1889.] NEW-YORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 79 



Norton, Mass., on January 20th, 1889, and he reviewed Mr. 

 Braman's connection with the Society, and his literary and 

 scientific work. 



On motion, the following Committee, to formulate suitable 

 action of the Society upon the death of Mr. Braman, was 

 appointed by the Chair : — Walter H Mead, William E. Damon 

 and John L. Wall. 



Dr. H. Hensoldt addressed the Society on " Echinoderms, 

 and what they teach us." This Address was illustrated by 

 black-board sketches and table-specimens. 



OBJECTS EXHIBITED. 



1. An original letter of Charles Darwin to Prof. Owen, written 

 in March, 1848, and almost wholly relating to the microscope : 

 by Chas. F. Cox. 



2. Beef-fat crystals, polarized : by E. J. Wright. 



3. Diatoms, from Salt Lake Desert : by K. M! Cunningham 

 (a visitor). 



4. Foraminifera, from Kansas chalk : by K. M. Cunningham. 



5. Foraminifera, from N. J. greensand : by K. M. Cun- 

 ningham. 



6. Vegetable tissues, from clay of New York City : by K. M. 

 Cunningham. 



7. A fungus destructive to fish in aquaria : by F. W. Leggett. 

 Apropos of his exhibit, Mr. Cox spoke of the quantity and 



quality of Charles Darwin's microscopical work, and read 

 extracts from his Life and Letters in illustration of the progress 

 made by him in the knowledge and the manipulation of the 

 microscope and iis accessories, from the time when, before the 

 Beagle voyage, in 1831, Robert Brown, the botanist, allowed him 

 a glance at ' his little secret ' (probably cyclosis in a plant-cell), 

 down to the period in his later life when he was engaged in con- 

 stant microscopical investigation, in connection with his study 

 of insectivorous plants, in which he found need for the higher 

 powers of the best compound instrument. 



Mr. Cox spoke also of the interest attaching to the fact that 

 Mr. Darwin actually devised and carried into effect manifest 

 improvements in the simple dissecting microscope, as shown by 

 the letter, which he then read and passed to the members. 



