

 inclined to clean the slips for further use. 



12. A second scrutiny of the cabinet was then made, which resulted 

 in the rejection of about 1750 slides, which may be described as having 

 some commercial value. These consist of : — (1) Duplicate slides. 

 (2) Damaged slides, capable of remounting or repair. (3) Slides 

 unsuitable for the Society's cabinet, either owing to the nature of the 

 subject or the method of mounting. 



13. The value of these slides varies considerably, some of the dupli- 

 cates being first-class si^ecimens and others of great interest or rarity. 

 As decided by the Council, these slides will be open to the inspection of 

 Fellows, who may make any selection at a price which will at first be 

 fixed at one shilling each. As the collection diminishes the price will 

 necessarily be reduced, and we suggest that after a reasonable interval 

 the unsaleable residue should be placed in the hands of Mr. Angus, 

 with directions to dispose of them to the best advantage. The money 

 received for these slides should, we think, be devoted to the purchase of 

 further slides, or become the nucleus of a fund for a new cabinet. 



