304 THE MICROSCOPICAL NEWS. 
In conclusion, I hope you will pass a pleasant evening in 
examining the microscopes and the objects displayed in them. 
The meeting then resolved itself into a conversazione, and the 
soirée was a success in every respect. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, 
ABSTRACT OF PRESIDENTS ADDRESS) aa42 
( Continued from page 293.) 
GENERALLY avoid those ponds altogether where the water 
looks black and smells strongly of that curious alga Oscillatoria, 
interesting as it is, for I expect to find little else there, and if the 
situation is much exposed to the wind the quiet spots where the 
weeds grow pretty freely in deep water are to be sought in pre- 
ference to all others. 
It is quite true that in warm summer time a dip in any part is 
sure to yield something which will repay the search, but in winter 
or cold weather only the more sheltered spots are worth much 
attention, and so obvious does this seem that I should scarcely 
deem it worthy of mention, only that evidence is plentiful that it is 
often entirely overlooked even by those who are presumed to be 
fairly expert. 
I have often felt amused—and the source of amusement is still 
open to us—at the many fanciful things which have been said 
about that delightful object for the microscope, Volvox globator. 
How is it, it is asked, that it is found in abundance one day and 
has entirely disappeared the next; and what becomes of it in 
winter? Does it assume some strange garb and pass unrecognised 
and unrecognisable in its disguise, or is its existence left to be so- 
called winter spores seen in the Volvox aureus of Ehrenberg, which 
are supposed to sink in the mud only to appear again with the 
coming sunshine ? 
Now I made Volvox my special exhibit so many winters at our 
Midland Institute Soirées that I became fairly ashamed to show it ; 
and as it is a most difficult thing to keep in artificial aquaria for any 
considerable time, I had often to renew my stock from some 
natural source, which I was nearly always able to do, in summer or 
winter. 
Whence, then, come all these mysteries about its appearance to- 
day and its disappearance to-morrow? Why, the fact is, many 
