37 



greatly admired by those members who "courted the gentle art." The 

 plates were drawn with great fidelity ; in some instances several fishes 

 were sketched from to ensure that the artist copied only the fresh colours 

 of the subject, and discarded the fish when it was faded. Mention must 

 also be made of the drawing, by Mr. Euskin himself, of a single feather 

 from the breast of a peacock, which is executed in water-colours, and when 

 examined with a powerful glass, appears merely a magnified reality, so 

 exquisite is the delicacy of the workmanship. The chief object of botanical 

 interest in the museum was an example of equisetum which had been 

 treated by some acid, all vegetable substance proper being dissolved 

 away, leaving a beautifully delicate network of the shape of the plant 

 in pure silica. This was preserved in glycerine. It was the chief 

 object of the Club to devote their attention to the natural science 

 collections. The shortening day afiforded but too little time for a 

 thorough inspection of many of the objects which required a better light 

 to be seen properly. The members were much interested in the numerous 

 works of art with which the museum is filled, but it was with the object of 

 better knowing Professor Ruskin as a naturalist that the excursion was 

 undertaken, and not for the purpose of following him in his study of art, 

 •for which his study of nature has rendered him so masterly a critic. 



A vote of thanks was proposed by the President to Mr. and Mrs. 

 Swann and their family, and in the course of his remarks he explained 

 what had been the object of Mr. Euskin in founding his museum at 

 Walkley, and gave a short sketch of Mr. Eu skin's work. The motion was 

 seconded by J. Stubbins, and carried with great unanimity. Mr. Swann 

 suitably responded, and pointed out that underlying all Mr. Euskin's 

 teaching was the principle that science and art are only useful as they tend 

 to raise and ennoble society. Dr. Sorby spoke of the importance of 

 scientific training for the artist, and described certain blemishes arising 

 ironi a want of such training which he had noticed as marring, in his 

 estimation, what was in other respects most excellent work. G. Paul, F.G.S., 

 aud Washington Teasdale, F.E.M.S., spoke of the pleasure the presence of 

 Dr. Sorby gave them, Mr. Teasdale remarking that Dr. Sorby was, he 

 believed, the one scientific man of the day whom Mr. Euskin liked and 

 sympathised with. 



October 30th, 1885. 



B. HOLGATE, F.G.S., on "SOME POINTS OF COMPAEISON 



BETWEEN LIMESTONE FLINTS AND lEONSTONE NODULES 



AND COAL BALLS OF THE COAL MEASUSES." 



The lecturer observed that, scattered throughout the shales of the coal 

 measures, and sometimes in. the middle of the seams of coal themselves, 

 are found substances which exhibit a tendency to assume a nodular foi-m. 

 Sometimes they are in isolated nodules, and sometimes in layers ; but, even 



