NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 139 
Typical slide of Foraminifera (Zagena) 15 
species represented by 60 individuals } i Cee 
MMlarmme Al ace tren emneittinscsen clean ni ss sste'le ivontecmioagiante sate sense . Alston. 
Trichina spiralis in Pig, Rapbityand iWlanlenecet eee Mr. Debaiee 
Vou 9+ Of; Goby, maseeee sect coial is isisisioe lsiisinsislenietsieloetsenisemaee sss Mr. E. Ward. 
Timber fafected Twat IDSOy INC nepacaseseacereccconceent Mr. R. L. Mestayer. 
BKC LIICATL OLE Of LCL Ste materi cine ais osiecseicinrerideiteriee selcieelena Mr. Miles. 
On Saturday, May 7th, the members of the Bryological section had a pleasant 
excursion to Staley Brushes, under the leadership of Mr. James Cash. Upon 
reaching the first reservoir they were enabled, by special favour, to leave the 
public road and walk up-stream as far as the Swineshaw reservoir. Several not- 
able species of mosses, &c., were observed. Numerous hepaticze were found 
in perfect fruit, but the mosses, generally speaking, were out of season, and 
such as were gathered were hardly suited for cabinet specimens, It was, how- 
ever, pleasing to observe Zetrodontium Browmanum and Fissidens osmundoides 
in one or two places. Atrichum crispum, which seems almost confined (in this 
country) to Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cheshire, was plentiful. Hookeria lucens 
and Aypnum Borrerianum—the latter, of course, in a barren state—were also 
gathered, whilst Foztzzalis sguamosa floated in long tresses in the stream. The 
company made a descent upon Hollingworth Hall, and after tea, returned to 
Stalybridge, and from thence by train to Manchester. 
At the last meeting of the Manchester Microscopical Society’s Mounting Class, 
the evening was devoted to wood section cutting, Mr. R. L. Mestayer officiating. 
It requires some little practice to successfully cut wood sections for microscopical 
purposes, and many are content to secure selected shavings after the use of a 
joiner’s plane. This plan, however, is obviously out of the question when 
transverse sections of the stems of plants and trees are required for mounting. 
Slides of stem sections are very popular at present, and, in addition to being 
very beautiful objects, are of considerable educational value when properly 
mounted as permanent objects. To the uninitated the cutting of a piece of 
walnut or oak nearly an inch in diameter with one steady stroke of a razor, re- 
sulting in a section as thin as tissue paper, and of uniform thickness throughout, 
would appear almost impossible, but much of the difficulty is overcome if the 
wood is previously boiled or soaked in hot water for several hours, and a 
microtome or section cutter is used. After working for considerably over an 
hour in order that the members could see the various difficulties to be overcome, 
and after operating on a variety of hard and soft woods and tree stems, cutting 
longitudinal and traverse sections, Mr. Mestayer allowed the members to divide 
among themselves the sections for treatment and mounting. 
This meeting practically brought the work of the class to a close. It is 
intended, however, to have an exhibition meeting next month, when members 
will show the result of their work and ability acquired since the class started. 
The success of this class having been so decided, it is more than probable 
another class will be formed for the coming winter months, previous to which 
Mr. J. L. W. Miles will read a paper on Microscopy to the members of the 
society, wherein he will touch as much upon various points of interest in con- 
nection with practical work as a short paper will encompass. 
On Saturday afternoon, May 14th, the first ramble of the season by the 
members of the society in quest of pond life took place, under the leadership 
of Mr. J. L. W. Miles and Mr. J. Robinson. Although the weather was 
anything but favourable at the time of meeting, yet there was a fair gathering. 
The first place explored was the canal near to Gorton Station. Mr. R.Graham 
was the first to call attention to this being the local habitat of that beautiful 
fresh-water polyzoon, Lophopus crystallinus, and a careful search was made with 
the object of securing a few specimens, but without success, although they were 
