PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 125 



issued to those gentlemen only who are annual subscribers to the 

 institute (of whom thei*e are about 1000) and to ladies. The 

 number present was upwards of 1100, and the spacious hall soon 

 after the commencement of the proceedings presented a very 

 animated appearance. AVe do not remember, in our some- 

 Mhat extensive experience of provincial microscopical soirees, 

 having before noticed so large a number of people devote their 

 attention solely to the microscopes for the greater part of 

 the evening. Altogether, whether regarding the number of 

 instruments exhibited, their character, or the appreciation of 

 them shown by the company, the success of the display must have 

 been highly gratifying to those gentlemen who have had the care 

 and labour of making the arrangements. One of the gentlemen, 

 on whom a large share of this labour fell (Mr. Thos. Viddian), 

 exhibited and explained the use of the Sorby-Browning micro- 

 spectroscope. This delicate instrument received a large amount 

 of attention and admiration. Those portions of the floor of the 

 hall which were not available for the display of microscopes, were 

 placed at the disposal of Mr. C. J. Woodward, B.Sc, who had 

 charge of the display of scientific apparatus. There, among many 

 interesting objects, a collection of apparatus including Maxwell's 

 stereoscope and Graham's polytrome, lent by Messrs. Elliott of 

 London, an ice machine in operation, lent by the Wenham L;ike 

 Ice Company, a cylinder printing press and a pantograph, both in 

 operation, were exhibited. A lithographic press was kept pretty 

 constantly at work in printing copies of a drawing which had been 

 reduced from its original size by means of the pantograpli. Mr. 

 Woodward also exhibited a, to us, novel arrangement for showing 

 experiments with sensitive and singing flames. In the galleries 

 we noticed some beautiful photograms from Dr. Maddox's nega- 

 tives, a case of exquisite casts from the same by Woodbury's 

 process, and an extremely valuable collection of burettes for the 

 purposes of volumetrical analysis, lent by Mr. J. How of London. 

 Mr. AVheeler showed a large collection of microscopic objects and 

 cabinets. Among its many objects of attraction, a set of models 

 in operation showing Mr. Lewis Jones' method of regulating 

 clocks by electricity formed an interesting exhibition. The re- 

 mainder of the space in the galleries was occupied by photograms, 

 specimens of drawings produced by the new process of grapho- 

 typing, a curious collection of books printed by Baskwills, some 

 admirable stereoscopes and graphoscopes provided by Messrs. 

 Murray and Heath and local makers, and a costly and exceedingly 

 beautiful collection of enamels and jewellery from the respective 

 establishments of Messrs. Elkington and Messrs. Eandel, both of 

 which are calculated to uphold the reputation of Birmingham for 

 art metal work. 



