44 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



out more fully. I have mentioned only a few of the most interesting 

 and peculiar ibarks that have come under my notice in the course of 

 my duties at Kew ; but I am persuaded that if microscopists would 

 examine them more carefully, and devote even a portion of the 

 attention to them that they have given to woody structure and to 

 diatoms, some beautiful objects would be the result, and our know- 

 ledge of these matters would be considerably increased. 



A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr. Jackson for his 

 interesting paper. 



Mr. Suifolk said, that although Mr. Jackson seemed to have hinted 

 that the subject of barks would furnish little of microscopical interest 

 to the members, he could assure them, from personal experience, that 

 the study of the liher cells was most interesting. Shortly after the 

 formation of the Quekett Club, he was appointed on a committee for 

 the investigation of the fibres of flax and hemp, with a view to their 

 discrimination in mixed fabrics. The committee did some little 

 work, but the inquiries were ultimately abandoned, the fibres being 

 so much alike that it was impossible to distinguish them under the 

 microscope. He advised those persons who examined these fibres not 

 to neglect the use of polarized light. In the hope of obtaining some 

 further knowledge as to the structure of the fibre, he had immersed it 

 in a solution of copper in ammonia, but found that the fibre was too 

 rapidly destroyed. The use of nitric acid brought into view some 

 secondary deposits, principally spirals ; but, by simply placing the 

 flax fibre under a thin glass with a little turpentine, and applying 

 a power of 100 to 150 diameters, with polarized light, these structures 

 can be plainly seen. Mr. Suffolk remarked that in his cabinets there 

 were fifty sjiecimens of fibres, supplied to him by the Indian Go- 

 vernment, duplicates of which were to be found in the cabinet of the 

 Eoyal Microscopical Society ; and, in conclusion, he said that he 

 brought forward this subject to show that it contained much of micro- 

 scopical interest, and he could assure Mr. Jackson that his lecture was 

 most welcome to the members. 



Mr. James Love exhibited a new triangular prismatic aquarium, of 

 his own invention ; and explained, by means of a small model, the 

 principles of its construction. 



It was moved by Mr. Newman, seconded by Mr. Cottrell, and 

 carried unanimously, " that the hour of meeting be in futui'e eight 

 o'clock, instead of half-j)ast seven o'clock in the evening." 



The President announced a paper for the next meeting, on Tuesday, 

 December 19th, at eight o'clock in the evening, by Mr. J. Traill 

 Taylor, " On the Photographic Delineation of Microscopical Objects." 



