PROCEEDINGS Of SOCIETIES. 157 
Four Members of Council : 
Thomas Brand, Esq. 
H. Deane, Esq., F.L.S. 
Richard Hodgson, Esq., F.R.A.S. 
H. J. Slack, Esq. 
In the place of— 
James Glaisher, Esq., F.R.S. 
Dr. Millar, F.L.S. 
Rey. J. B. Reade, F.R.S. 
S. C. Whitbread, Esq., F.R.S., 
who retire in accordance with the regulations of the Society. 
Resolved that the thanks of the Society be returned to Charles 
Brooke, Esq., for his services as President during the past year. 
March 8th, 1865. 
JAMES GLAISHER, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 
On taking the chair, the President addressed the meeting 
as follows:—When I was first asked to become your Presi- 
dent, I said that I was the wrong man to fill such a position, 
as I thought that the President of this Society should be an emi- 
nent microscopist, which I am not; as, beyond the possession of 
two or three microscopes, which, from being incessantly occupied 
in other pursuits, | have been unable to make very much use of, 
I have little or no claim to such a position. My objections, how- 
ever, were overruled, and I was selected by your Council, and 
afterwards elected by yourselves. It is therefore my duty to 
make the best of it, and be as good a President as I can. Still I 
feel that there will be many instances in which I shall have to 
throw myself upon your indulgence in respect to my ignorance of 
subjects upon which your President ought to be able to speak 
with authority. 
The first step I have taken in my new office has arisen from the 
fact, that the last number of your Journal had but little more than 
a single page devoted to the proceedings of three of your meet- 
ings! Now, I had been present myself at those meetings, and at 
all of them business of an interesting character had taken place, 
particularly at the last. You will recollect we had at this meet- 
ing the admirable address of your late President upon practical 
working with high powers. It was afterwards a matter of great 
erief to me that I had not his remarks, and those of Mr. Beck, 
and Mr. Lobb, and others, to refer to, in consequence of having 
no one here to take them down for us. 
The first thing I have done, therefore, is to endeavour to remedy 
this ; and you will notice that there is a gentleman here to-night 
for the first time who will take short-hand notes, and preserve 
for the benefit of those who cannot attend, the valuable remarks 
