780 PROci:i:i)i.\<;s of tiik society. 



A turn, of Microtome devised and used by Mr. Flatters for cutting 

 the very beautiful vegetable sections which were so well known to most 

 Fellows of the Society, was exhibited by Dr. Hebb, who read a short 

 paper descriptive of the chief points in its mechanism and the advan- 

 bages claimed. The instrument was afterwards handed round for the 

 inspection of those present. 



The President said tiny were very glad to have had the opportunity 

 of seeing this form of Microtome, which seemed a very good one for the 

 purpose tor which Mr. Flatters used it. _ 



The thanks of the Society were voted to Mr. Flatters for his exhibit, 

 aiid to Dr. Eebb for reading the description of it. 



Mr. E. E. Hill, for Messrs. Beck, exhibited and described the Ashe- 

 Finlayson Comparascope, an instrument which could be easily fitted to 

 any ordinary Microscope for the purpose of comparing two objects, by 

 showing both in the field of the Microscope at the same time. 



The President said he believed they had the instrument before them 

 in a rough form some time ago, when it was exhibited by Mr. Finlayson, 

 and were now very glad to see it in its finished condition. It seemed 

 likely to be extremely useful to microscopists, especially as it could be 

 applied to any Microscope, and afforded a ready means of comparing 

 objects directly under circumstances which rendered it possible to easily 

 detect slight differences. 



The thanks of the Society were voted to Mr. Hill for this exhibit 

 and description. 



A paper by Professor Henry G-. Hanks, of San Francisco — a Corre- 

 sponding Fellow of the Society— entitled, " Notes on Aragotite, a rare 

 Californian Mineral," was read by the Secretary. 



The President believed that this paper was one of great interest to 

 mineralogists, and they were much indebted to the author for sending it 

 to them." He noticed that some of the measurements were given in 

 decimal parts of an inch, instead of in millimetres and microns, which 

 had now become so generally adopted that it was rather to be regretted 

 that the old measurement had been given in this instance. 



The thanks of the Society were voted to the author of the paper, 

 and to Dr. Hebb for reading it. 



The President called the attention of the Fellows present to an 

 exhibition on the table of a number of Slides from the Collection recently 

 presented to the Society by Mr. W. M. Bale. A specially interesting 

 feature of this exhibit was a collection of Orchid seeds, which were 

 excellently mounted and gave a good idea of the extremely simple struc- 

 ture of these minute seeds. Those who had not already seen them 

 would, he felt sure, be very pleased to look at them after the Meeting. 



