THE president's ADDRESS. 349 



scopists in the world that can bring forward such a display of 

 first-class microscopes as the members of the Qnekett Micro- 

 scopical Club. Probably they will not be covered from the top 

 of the e3'e-piece to the bottom of the foot with arcs graduated 

 on silver, but they will possess a steadiness and smoothness of 

 motion that will enable them to perform work of the highest 

 power with efficiency. 



It is a fact that the evolution of what may be called the 

 advanced students' microscope has taken place at this Club. 



On the one hand we did not give ourselves away in raptur- 

 ous praise of the continental microscope, which after a few 

 years had to be remodelled in all important movements, neither 

 on the other hand did we run riot in the swinging substage and 

 turning inside out abominations. But instruments of a sound 

 construction, built on a good scientific design, have first been 

 brought out here, and are constantly used and exhibited 

 by the members of this Club. By this statement it is not in- 

 tended to imply that all recent improvements in the microscope 

 have been the inventions of our members, far from it, but it 

 does mean that some instruments, whose introduction had been 

 received with acclamation, were here regarded with disfavour.* 

 Time has fully justified the correctness of our oj^inions, as those 

 instruments have disappeared for ever. The three forms of 

 advanced students' microscopes at the present day are, in the 

 order of their introduction. Swift's vertical lever. Baker's 

 direct acting differential screw, and Watson's horizontal lever. 

 All these three types are sprung throughout, have tripod 

 feet, and are made in every condition of completeness, from 

 those of the simplest kind to those having full mechanical 

 movements. One of the latest additions to the microscope is a 

 most useful one, and that is a rack work draw tube ; the draw 

 tubes of these instruments have been so much improved that 

 the same microscope will work both long and short tube lenses 

 equally well. Two of Messrs. Swift and Son's new elementary 

 students' microscopes have been exhibited here since the vaca- 

 tion; both these instruments have tripod stands of the Powell 

 pattern, viz., a horse-shoe resting on a tripod. When the micro- 

 scope is placed in a horizontal position the limb rests on the 



* This JouruDl, 1883, Vol. i., b.s., p, 324. 

 JouRN. Q. M. C, Series II., No 34. 25 



