26o Transactions of the [Sess. 



MEETINGS OF MICROSCOPIC SECTION. 



Six meetings for practical work witli tlie microscope were held 

 during the Session under the presidency of Dr J. M. Macfarlane, 

 all of which were numerously attended. 



At the first meeting (6th Noveuiber 1884) a demonstration on 

 the structure and mode of preparation of the glands of Nepenthes 

 was given by Dr Macfarlane and Mr A. D. Richardson. The 

 second meeting (5th December 1884) was devoted to a description 

 of various forms of microtomes, with a demonstration of the methods 

 of cutting sections, by Mr Alexander Frazer, M.A., optician. The 

 following is a brief notice of improved forms of ether and imbed- 

 ding microtomes, as submitted by Mr Frazer : — 



IMPROVED FORMS OP ETHER AND IMBEDDING 

 MICROTOMES. 



The appliance illustrated in fig. 1 is part of a microtome in 

 which the Cathcart method of freezing is adopted, and by which 

 sections are cut by tlie knife of Williams' (Swift's) microtome. 

 Experience having shown that the Williams' knife is an exceed- 

 ingly good form of section- cutter, and that the Cathcart method 

 of freezing is very convenient, the present instrument has been 



Fig. 1. 



designed to combine the advantages of the knife and the method 

 of freezing already mentioned. A detailed explanation of the 

 instrument is hardly necessary. A stout brass tube is fixed to 

 the frame, which is the body of the instrument, and which sup- 

 ports a small insulated zinc plate, upon the under side of which a 

 spray of ether impinges as in the Cathcart microtome. The frame 

 also supjjorts a glass plate, which is slightly below the level of the 

 zinc freezing-plate, and upon this glass j)late the Williams' tripod 



