33 



MICROSCOPICAL SECTION 



December 17th, 1860. 



Letters were read from Sir Leopold Mc. Clintoek, Mr. J. 

 W. Read, of the Admiralty, and Dr. Wallich, who accom- 

 panied the former in the Bull Dog, in the late expedition to 

 the North Seas. Dr. Wallich kindly presented to the Section 

 a few copies of his pamphlet on " Life in the Deep Sea," now 

 circulating amongst the members. 



A Letter was also read from Captain M. F. Maury, of the 

 U.S. Navy, promising to supply envelopes for soundings 

 amongst the sperm whalers and other vessels trading to the 

 Pacific Ocean, &c. 



Specimens of incrustations from the boilers of the steamer 

 Edinburgh, trading from Glasgow and Liverpool to New 

 York ; from the steamer Rhone, from Liverpool to Venice, 

 Trieste, &c. ; and from the steamer Minho, from Liverpool to 

 Lisbon and Oporto, were received from Mr. W. A. Hayman, 

 of Liverpool. The incrustations are as hard as marble, 

 breaking with a crystalline fracture, and showing, by different 

 coloured strata, the crust obtained from harbours and from 

 the open sea. Mr. Dale stated that the component parts of 

 the incrustations are sulphates of lime, magnesia, &c. ; he 

 recommended maceration in bicarbonate of ammonia to obtain^ 

 calcareous shells, and in weak acids or muriate of barytes to 

 obtain silicious shells. Various members took specimens for 

 examination. 



