PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 1 
Quexerr MicroscopicaL Crus. 
Ordinary Meeting, November 24, 1876.—Henry Lee, Esq., F.L.S., 
President, in the chair. 
A paper by Mr. C. F. George, “On a Species of Argas found in 
the Roof of Blyborough Church,” was read by Mr. Curties. This was 
at first considered to be Argas reflecus, specimens of which had been 
found in Canterbury Cathedral, but it was finally determined to be 
Argas Fischerii. Its mode of introduction was doubtful, as it might 
have been brought in the pine timber with which the roof had been 
repaired, or by the bats which sometimes frequented the church. It 
was suggested that much interesting information on the subject might 
be obtained by the examination of old roofs that were being taken to 
pieces. The paper was well illustrated by drawings and specimens. 
Mr. Charles Stewart gave a lecture “ On the Histology of Skin,” 
in which he traced its development from the simple cell and the 
growth and structure of the dermal membrane of sponges, through its 
various modifications in echinoderms, mollusks, fish, reptiles, birds, 
and mammals. Mr. Stewart’s admirable diagrams in coloured chalks 
upon the black-board added to the interest of the lecture, which was 
highly appreciated by the members. 
Ordinary Meeting, December 22, 1876.—Henry Lee, Esq., F.L.S., 
President, in the chair. 
Mr. Henry Crouch read a paper “On Microscopy in the United 
States of America,” giving some interesting details of a recent tour in 
that country, and of the microscopes, &c., exhibited at the Centennial 
Exhibition at Philadelphia. He also exhibited some beautiful speci- 
mens of vegetable tissues prepared by Dr. J. G. Hunt, of Philadelphia. 
Some of these showed the structure remarkably well by the aid of 
double staining with aniline dyes. 
San Francisco MicroscoricaL Society. 
The semi-monthly meeting of the Microscopical Society was held 
in the new rooms, December 7, with Professor Wiliam Ashburner in 
the chair. 
Mr. H. C. Hyde donated one of Zentmayer’s amplifiers, for 
doubling the magnifying power of any combination of eye-pieces and 
object-glasses, which was adjusted by him during the evening, and its 
capabilities favourably tested. 
A letter was read from Mr. Charles Stodder, of Boston, giving 
further information relating to the use of Wenham’s reflex illu- 
minator; and Dr. F. H. Engels also addressed the Society concerning 
a sample of fresh-water diatoms obtained by him in a stream near 
American Flat, Nevada, which he sent, asking for an exchange in the 
way of marine diatoms, &e. 
Mr. G. A. Raymond produced some considerable interest in a 
somewhat common curiosity known as jumping beans, which came 
from Alamos, Sonora, Mexico, from the fact that he had been fortu- 
nate enough to get not only the chrysalis of the insect, the larva of 
