PROCEEDINGS OF SUCIETIES. 143 
cloth was most liable to mildew during hot, close, summer weather, 
and the greater the quantity of goods heaped together the more 
rapidly would mildew set in. The flour from which the size was 
made was always the best that could be purchased. 
Mr. Heys exhibited mounted specimens of the fibres of the 
Zostera marina, and stated that, as the fibre is considerably 
finer than the finest Sea Island cotton, it might probably be of use 
in the manufacture of fine muslins for ladies’ dresses, if it were 
possible to obtain a supply, and separate the fibre from the plant 
by machinery. Mr. Heys also exhibited mounted specimens of 
Queensland cotton, lately sold at 5s. per pound; the fibre is very 
regular in size, and much more cylindrical than other cottons ; 
also several specimens from ripe and unripe pods, and Mr. Heys 
expressed the opinion that great advantage would arise from 
a regular and careful examination of cotton-fibre taken fresh from 
the plant through every stage of growth. 
19th January, 1863. 
Mr. Josrpn Srprsotuam, Vice-President of the section, in the 
Chair. 
Captain Isaac Tessyman, of the ship dxn Mary, presented 
four soundings taken off the coasts of Patagonia, Singapore, Malay 
Peninsula, and at Algoa Bay, during his late voyage to San Fran- 
cisco, Singapore, &c. 
Captain J. B. Husband, of the ship Mwélah, presented three 
soundings taken off Orissa, and the Black Pagoda on the coast of 
Bengal. 
Mr. Latham presented mounted slides of the skin of the 
Murena guttata, cocoon of silk worm, and cuticle of Gladiolus. 
Mr. John Slagg, jun., presented mounted specimens of floats 
and ovaries of Junthina; shells of ditto; berry of Fucus natans 
covered with Membranipora ; and Criseis aciculata, a Pteropod. 
Mr. John Hepworth referred to the mildew mentioned in the 
proceedings of the previous meeting, which had been observed at 
Gibraltar on fustians stiffened with bone size, and stated that he 
had noticed a peculiar fungoid growth upon mounted sections of 
bone, and that it would be desirable, if possible, to compare them. 
Mr. John Leigh, M.R.C.S., read a paper “ On the Use of 
Dialysis in Microscopical Investigations.” 
After describing the researches of Professor Graham, the pre- 
sent Master of the Mint, and explaining the nature of the divi- 
sion into two classes of all natural bodies, namely, into crystalloids 
and colloids, their affinities and means of separation, the author 
proceeded to describe some curious bodies found in cleaning 
out a steam-boiler, which have almost exactly the external form 
and internal structure of the concretions formed by Mr. Rainey, 
and figured in Dr. Carpenter’s work on the microscope, third 
