118 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Microscoricau Society, October 21st, 1857. 
Grorce Suapsort, Esq., President, in the chair. 
A paper was read by Dr. Donkin, “On the Marine Diato- 
mace of Northumberland, with a description of twenty new 
species. (‘Trans.,’ p. 12.) 
Another paper, by T. 8S. Ralph, Esq., “On a Mode of Iila- 
minating Objects,” was read. 
November 11th, 1857. 
Grorce SuHapzott, Esq., President, in the chair. 
H. W. Lobb, Esq.; Samuel Mason, Esq.; John May, 
Esq.; Thomas Spencer, Esq.; and G. Y. Sharpe, Esq., were 
balloted for, and duly elected members of the Society. 
A paper, by T. 8. Ralph, Esq., “On a Mode of Perforating 
Glass Slides for Mounting Objects, and on various methods 
of Mounting Objects in them,” was read. (‘Trans.,’ p. 34.) 
Mr. R. J. Farrants made the following remarks : 
‘“‘The author of the paper just read has noticed the want of 
a-medium in which moist specimens could be mounted and 
preserved, the requisite properties being that it should ‘ vis- 
cify, and be readily miscible with glycerme and with water. 
This want is, in part at least, supplied by the gelatine me- 
dium of Mr. H. Deane, the formula for which was given in 
the third volume of the ‘Transactions’ of this Society, but 
which the author seems to have overlooked. This medium is 
rendered fluid by heat, the necessity for which in many cases 
precludes its use. In its stead I have for some time used a 
mixture of gum and glycerine, which I find suitable im all 
cases where the gelatine medium is proper, while it may also 
be used for mounting some other delicate structures for 
which the gelatine would be unsuitable. Gum in solution 
was, some years ago, extensively tried as a medium for 
mounting microscopic objects; but its tendency to crack 
when dry (by which it frequently happened that the object 
immersed in it was spoiled) was found to be an imsuperable 
objection to its use, and it was, I believe, entirely super- 
seded by Canada balsam. Now the tendency of the gum 
to crack on drying, may be altogether prevented by the 
