73 proceedings of societies. 



Hull Micro-Philosopiiical Societv. 



TuE first meeting of the sessional course of this Society took 

 place on Friday evening last (21st September, ISGO), at their 

 rooms in the Boyal Institution, on which occasion Mr. P. Bruce 

 delivered a lecture on the " Use and Construction of the Mi- 

 croscope," in the course of which he congratulated the Society 

 on its progi'ess, and on the resolution of the previous meeting to 

 form a microscopic library and museum. Mr. Bruce alluded to 

 the fact of the introduction by him of the first achromatic 

 microscope into Hull, and to his discovery (hitherto attributed in 

 all microscopic works to Mr. SoUitt and Mr. Harrison) of the 

 delicate markings on cei"tain Diatomacea3,which have since become 

 the almost unive-rsal test for a good instrument ; if, indeed, they 

 have not contributed greatly to the production of the present 

 high quality of the achromatic object-glass. An animated discus- 

 sion took place on the various subjects connected with the lecture, 

 which occupied the meeting till the ixsual hour of separation. — 

 Hidl Paclcet. * 



Islington Literary and Scientific Institution. 



A microscopical soiree was held at this institution, November 

 1st, 1S60. About fifty microscopes were exhibited by Mr. Thomas 

 Boss, Messrs. Powell and Lealand, Messrs. Smith and Beck, and 

 other makers, and several members of the institution. 



Among the objects exhibited were the rotatory circulation of 

 the sap of the Valisneria spiralis, exhibited by Mr. Lobb ; the 

 circulation of the sap in the hairs of the petal of the Tradescantia 

 and of the blood in a small water-newt, by ^lessrs. Powell 

 and Lealand ; the ciliary action of a portion of the gill of a bivalve 

 mollusc, by Messrs. Smith and Beck ; some curious microscopic 

 photographs of a thousand-pound note, the Lord's Prayer, the 

 Creed, and several vieAvs of cathedrals, &c., by Mr. Dancer, of 

 Manchester ; and also some beautiful crystals by polarized light, 

 by some of the members of the institution. Mr. Thomas Ross 

 exhibited some new microscopic objectives, which were remark- 

 able for their large aperture and accurate defining power. 



Mr. Hislop delivered a lecture on the construction and uses of 

 the Microscope, illustrated by diagrams of Eoss's large Mi- 

 croscope, and of the earliest Achromatic Microscope, which was 

 manufactured by Mr. Tulley, of Islington, one of which is now in 

 the possession of Dr. Bowerbank. 



This institution has, in connection with it, a class for the study 

 of the microscope, and the following papers ai'e announced to 

 be read during the ensuing session : — " On Eutomostraca and 

 the Eyes of Insects," by Mr. T. W. Burr; "On Marine and 

 Eresh-water Polyzoa," by Mr. "W. Hislop ; " On Eresh- water 

 AlgfP," by Mr. Mestayer; "On the Vegetable Cell," by Mr. 

 E. Moreland, jun. ; "On the Organization of Insects." by Mr. 

 Reiner; "On Eoraminifera," by Mr. Slade; "On Polarizing 

 Crystals," by Mr. Thomson. 



