PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 247 



very nearly the limit of its power. In Seibert's pliotographs of 

 Rhomboides, the diatom was of quite easy resolution, and yet by 

 mismanagement of the illumination an imperfect definition was 

 obtained. This is clearly seen by comparison with Dr. Woodward's 

 photographs. Here Dr. Woodward has taken in hand a Rhomboides 

 in every respect corresponding to Mr. Hickie's diatom, but instead of 

 mere transverse and longitudinal lines which are not the true resolu- 

 tion, he exhibits rows of hemispherical beads with a clearness and 

 definition that unmistakably show that he stands unrivalled in the 

 work he has made peculiarly his own. With these photographs before 

 me, I can only conclude that Mr. Hickie has meddled with a problem 

 for which he is incompetent, and his criticisms on Dr. Woodward 

 appear to me utterly worthless. 



The Council gave notice of their intention to propose the Count 

 Castracane for election as an Honorary Fellow of the Society. 



The meeting was then adjourned to May 3. 



Donations to the Libraiy and Cabinet since March 1, 1876 : 



From 



Nature. Weekly The Editor. 



AthensBum. Weekly Ditto. 



Society of Arts Journal Society. 



Journal of the Linui an Society Ditto. 



Transactions of the Watford Natural History Society Ditto. 



An Account of certain Organisms occurring in the Liquor 



Sanguinis. By William Osier, M.D Author. 



On the Pathology of Miner's Lung By William Osier, M.D. . . Ditto. 



Le Diatomace'e in Tunisia observate Dal Dot. Matteo Lanzi .. Ditto. 



Structure and Development of Pareira Stem {Chondodendron 



tomentosum). By John Moss Ditto. 



Popular Science Review. No. 59 Editor. 



Smithsonian Report, 1874 Institution. 



Istiuzioni per chi Voglia Raccogliere Diatomee memoria ab 



Francesco Castracane, 1875 Author. 



Contribuzione alia Florula delle Diatomee del Mediterraueo ab 



Francesco Castraiane, 1875 Ditto. 



Three Slides of Minerals F. Rutley, Esq. 



C. S. Bentley, Esq., and Philip J. Butler, Esq., were elected 

 Fellows of the Society. 



Walter W. Eeeves, 



Assist.-Secretary, 



Medical Microscopical Society. 



Friday, March 17, 1876. — Dr. F. Payne, President, in the chair. 



Hints on the Systematic Study of Histology. — Dr. Bathurst Wood- 

 man read a paper on this subject, one great object of it being to 

 recommend medical students and practitioners to study the micro- 

 scope broadly ; in other words, not to confine their studies to the 

 dead-house or the dissecting room, or to the medical uses of the 

 instrument, but to examine botanical specimens, furs, seaside objects, 

 anatomical and pathological specimens from the lower animals, and 

 in fact anything and everything they came across. Three or four 

 fresh objects a day would make nearly a thousand a year. 



