42 



designed for obtaining oblique light, and for making false 

 images of diatom structure. The pond weed apparatus was 

 just like a " centipede " used for grappling submarine cables. 



Mr. Western thought it was a great improvement upon the 

 ordinary drag hook, which was an extremely inconvenient thing 

 to carry in the pocket and uncomfortable to sit upon. 



Messrs. Ross and Co. sent also for exhibition a collection of 

 their latest instruments, representing nearly every class of their 

 work, from the small star microscope upwards. 



The President said they were much indebted to Messrs. Ross 

 for sending down these instruments. The chief novelty was 

 the means for rotating the body on the round stand, by means 

 of which very great stability w r as secured when the body was 

 inclined or placed in the horizontal position. The second 

 novelty seemed to be in the substage, which was made some- 

 what on the Reichert plan, turning out on one side in a manner 

 which certainly had its advantages. He thought this arrange- 

 ment of the foot would make it very good for photography, for 

 though the base was circular it really rested on three points, 

 and therefore it was steady. 



Mr. Karop could not help thinking that the position of the 

 iris diaphragm was a mistake, because it cut off the rays in the 

 wrong place, viz., too near the apex of the cone. 



Mr. Ingpen said with regard to the diaphragm not being 

 used with the condenser, the old French plan was to have three 

 apertures, and these were adopted and used in the old Zeiss 

 instruments, but they were meant more to be used when the 

 condenser was out of use. The origin of the plan was the old 

 Varley dark chamber. 



Mr. Western read a paper " On four Foreign Rotifers not 

 previously recorded as found in Britain." 



Mr. Bryce said he had an opportunity afforded him of seeing 

 the form last mentioned by Mr. Western, and he came strongly 

 to the conclusion that it was not Rotifer mento, i.e., if any 

 reliance was to be placed upon Anderson's drawings. It was 

 very like Rotifer vulgaris, and required very careful observa- 

 tion to distinguish it. 



The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Western for 

 his communication. 



Mr. Karop said that as the matter on the agenda paper was 



