350 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



variations arc only 3 millioutlis.) The only question remaining is, 

 is the standard from which the work is done true ? Well, I believe 

 it will be shown that it is ; but suppose not, is it not infinitely better 

 to have a standard measure, even though it be not an absolutely accu- 

 rate subdivision of a metre or inch, so long as it is possible to make 

 all standards agree, than to have so much confusion as we find at 

 present ? I hope your Society will take this view of it, and I am 

 sure that any man who has ever undertaken t(') prepare a standai-d 

 micrometer for his own use from a comparison of those in the market, 

 will need no argument to convince him of the value of this under- 

 taking. Why should we go on, year after year, publishing microscopic 

 dimensions from micrometers which we know are not true ? All such 

 work will need revision in the future, if it is of any value at least. 



I did not mean to say all this. However, I do hope your Society 

 will have something to say about this matter, and co-operate heartily 

 with what may be done here. The matter is in good hands on this 

 side of the water, and what action is taken will be final I believe. 

 Above all things, let us try to avoid the adoj^tion of one standard here 

 and another in England." 



Mr. Crouch said that, having had the pleasure of seeing Professor 

 Kogers and his machine, he thought it was not at all likely that any- 

 one on this side of the Atlantic would be disposed to go to the expense 

 that had been gone to in the matter by that gentleman. 



The Chairman announced that the second Scientific Evening of 

 the Session would be held on the 21st May, in the Library of King's 

 College. 



A SPECIAL GENEEAL MEETING was then held pursuant 

 to notice. 



Dr. Braithwaite moved, and Mr. Stewart seconded, the following 

 resolution : — 



That Bye-law 7 be amended by substituting "31Z. 10s." for 

 " 21Z." 



He said that it had been pretty generally found by the scien- 

 tific Societies that the Composition Fee was too low ; the Linnean 

 Society had recently raised it from 30/. to 45Z., and the Council now 

 recommended a proportionate increase. It would, of course, apply only 

 to Fellows nominated after this date. 



Dr. Edmunds considered that it was not desirable that the Compo- 

 sition Fee should be increased. 



The resolution was put to the Meeting and carried, with three 

 dissentients. 



Mr. Crisp moved, and Dr. Matthews seconded, the following reso- 

 lution : — 



That Bye-law 15 6 (see p. 212) be amended by inserting the 



following words at the end of the first paragraph thereof — 



" or of the Presidents or Chairmen of the Biological or 



Microscopical sections of such Societies." 



It had been found that some of the Societies nominated under the 



