136 THE MICROSCOPICAL NEWS. 
WINDSOR AND ETON SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 
(Extracts from the Chairman’s Address.) 
ENTLEMEN,—My year of office having expired it is now my 
duty to render to you an account of my stewardship, and to 
place before you a brief sketch of the state of our society at the 
present time, of its transactions during the past year, and of its 
prospects in the future. I am happy to say that at the end of this, 
its third year of existence, its position, both as regards the.numbers 
of its members and the state of its finances, is as favourable as its 
most sanguine friends could have anticipated. I should like to 
remind members that we possess some excellent microscopical 
specimens, which are not used quite so freely as they might be. 
Cole’s slides are beautifully prepared and mounted, and each one 
is accompanied with a printed description. It will answer the 
purpose of any one who has a microscope to take them home one 
by one, and master their details. We have altogether about six 
dozen good and well mounted specimens. An increase in this 
number is a great desideratum, and the committee will thankfully 
accept slides from any lady or gentleman having them to spare. 
On the 17th January we had our annual soirée in the hall of this 
Institute, and it was the most successful one we have yet had, both 
as regards the number of visitors and the display of microscopical 
specimens and other exhibits. The visitors numbered upwards of 
300, and there were 49 microscopes on the tables, under the 
charge of various ladies and gentlemen. As you all know it is in 
contemplation to add to the accommodation of this Institute, and 
we trust that the committee, who have always treated us with great 
kindness and liberality, will grant us one more favour by setting 
apart for our sole use a small room which may serve for a library, 
laboratory, and microscopical workroom. Nothing, however, can 
as yet be definitely arranged about it. The committee of this 
society propose that in future the monthly lectures, and the pro- 
ceedings of each year, with a list of the members, be published 
and sold at a small price, thus securing a more permanent record 
of our doings. Our excellent and energetic friend (Mr. Lundy) 
has continued his geological evenings in the Museum to a numer- 
ous and appreciative class, having altogether delivered sixteen 
lectures. If he or some other gentlemen would give a somewhat 
similar course on botany during the summer it would, I think, 
much further the objects of the society. During the year ten 
papers were read at our monthly meetings. Where so many were 
excellent it would be invidious to make selections. I may say 
they were all of a high tone, and quite equal to those of previous 
