44 
Mr; Wonror exhibited a specimen of the silicious sponge (Euplee- 
tella mirabilis), or Venus’ flower-basket ; specimens of yellow wagtail, 
grey-headed ditto, and a state either intermediate between the two or 
in the immature plumage of the second, While the first is common, 
the second is uncommon, and the last very rare. These birds were 
kindly lent by Messrs. Pratt and Sons, and had been obtained in the 
neighbourhood of Brighton ; also a very dark variety of the northern 
oak eggar moth. 
May 25TH. 
ANNIVERSARY MICROSCOPICAL MEETING. 
Mr. R. Guaisyer reported that 122 slides and a Moller’s diatom 
type slide had been added to the Cabinet during the year. 
Mr. Wonror gave a brief abstract of the proceedings, with an 
account of the Papers read and the work done, which, he said, had 
exceeded their anticipations when it was determined twelve months 
previously to hold monthly microscopical meetings. Judging from what 
they had done in advancing microscopical enquiry among the members 
during the past year, it augured well for increased exertions in the 
forthcoming year. 
Mr. Wonror then gavean account of a method for obtaining thin 
sections of soft rocks, and illustrated it by making and mounting 
sections. He first cut with a saw (the one used was the common fret 
saw) slices of oclite, &c., ground down one surface on glass paper 
of different degrees of fineness, and then fastened them to a 
glass slide, with moderately-stiff heated Canada balsam. As soon as 
cold, the other surface was ground down on glass paper to as thina 
degree as required, always finishing on very fine glass paper. The 
superfluous balsam was then cleared away and the powdery matter 
cleaned off with spirits of wine, when the slide was ready for the 
cabinet, or could be covered with thin cold balsam and glass cover, and 
left to harden. The specimens of oolite which were used to illustrate 
were part of the stone being used in making the Brighton Aquarium. 
