36 CORRESPONDENCE. 



much alteration of the generic character. The author is, no doubt, 

 right in abolishing the conditions of stipitatc, tubular, &c, as being of 

 no value. He remarks, ' The conditions frondosc, stipitate, filamentous, 

 tubular, &c, I have not considered sufficient to warrant the formation 

 of new genera. A long study of living forms has convinced me that 

 these characters are fleeting — not to be relied on.' " 



A Latin Work on the Desmidise, which contains 100 pages and 

 five plates, has been issued by the Royal Society of Sciences, at Upsala. 

 It is under the authorship of M. P. M. Lundel, and is said to be a very 

 good book. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Mistake about Objectives used Binocularly. 



To the Editor of the 'Monthly Microscopical Journal.'' 



Cliftos, Bristol, Dec. 11, 1872. 



Sir, — Immediately I observed Mr. Wenham's letter in your 

 December number, in reply to mine of the 19th Oct., I wrote to the 

 gentleman who furnished me with the information, and he replied to 

 this effect — that he decidedly objected to his name being men- 

 tioned, and added, " you misunderstood what I said, and Mr. Wenham 

 has misunderstood what you wrote." 



Now I must repeat that what I stated in my letter to the ' Monthly 

 Microscopical Journal ' was precisely what he did say in our con- 

 versation on the subject, and also that the statement relative to the 

 matter was made during a casual conversation at the meeting of the 

 Society, several members standing near, any one of whom might have 

 heard what was said, and, that it was made without the slightest 

 reservation as to its publicity, so that at the time I neither doubted 

 its correctness, nor imagined anything to the contrary of its being 

 commonly known. 



Although I do not enjoy the pleasure of Mr. Wenham's acquaint- 

 ance personally, I very much regret that he should have been annoyed 

 by the publication of what appears to him to be an absolute untruth. 



I am, Sir, yours truly, 



Samuel Smith, 



Szirgcon, 



A Microscopical Puff. 



To the Editor of the 'Monthly Microscopical Journal.'' 



Kixg's College, Dec. 21, 1872. 

 Sir,- — On the 18th instant a paragraph, headed "Royal Micro- 

 scopical Society," and purporting to give an account of the " Annual 

 Soiree," held on the 11th, appeared in ' The Times,' and I believe in 

 some other papers. 



No " Annual Soiree " was held on that occasion, but a private 

 Scientific Evening, as reported in this number of the Journal. 



