790 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



A short paper on '■'■Micrococcus melitensis," by Messrs. A. A. C. E. 

 Merlin and E. M. Nelson, was read by Dr. Hebb, as follows : — 



" While we were employed in testing the auxiliary lens described, a 

 stained preparation of this organism was placed on the stage, and the 

 instant the object was brought into focus, flagella were readily seen. At 

 that time the authors had no knowledge either of the existence of the 

 flagella or of the motility of the organism, but have since learned that 

 these flagella had been already discovered by Mr. Gordon : a second 

 description was therefore unnecessary. Flagella were plainly observed 

 on most of the cocci scattered over the field, which proved that a full 

 field of illumination obtained by this auxiliary lens is no bar to the 

 detection of minute objects such as flagella, whatever its influence on 

 the resolution of periodic structures might be." 



The Chairman remarked that the authors of this paper said they had 

 no knowledge of the existence of flagella or of the motility of this 

 organism before using this lens, and he thought he might say that they 

 had no knowledge of their existence afterwards. Although Mr. Gordon 

 (not the Society's Hon. Secretary) had stated that both the Micrococcus 

 melitensis and Bacillus pestis possessed flagella, he would probably not 

 now insist too much upon that statement, as his observation was made 

 upon a very old cultivation stained by a complicated silver process, and 

 in the speaker's opinion what Mr. Gordon took to be flagella were 

 undoubtedly the results of preparation. The fact was that this organism 

 had no motile property, and the supposed flagella had no existence. It 

 would not be well therefore to place too much importance upon this 

 notice of the observation by the authors of the paper. 



The Chairman said they had received a letter from a Fellow of the 

 Society living in Glasgow who had visited their library, but although he 

 found there was a very good card-index of the books, it was not one 

 that could be carried away, and he considered it would be well to have a 

 new catalogue printed, and further, that this catalogue should contain not 

 only a list of the books, but also of instruments, apparatus and slides 

 possessed by the Society ; and that if the Council thought well to carry 

 out his suggestion, he would be very pleased to subscribe three guineas 

 towards the expense. The Council had for some time had the proposal 

 for a new catalogue under consideration, but the expense of bringing 

 one out had hitherto been the difficulty. This suggestion of Mr. Baird 

 brought the matter up again, and it was thought if it was put before 

 the Society some of the Fellows might also be willing to subscribe 

 towards the cost, and, with such a good offer to start with, he thought it 

 well to let the Fellows know, so that any who were interested in the 

 project might offer donations towards it.' 



The Chairman said there was one other matter which he wished 

 to refer to, and that was as to the sectional meetings which it was 

 proposed to hold during the session. A circular would soon be in the 

 hands of the Fellows in which the scheme was outlined, the proposal 

 being to form two or three sections, one for Pond Life, another for 

 Microscopical Optics, and a third for Bacteriology and Histology. These 

 sections would meet on Wednesday evenings other than those already 



