88 



thought, as the hour was advanced, it would be better to postpone 

 until the next meeting. 



Mr. Scourfield exhibited a camera lucida for use with the 

 microscope, which was originally devised by Mr. Ashe, and had 

 since been modified and improved. It was in action something 

 like a Beale's neutral tint reflector, but could be used with the 

 microscope inclined at any angle, and the second reflection got rid 

 of the lateral inversion which was so troublesome a feature in 

 drawings made with a Beale's reflector (seeJowrn. Q.M.C.^ vol. vii., 

 p. 413). 



Mr. Kousselet said that when this camera lucida was originally 

 brought forward, he made one for himself out of cardboard, only 

 he substituted a piece of speculum metal for the silvered glass 

 mirror, and in this way got rid of the double image. 



The President thought that in common with all contrivances 

 of this kind there would be some degree of distortion, and if there 

 was any difference in the distortion at different angles, the tilting 

 of the paper to correct this would be a very great inconvenience 

 in drawing. Drawings made without regard to this were sure 

 to be distorted, and in the case of very long objects the effect 

 would be to considerably widen one end. So much so had this 

 sometimes been the case that new species had actually been 

 founded on the differences so produced. 



Mr. Karop thought it was quite impossible to avoid distortion 

 in drawings of this class unless they were made on a concave 

 surface of proper curvature. He thought a much more reliable 

 way was to make the drawing on paper ruled in squares, using 

 ruled squares in the eyepiece ; he found no difliculty in making 

 drawings in this manner. 



Mr. Scourfield also exhibited a remarkably compact mass of 

 statoblasts of Cristatella muceclo, found at the Club's excursion to 

 the East London Waterworks on October 6th. He said that 

 these statoblasts had on that occasion been taken literally by the 

 handful. 



The Secretary, in making the announcements for the ensuing 

 month, intimated that in consequence of some contemplated alter- 

 ations in the North Room, it might be necessary for them in the 

 course of a month or so to hold their meetings half an hour 

 later than usual, whilst the work in question was going on ; due 

 notice would, however, be given of this. 



