REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 197 



The following is a copy of the Balance Sheet : — 



The Postal Microscopical Society in Account with the Treasurer. 



£ s. d. 



By Balance brought forward 1 11 3 



Annual Subscription, Entrance 



Fees, and Subscription for 



Circulating- Journals ... 42 8 



Deficit carried forward ... 15 16 9 



£59 16 



Audited this 7th day of September, 1882. 



RICHD. H. MOORE. 



Referring to the above extraordinary deficit, the 

 Treasurer wishes to state that nearly £18 of last year's 

 subscription still remains unpaid, which if paid would have 

 shown as usual a balance in hand. 



Mr. Peal suggested that if there were any letters concerning 

 the operations of the Society addressed to the Chairman, they 

 should be read to the meeting. 



The President repUed that there was a letter from Colonel 

 Basevi addressed to the Secretary, which he would ask him to 

 read. 



The Secretary then read the following letter : — 



" Elm Lodge, Prestbury ; 



4th Oct., 1882. 

 " Dear Mr. Allen, — 



Though unable to be present with you to-morrow, at the 

 annual gathering of the P. M.S., I am anxious not to be totally 

 unrepresented, and will ask you, therefore, to read this letter to 

 the meeting. There are one or two points, I think, should be 

 laid before this Annual Meeting for their consideration and vote. 

 The first that I will mention is the circulation in our boxes of 

 what are known as ' Stock Slides.' Since the early part of this 

 year, no less than five boxes have contained the Proboscis of a 

 Blow-Fly, and the note-books to each reported the opinions of 

 members on the subject — one objecting, and the next remarking 

 some special feature said to be better seen in that particular slide 

 than in any previous one. Remarks such as these are, in my 

 opinion, very objectionable, and take up room that might be filled 



