1905-1906.] Address by the President. 319 



times of the 5th and 19th Dynasties ; by Mr W. C. Crawford. 

 Shield - Drake {Anas tadorna), Summer Duck {^x sponsa), 

 Mandarin Drake {^Ex galerita), and Common Fruit Bat or 

 Fox Bat (Pteropus medius) ; by the Honorary Secretary. A 

 Fungus {Scleroderma vtdgare) from the New Forest, Hants ; 

 by Miss Sprague. A rare Fungus {Phycomyces nitens) from 

 Jamaica ; by Mr James Adams. Vegetable Caterpillar 

 {Torruhia Bohertsii), Calvary Clover {Medicago echinus), a 

 Garry ad {Garry a elliptica), a Globe Thistle {Pchinops amplexi- 

 caidis), and Pekin Nut {Cordyline australis) ; by Mr A. B. 

 Steele. The saffron finch, Bicheno's or double-banded birds, 

 and a cherry finch from Australia ; by Mr Brotherston. 



ADDEESS BY THE PEESIDENT, 



Mr JAMES RUSSELL, 



October 2^, 1906. 



When I had the honour of addressing you last year on an 

 occasion similar to this, I sketched out a plan which, in my 

 opinion, would enable you to undertake the study, in a some- 

 what systematic manner, of the various subjects which form 

 the object of our Society. In pursuing that study and in 

 penetrating into the secrets of the animal or vegetable king- 

 dom, the unaided human eye carries us but a little way. It 

 requires the help of an optical instrument of some kind, be it 

 a pocket-lens, a simple microscope, or a combination of lenses 

 called a compound microscope. When we use the term 

 " microscope " in common conversation, it is usually this last 

 instrument, the compound microscope, which is meant. As, 

 then, the microscope forms so important a part of the outfit 

 of a naturalist, — so much so, that no really scientific study can 

 be carried on without its aid, — it has occurred to me that it 

 might not be uninteresting or uninstructive if I brought before 

 you to-night in plain language a short account of the evolu- 

 tion of this instrument from the simple glass globules with 

 VOL. v. X 



