Monthly M 
To PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 53 
I cannot say, but somewhat incline to the former, so that a transverse 
section of the scale across its length would, in exaggeration, be some- 
what after these figures :— 
HAH) 0 MVMLAAA or Atty or ANN 
Single membrane. Double membrane. 
Single membrane. VYWWWVV membrane. Ribs not opposite. Ribs not opposite. 
And if you suppose these ribs carried in the direction of the length 
rather obliquely, and their edges not truly parallel, but waved at short 
intervals, as in the Figure 3, you may have 
almost every variety of appearance you 
desire under various kinds of illumination 
and focus :—- 
In attempting to photograph this object 
I had considerable annoyance from the 
almost immediate loss of the forms obtained if 
on the card screen, from which I supposed \\ 
some change in the position of the little 
seale from the extreme heat at the focus of 
the condenser. Sometimes I fancied the scale curved from its attach- 
ment to the cover at both ends, sometimes from one, but this may 
have been fancy, though I can assure you both eyes and arms ached 
ere the day’s work was over, the former close to the card with hand 
magnifier, the latter stretched out to the adjusting pinions of the 
mirror. 
So much, then, for these attempts, without an “aplanatic searcher,” 
of which I have seen no account, but which I expect will set all these 
hallucinations at rest, when I can obtain a peep at the object a la 
Pigott, who, by the way, deserves our thanks for rousing us from sup- 
‘posed security. 
Fig. 3. 
Believe me very faithfully yours, 
R. L. Mappox. 
JABEZ Hoae, Esq., Hon. Sec. R.M.S., 
1, Bedford Square, London. 
A vote of thanks was unanimously given to Dr. Maddox for the 
photographs. 
The President then called upon Mr. James Bell to read his paper 
“On Fermentation and Parasitic Fungi.” 
Mr. Slack said it was impossible to do justice at that moment 
to the very elaborate paper which had been read by Mr. Bell, as it 
comprehended a great number of details which could not be dealt 
with until it had been carefully perused. Several of the facts which 
Mr. Bell had adduced tended to confirm some remarks which he 
(Mr. Slack) had made long ago on this very subject. The Fellows would 
probably remember his allusions to the amazing multitude of bacterium 
bodies in the vinegar plant ; and also the evidence which he adduced 
to show that this plant performed the twofold function of inducing 
both vinous and acetous fermentations. He noticed that Mr. Bell 
