280 PKOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Dr. Lawson inquired whether Mr. Lowne had found these suckers 

 on the female as well as the male insect. 



Mr. Lowne said he had found them only on the male, and that 

 they were chiefly used for purposes of copulation. Sometimes the 

 glue they contained became so hard by drying during copulation that 

 the suckers were left behind by the insects, and in other cases cica- 

 trices were produced by the hardened glue. 



Mr. Slack thought that Mr. Lowne's hydrostatics should be ac- 

 cepted with some limitation ; and he explained that it was theoreti- 

 cally possible to have a film of water so thin that the capillary at- 

 traction between two pieces of glass would completely counteract the 

 atmospheric pressure. 



Mr. Lowne said, the principle he contended for was that two 

 bodies would be kept together under the conditions mentioned by him 

 by the attraction of cohesion and not of atmospheric pressure. 



A vote of thanks was then giver, to Mr. Lowne ; and the meeting 

 adjourned until the 7th of June. 



Scientific Evening!. 



On the 10th May the Society held a scientific meeting for the 

 purpose of examining new or remarkable objects and apparatus, 

 and conversing thereupon. To avoid crowding, the admission was 

 restricted to Fellows, and to a very few visitors contributing to the 

 exhibition. About 150 persons attended, and from the subjoined list 

 of the principal objects displayed, it will be seen that matters of great 

 scientific interest were brought forward, and those present were much 

 gratified by the opportunity of viewing them, and obtaining informa- 

 tion as to the latest results. It was especially satisfactory to find the 

 arrangements thoroughly appreciated by Fellows residing in the 

 country, several of whom came from great distances. 



The Society exhibited two of the most recent instrumental dona- 

 tions, — a very curious reflecting microscope by Cuthbertson, the gift 

 of Dr. Miller, and an elaborate microscope by Chevallier, on Amici's 

 plan, presented by Sir J. Sebright. 



Mr. Stephenson's new binocular, in two forms, one having the 

 stage horizontal and the tubes sloping at an angle convenient to the 

 observer, and the other having the prisms inserted in the cell of the 

 objective and fitted to an ordinary instrument by an adapter, attracted 

 special attention, as did the immersion lenses by English and Con- 

 tinental makers. 



Mr. J. W. Stephenson : The new binocular microscope, with safety 

 stage and ^th objective ; Stephenson's erecting binocular 2-inch object- 

 glass, protected by a glass tube, forming a cap with thin glass end 

 plunged in sea water. Living Terebella and Balanus. 



Dr. Millar : A slide of very rare Polycystina9 under Stephenson's 

 erecting binocular microscope. 



Mr. S. J. Mclntii'e : Cheyletus cruditus, alive ; Podura scale, Seiva 

 Buslcii. 



Mr. Delfericr : Nnv. rJiombuides, &c., with Powell and Lealand's 

 new immersion ith. 



