230 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.; 



At this meeting, wliicli was numerously attended by mem- 

 bers and friends, Mr. F. M. E-immington, Honorary Secretary, 

 read a paper, " On the History and Principles of Construc- 

 tion of the Binocular Microscope," tracing the progressive 

 improvements of the different binocular arrangements, from 

 the first announcement of Professor Riddell's to the last beauti- 

 ful achievements of Wenham. The paper excited considerable 

 interest, and, at the conclusion, an animated discussion on the 

 subject took place. The author of the paper afterwards tested 

 the powers of the new arrangements, by exhibiting to the members 

 a variety of objects. 



Mmj Qth. — At this meeting the Secretary read a paper, " On 

 Adulteration of Pood." 



June 6th. — This meeting was numerously attended, and an 

 interesting paper was read by Gr. Graham, Esq., M.R.C.S., " On 

 the Parasites of Man ;" after which he exhibited some interesting 

 specimens of many of the parasites. 



"West Kent Miceoscopical SociETr. 



Since • our' Jdst notice several meetings have been held, and 

 some interesting papers read. The Society has lately received a 

 great accession by the amalgamation with it of the Greenwieh. 

 Natural History Club, and will, therefore, in future, be known as 

 The West Kent Natural History and Microscopical Society. 



This Society gave its first soiree on Wednesday evening, the 

 5th June, at Blackheath, which proved most successful in every 

 respect. Upwards of forty microscopes were supplied by the 

 members and their friends. Among the many objects of natural 

 history we can only notice a few of the more prominent. A 

 number of very beautiful hot-house plants, lent by the President, 

 John Penn, Esq., attracted universal attention, as did the very 

 superb collection of ferns and sea- weeds, both exotic and English, 

 belonging to J. Jardine, Esq. The beautiful collection of insects, 

 lent by N. B. Engleheart, Esq., and the fossils and other geolo- 

 gical specimens by Flaxman Spanell, Esq., were very much 

 admired, and many other rare and beautiful objects too numerous 

 to mention. 



Mr. Ladd also exhibited, during the evening, the " spectrum 

 analysis." Refreshments were provided for the visitors, who 

 numbered about 300. 



