PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 277 



quite black, and seemed to stand out in bold relief when examined with 

 the binocular. He (Mr. Hogg) had had an opportimity of examining 

 quietly Dr. Klein's specimens, and he must say they were very beau- 

 tiful and wonderfully clear. 



The President then read a paper "On the Difference between the 

 Skull of the Tbrush, as one of the highest classes of Birds, and the 

 Skull of the Common Fowl." 



Dr. Murie asked the President what was the difference between the 

 structm'e of the bird's jaw, and that of the mammal, and especially 

 that of the hiiman being. 



The President then described by means of a series of diagrams the 

 mandibular arch, as it exists in the mammal, the bird, and the fish. 

 He di'ew the attention of the Fellows to the unity of the plan of 

 creation, exhibited by the metamorphoses which took place in the 

 development of animal structures. 



Mr. Slack said they could all highly appreciate the philosoi^hy of 

 such a paper as the President had just read, although but few might be 

 able to follow the whole of the details. They could not help being 

 very much stri;ck by the way in which science has recently enlarged 

 the ideas of men with regard to the unity of the plan of creation. He 

 thought also that many would be disposed to see a striking confirma- 

 tion of the truth of the views held by the Darwinian school. He 

 begged to propose a vote of thanks to the President, which was carried 

 unanimously. 



The President, in acknowledging the vote, said he wished it to be 

 distiuctly understood that the whole of the work of which he had 

 described the results was microscopic work. It was all the result of 

 observation made through the microscope, although perhaps not with 

 the highest powers. 



The President asked Dr. Braithwaite whether he could not, as a 

 botanist, confirm the value of the method he (the President) employed 

 in his investigations. 



Dr. Braithwaite replied he could most certainly do so. The 

 botanist began with the lower forms of plants, and traced them up to 

 the higher forms, carefully marking their afiinities, and taking a 

 proper view of the structure. As he ascended, he would notice that 

 the cells of the lower plants underwent extraordinary metamorphoses, 

 which, however much they might seem to indicate that the vessels 

 found in the higher could not originate from simj^le cells ; that they 

 do so is nevertheless proved by the fact that in the embryos of the 

 highest forms of plants nothing but cells are to be found. 



Mr. Wenham then read a pajjer " On an Imj)roved Eeflex Illu- 

 minator for the Highest Powers of the Microscope." 



Mr. Brooke said it seemed to him that Mr. Wenham had described 

 a much more manageable plan of illuminating an object by rays ob- 

 tained by total reflexion, than that which he had himself proposed many 

 years ago, or even than that which Mr. Wenham had brought forward 

 some time since. The plan in question was one by which reflected rays 

 could be more readily brought to bear upon a minute object than any- 

 thing else that had yet been introduced to the notice of the Society. 



