140 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



drawn back. The ether box was made on a plan which it was claimed 

 used up less ether than any other similar box in the market, and the 

 water which was always deposited with the spray fell back into the 

 ether and helped to cool it. The spread of the spray could also be 

 regulated to cover any required area, and the supply of ether could 

 be replenished if necessary whilst the machine was in use. It was 

 remarkably efficient in use, and when clamped down firmly to a table, 

 sections could be cut with great rapidity, and the accumulation of these 

 dropped into a vessel placed in front to receive thorn (see pp. 126, 128). 



Dr. Hebb said he had not sufficient opportunity of examining this 

 instrument to be able to say much about it, but so far as he could form 

 an opinion, he should think it would be a very useful piece of apparatus 

 in any large laboratory where they were cutting sections all day long. 

 The great weight of the carrier was no doubt a point of advantage. 



Mr. Beck, in reply to inquiries, said that Prof. Delepine had been 

 using his microtome for the last 15 years, and it was still in very good 

 condition. The price of the instrument exhibited to the Meeting was 

 10 guineas, with the ether box complete and one knife. The paraffin 

 lamp was 12s. extra. 



Mr. C. L. Curties exhibited three new instruments by Messrs. Leitz, 

 the first of these being an improved form of Cathetometer with a dividing 

 objective of 5, 9, and 5-1 centimetre focus, a micrometer scale in the 

 eye-piece, levelling-screws, and spirit-level. The second instrument 

 v as a Microscope of the ordinary Continental pattern, but made with an 

 extra large stage, and the upright carrying the body attached by means 

 of a bracket-piece so as to considerably increase the distance between 

 the jiillar and the optic axis. The third was a Microscope of entirely 

 novel construction, designed especially for the examination of very large 

 sections which were placed on a glass stage mounted upon a frame 

 which could be rapielly moveel longitudinally by means of a rack-and- 

 pinion beneath the horizontal bar upon which the Microscope tube was 

 mounted. The tube itself was so fitted as to traverse this bar from 

 end to end by a rapid screw motion, giving a range transversely of 

 about 7 inches. The illumination was by reflection from a rectangular 

 plane mirror beneath the stage. This instrument was intended fur use 

 with low powers only, and if required for use as a dissecting 

 Microscope, the compound body could be removed and a simple lens 

 substituted (see pp. 108-110). 



The President expressed the thanks of the Society to Mr. Beck and 

 Mr. Curties for these exhibits. Remarking upon the novelty of the last 

 form of Microscope exhibited, he said, if these things went on growing 

 larger they might expect one day to see something fitted with an over- 

 head travelling crane so as to carry an object as large as the whole 

 human body ! 



Dr- Hebb said they had received another paper from Mr. Millett, 

 being Part VII. of his description of the Fcraminifera of the Malay 



