12 
moving the doubts which had arisen in that great man’s 
mind. Now this insect was a familiar object to them all. 
They would find it in every dirty little pond in the commons 
around their neighbourhood, and an examination of its won- 
derful structure would amply repay them for the trouble 
of procuring it. Such studies as those would be a source of 
delight to them which all the cares of the world could not 
deprive them of. If they followed out the rules which Mr. 
Lee had placed before them, he ventured to say that in times 
to come they would look back with pleasure and delight to the 
efforts he had made to form them into a Microscopical Society. 
He cordially agreed with the observaticens of his friend the 
President, with regard to the organization of this Society. 
He had heard it casually remarked that they proposed at first 
to make their annual subscription 5s., but he would advise 
them not to begin with a strain of economy. Let them have 
such a beginning as would offer a fair opportunity of organ- 
ising themselves with a resonable income, and not with a 
sum which was likely to restrict their operations, or tend in 
any way to cramp their efforts. He had to express the deep 
pleasure he felt in being amongst them on this occasion, and 
he hoped he should be spared to come and see them again 
when they were in full working condition. He trusted that 
they would pursue the goodly rule which had been successful 
in other societies, namely, let every member take up some 
subject for himself, and carry it out earnestly and rigidly. 
Such was the wonderful variety in minute natural history, 
that new objects were continually presenting themselves ; and 
although a host of men had examined one particuar object, 
a new observer might probably discover something which had 
escaped their attention; and he strongly advised that the 
new discovery should be recorded, maturely considered by 
frequent observation, and when that was done, that it should 
be published to the world. If this course were pursued, the 
Croydon Society would rise to a high degree of reputation. 
He concluded by wishing it a thorough success in its under- 
taking. 
The Rev. J. B. Reapg, F.R.S., President of the Royal 
Microscopical Society, having been called on by the Chair- 
man, said he sincerely congratulated the meeting on the 
establishment of the Croydon Microscopical Club, and was 
especially glad to find that the Society possessed such an 
excellent President as his well-known friend, Mr. Lee, and 
that he presided over such an intelligent body of men. It 
would have been impossible to inaugurate the Society 30 
years ago, under similar circumstances, because men’s minds 
were not at that period trained to see the importance of the 
