195 



Messi-!?. Beck exhibited four new microscopes which had been 

 designed to meet the want of a good and cheap instrument for 

 student's use. They also exhibited an improved form of centrifuge, 

 much simpler in construction, and therefore less costly — though 

 not less efficient — than the similar instrument shown on a previous 

 occasion. 



The President said he had not had an opportunity of examining 

 these instruments, but they appeared to him to be a very useful 

 addition to the many kinds of student's microscopes which had 

 already been brought out. 



Mr. Karop thought they were very nicely constructed, but it 

 seemed to him that it was rather a disadvantage to have the 

 mirror so rigidly fixed. He thought it would be better to have 

 had this movable. 



Messrs. Watson also exhibited a new pattern microscope of the 

 student's type, possessing a firm stand and a body tube, which 

 could be extended from 6" to 10", so as to be used for objectives 

 corrected for either the Continental or English tube lengths. 



The President said this appeared to be a microscope of much 

 the same class as the others which w^ere shown, and it also 

 appeared to be very well made. 



Mr. Karop said they were much indebted to Messrs. Beck and 

 Messrs. Watson for sending these instruments for exhibition, l)ut 

 he noticed they had retained what he thought a great evil in 

 a microscope stage — spring clips, which were often extremely 

 inconvenient and in the way, knocking off cover glasses, etc. He 

 thought a sliding-bar was far preferable. 



Mr. Watson Baker said he had a sliding-bar in his bag which 

 he ought to have shown, as it would fit any of their student's 

 microscopes ; the spring clips merely had to be removed, and the 

 sliding-bar put on. 



The thanks of the Club were unanimously given to Messrs. 

 Beck and Watson for then* exhibits. 



Mr. George Massee gave a description of the Fungi usually to 

 be found in Epping Forest, and which it was expected they would 

 have collected at the special excursion of the Club on October 8th. 

 The continued dry weather, however, had been very prejudicial 

 to the growth of this class of vegetable organisms, so tliat very 

 few were actually found on the occasion. 



The President said they were greatly indebted to their friend 



