26 JOURNAL OF THE [January, 



Mr. P. H. Dudley and Mr. C. W. McAllister were elected 

 Active Members of the Society. 



The following objects were exhibited: — 



Radial longitudinal section of Tamarack {Larix Americana), 

 showing medullary rays and starch grains : by P. H. Dudley. 



Fibro-cells of Pleurothallis ruscifolia : by M. M. Le Brun. 



Transverse section of Mandrake : by J. L. Wall. 



.■Ecidium ranunciilaceaniin : by Walter H. Mead. 



The " Electric Spark," prepared by Mr. E. G. Day : by H. 

 M. Dickinson. 



A New Microscope Stand, furnished by Mr. Green, successor 

 to Mr. Tolles: by J. Warnock. 



An Improved Portable Microscope, made by Mr. Zentmayer : 

 by C. S. Shultz. 



Mr. Dickinson said: "The ' Electric Spark ' which I am to ex- 

 hibit, is made by the passing of electricity through a tiny Geiss- 

 ler tube. The tube is mounted in a deep cell, and is viewed 

 through the microscope." 



Mr. Shultz : " Wishing a microscope which should embody, 

 so far as is possible, the excellent qualities of the Army Hos- 

 pital, the Histological, and the Portable Stands of Mr. Zent- 

 mayer, I procured of that maker the instrument which you see 

 in my hand. Besides other desirable features, it has a rotating 

 stage, a mirror of good size, and a large optical body." 



Mr. William Wales (in answer to an inquiry) : " The advantage 

 of a large over a small tube is connected mainly with the use of 

 the A eye-piece, because that eye-piece, having a larger field-lens, 

 can have a larger diaphragm and thus command an ampler field. 

 Liking to make the parts of a microscope to harmonize with one 

 another and with the size of the whole instrument, manufactur- 

 ers naturally attach a small tube to a small stand." 



The microscope which was exhibited by Mr. Warnock is, prac- 

 tically, a Tolles stand. Mr. Tolles was the author of all the 

 drawings and specifications, and some of the castings were made 

 before his death. The instrument was finished under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Charles X. Dalton, who was Mr. ToUes's worker in 

 brass. 



Mr. Shultz urged the Society to devise some plan for the 

 mutual exchange of mounted objects and other microscopical 

 material. 



