Microscopical Society. 69 



" A third species exists, very small indeed, of a very light colour, 

 approaching closely to white ; local name ' Dafre ' (pronounced 

 Darfray). It attaches its nest to the surface of trees, and delights 

 in lofty positions. The nest varies in size from a man's fist to three 

 or four times that size, and is very light in aspect, nearly white. 

 All admit that this bee is stingless. I regret that I have no speci- 

 men at hand. I mention these different species at the present time, 

 simply because I have forwarded them in the box. 



"A fourth species is found with the local name 'Vranh'; French 

 sound, the an sounded like an in ' franc' Many of the natives 

 pronounce it as if written with /, Franh. This species burrows in 

 the soft sticks of which the rafters in the natives' houses are made. 

 They take a longitudinal direction, and extend from three to ten 

 inches in length. They have the diameter of a bullet ; sometimes 

 two will be seen parallel. At the end will be found a shallow ex- 

 cavation, in which are deposited the eggs, and which are separated 

 from the main cell by a perpendicular division, consisting of the fine 

 particles of the wood made in process of excavation, united by some 

 agglutinal, which no doubt they have the power of secreting. One 

 of the specimens sent differs from the others. Is it not a male ? It 

 was found in the same nest with the others." 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



Oct. 14, 1846.— J. S. Bowerbank, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the 



Chair. 



A paper by John Anthony, Esq., •' On a Method of rendering the 

 Appearances in delicate Structures visible by means of oblique trans- 

 mitted light." 



This method depends upon the placing the object in such a posi- 

 tion that the fine lines or other delicate markings are exactly at 

 right angles to the illuminating rays, when these lines, &c. will be 

 at their maximum of distinctness, and thus tissues may be rendered 

 distinctly visible whose existence when viewed in the ordinary man- 

 ner might be considered as exceedingly doubtful. The object em- 

 ployed to illustrate this position was the Navicula of the Humber, 

 one of the most delicate of test objects, which under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances appears perfectly transparent, but when viewed in this 

 way, not only exhibits a double set of lines but also transverse lines, 

 giving the whole the appearance of being covered with a delicate 

 net- work. Four drawings of this object were exhibited, showing it 

 in as many different positions, making a com])lete revolution of the 

 field in which the markings just mentioned were distinctly visible. 

 In order to bring out these appearances, it is necessary that the light 

 should be very oblique, and must be passed laterally through the 

 " bull's eye," in such a manner that the object (the Navicula) may 

 appear of an intensely blue colour nearly opake. The stage is then 

 to be gradually turned round until the shell is in the position to be 

 best seen as described. 



