226 THE MIcROSCOPE. 
identification of lard, beef fat, or other crystals. Dr. Taylor fur- 
ther stated that when Prof. Weber melted a fat and cooled it quickly 
and found that no crystals had formed under these conditions, he 
but verified what, he Dr. Taylor, had published some ten years ago 
in the New York Quarterly Journal of Microscopy, to wit, that butter 
substitutes composed of solid fats when newly made and suddenly 
chilled, did not show any crystals of fat when examined in the 
fresh condition ; but that when boiled and laid aside a short time, 
in a moderate temperature, the crystals began to form and are readily 
detected. Dr. Taylor further observed that in no case had he found 
in oleomargarines, or butterines sold in Washington markets, but- 
ter crystals on boiling: he invariably found foliated crystals of beef 
fat. 
Dr. Taylor strongly objected to Prof. Weber’s constant use of 
the term “Characteristic of the Butter Crystal” within quotation 
marks, stating that nowhere in his writings or public speech has 
he stated that the cross was characteristic of the butter crystal, 
meaning thereby that the St. Andrew cross, so called, was to be 
found nowhere except in the globose butter crystal. Dr. Taylor 
has shown that the cross is only a factor, and does not contend 
that it is exclusively characteristic of the butter crystal. The but- 
ter crystal, he stated, had several peculiar characteristics, which he 
had not yet found in connection with any other crystals of fat, ani- 
mal or vegetable. 
The secretary announced the receipt of a fine slide presented 
to the society by Mr. Fassoldt, of Albany, N. Y., the well known 
preparer of fine rulings on glass. This slide has lines varying in 
fineness, from the one five thousandth to the one two hundred 
thousandth of an inch. A vote of thanks was on motion tendered 
Mr. Fassoldt for his present. 
As Mr. Fassoldt claims to have seen these lines, some discus- 
sion ensued as to their resolvability, many doubting that it could 
be done. 
Notice being given of the death of Rev. J. T. Brownell, a for- 
mer well known member of this society, the secretary was in- 
structed to prepare a suitable memorial. 
Thirty-five new members were elected and the session closed. 
An evening session was held for the purpose of listening to the 
annual address by the president, previous to which Dr, J. A. Vin- 
