in-lestructible and arH of great variety of form 

 au<i brtauty. The. are all oceanic, and when alive 

 are of the most brilliant colours. They existed 

 in enormous numbers in distant geoloo^ioil periods 

 and forme! {vvith the Di Uom ice) large deposits 

 in many parts ot Europe, Africi, and Americ*, 

 notably in Birbadoes, where large masses of rock 

 are composed almost entirely of Polycistinre. 

 Examples of great bjaut-y were shewn. 



Here, said the lecturer, we part company with 

 the animal world at its lowest b'>undary. and make 

 the ac [uaintance of strange forms of vegetable 

 life having the power of motion— the D I ATOMAC J. — 

 minute organisms, enclosed in asilic-'ous envelope 

 or cell, often exhibiting an elaborate pattern. 

 'I'liis siliceous envelope consists of t vo valves or 

 plates, the cavity .between the two being filled 

 with the cell contents. When the vegetable 

 matter has been got rid of by boiling in nitric 

 acid, there remains the flinty envelope, which is 

 one of the most interesting objects tor examina- 

 tion by the microscope. A number of extremely 

 beautiful examples were shown by the lantern, 

 viz. : Mixed groups from Hungary in several 

 different combinations — Coscinodiscus, Helio- 

 peftis, Biddu'phia, Triceratum /-ivus, Tricer- 

 atiuni ijU'xdratus, Arachnnidiscus oriiatus, Isth- 

 mia nervosa, etc. The cjnclu ling observations 

 of the lecturer were as follows: — Thus must end 

 our feeble attempt to snatch some glimpses of 

 the hidden beauty that exist? in most organic 

 bodies, although the eyes of comparatively few 

 men ever rest upon if. We have seen that, the 

 more we investigate the structure, and unveil the 

 fiamework which supports the outward form of 

 many farniliar objects, the more do we discover of 

 beauty and grace, while sjme creatures, whose 

 external appearaoce is m )st attractive, are rarely 

 seen by man; and it is noteworthy that in our 

 investigations this evening in a descending scale 

 frv»ui the mollusca to the diatomacece we appear 

 to have found more and m>re beauty in the 

 creatures belonging to each succeeding cla-;s 

 and ord^r. Certainly not the least beautiful 

 are those which came last under our observation. 

 Many of those are so minute that a single one can 

 ecan-ely be discovered if laid on a piece of glass. 

 These moving beings existed in the depths of 

 ocean, living their life unseen by the eye of man ; 

 dying by myriads long ages ago, and now, being 

 indestructible, form great masses of earth and 

 rock. Yet, when separated and examined with 

 the microscop", they display the most exquisite 

 symmetry of form, and beauty of ornamentation 

 in endless variety. So with portions of the 

 structure of many of the larger organisms when 

 cirefully examined. The section of the spine of 

 an Echinus ; the many-soloured spicules of 

 Gorgoni i — the siliceous odontophores ot the 

 <Msterop)da. The sculptured cells of Lepralia 

 and other Polyzoa, all these rev^-al beauty which 

 is n >t suspected, and never found till searched 

 out with care and pains. 



For what, and for whom, was all this beauty — 



th is microscopic beauty — created 'f The discoveries 

 we make in these researches are analogous to ttie 

 discovery by the traveller who is tbe first of 

 human kind to visit some remote part of the earth, 

 and who suddenly comes upon an unknown flower 

 of the rarest beauty, which has probably been 

 blooming for ages unseen by, and unknown to man. 

 Thousands of such flowers are blooming now upon 

 the earth. Myriads of creatures as beautiful as 

 those we have seen to-night exist, unknown to us, 

 after centuries of investigation. Some, perhaps, 

 so minute that our limited vision, even aided by 

 the most powerful glasses, can never discover 

 them. 



Such reflections, if they inspire a feeling of 

 gratitude for the po.verof insight into the marvels 

 of nature already vouchsafed to us, may help to 

 keep us humble 



" In Nature's infinite Book of Mystery 

 A little have I rt-ad." 



Perhaps I had better conclude with a more 

 practical refiection. If the industrious research 

 of the student of nature is rewarded by the dis- 

 covery of so much beauty which otherwise would 

 never have b en seen and known, what a justifica- 

 tion that face is for the existence of such a Society 

 as ours, and what an incentive to its promoters 

 and supporters t ) continue to afford facilities to 

 students tj prosecute their researches. 



It seems to me also that I have this evening 

 exemplified the wisdom of associating the practice 

 of photography with the primary work of the 

 Natural Histoty Society. But for the labours of 

 Mr Fiddian. wno has most kindly prepared for 

 me a number of sli les and lent me s-iuie already 

 in his possession, my lecture would have been a 

 very dry one. I am also greatly indebted to Mr. 

 Ma in for the u^e of his splendid lanteru, to Mr. 

 L inder tor much kind help, and to the Rev. W. M. 

 Kodwell for the loan of some of his beautitul 

 marine microscopic slides. 



Captain McDak>n ppiposed a vote of thanks to 

 the lecturer, which was seconded by Mr. W. P. 

 Mann and carried with acclamation, Mr. Saunders 

 briefly returning thanks. 



The Secretary then showed some dififraction 

 gratingj, by i horn, of Manchester, and ex- 

 plained that they were male by ruling the 

 grating with about 15.00J lines to the inch, 

 and then painting it over with a solution ot 

 celluloid in acetone. This was allowed to dry, and 

 on being peeled off was a perfect existing of the 

 grating. This was mounted between glass and 

 used instead of a prism for spectroscopes and 

 other scientific purposes. The great advantage 

 of this new method was that it gave a better 

 spectrum and is also very much cheaper. 



Before the compiny separated several interest- 

 ing slides showing the Proclamation of the new 

 King at Canterbury on the previous Fridiy were 

 thrown on the screen. Oue .-howed the Town 

 Clerk reading the Proclamation at Westgate. and 

 was kindly lent by Mr. H. B. CoUis, of the West- 

 gate Studio. 



^ ^ ^ ^ 



■i^ ^ ■^ ^ ■^ 



