174 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Desmidie.—Mr. Henry Lee exhibited living young salmon, 
living larve of gnats, and preparations of Asteride. There 
were numerous other exhibitors with most interesting objects, 
which were highly appreciated and most attentively examined 
by the large numbers assembled on the occasion. 
May 9th, 1866. 
JaMES GLAISHER, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 
Two papers by James Smith, Hsq., F.L.S., “On a Leaf-holder 
for the Microscope,” and “On a revolving Slide-holder with 
Selenite Stage,’’ were read. (‘Trans.,’ p. 100.) 
The thanks of the Society were tendered to Mr. Smith. 
A paper, by F. H. Wenham, Esgq., “ On a Binocular Microscope 
‘ with High Powers,” was read. (‘Trans.,’ 103.) 
Mr. Beck thought a distinction should now be drawn between 
the binocular microscope and the microscope with stereoscopic 
vision. Hitherto the binocular microscope had been looked on 
as giving stereoscopic vision; but in the present case there was 
rather a tendency to give the objects a flatter appearance. He 
was of opinion that Mr. Wenham’s invention would render little 
aid in matters of research, and remarked that Mr. Wenham had 
not in his paper given any instance in which his own arrangement 
or Messrs. Powell and Leyland’s prisms would be of any real 
advantage. | 
Mr. Brownine supported Mr. Beck’s views with regard to 
stereoscopic vision. He had been unable to get stereoscopic 
effect from any arrangement of the kind under discussion, and 
when he attempted to do so a part of the field of view was cut off. 
It was too far from the object-glass necessarily used with high 
powers. There was, no doubt, a certain comfort in being able to 
use both eyes, and in this lay the real merit of the invention. 
The same advantage attended the use of the binocular telescope, 
as it enabled the observer to continue his observations with less 
fatigue ; but he had never been able by it to produce the slightest 
stereoscopic relief. 
A Memeperr thought it would be difficult to overrate the value 
of being able to use both eyes. He had attempted to improve 
the binocular telescope with a view to bringing it to a moderate 
price; but though he had not succeeded in that object, he had 
produced some good binocular telescopes which answered very 
well, and but for their being less portable he thought no one who 
could obtain a binocular telescope would use a monocular one. 
Mr. Srack said that his two eyes differed in focus to such an 
extent that he did not care for the ordinary binocular arrange- 
ment, but thought that persons whose eyes were ordinarily nearly 
alike in focus would be sayed fatigue in making quick compa- 
