42 THE AMEKICAN MONTHLY [February, 



by a series of mounted slides, mounting material, and miscellaneous ac- 

 cessories, a gift from the Society's late associate, F. L. Howard. 



Mr. Wickson presented a large collection of diatoms in situ, a dona- 

 tion from Professor George Davidson, of the United States Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey. They come from the northern end of Lopez Island, 

 in Washington Sound. The diatoms vs^ere accompanied by a sample 

 of supposed diatomaceous earth found near Santa Rosa. 



E. H. Griffith, of Fairport, N. Y. , donated a series of mounted 

 slides illustrating the gorgeous skeleton of the Diamond beetle or 

 Eupholus linnei. The glittering scales covering the body of this 

 member of the weevil family form one of the most brilliant objects that 

 can be presented under the microscope. 



C. C. Riedy exhibited a large collection of mounted diatoms from 

 C. L. Peticolas. A slide prepared by that gentleman of the recently 

 discovered Redondo Beach earth found some miles south of Santa 

 Monica, is thought by him to be fully equal to the celebrated piece dis- 

 covered at Santa Monica several years ago and published by the late 

 Professor William Ashburner. Another remarkable slide in the collec- 

 tion exhibits vs^hat is known as the Eighth-street tunnel diatomaceous 

 deposit of Richmond, Va., one of the finest deposits of strewn diatoms 

 ever found. The slides of fossil marine diatoms from Syzran, Russia, 

 and Kekko, Hungary, are also notable for the variety of their forms 

 and the skilful manner in which they have been prepared before 

 mounting. 



F. W. Dunning, of Battle Creek, Mich., forwarded a box of diato- 

 maceous earth from Lyons Creek, Calvert county, Md. He also sent 

 a sample of diatomaceous earth broken from a piece found by a fisher- 

 man some time in June last, floating in the Pacific Ocean about two 

 miles off* the coast of Santa Monica. The latter material will be ex- 

 amined and compared with the original Santa Monica diatoms to 

 determine w^iether it contains the same variety of forms. 



Dr. Riehl exhibited a pure culture of Staphylococcus pyogenes 

 aureus; also, a stained and mounted specimen of same. 



San Francisco, Cal. — C. P. Bates, Secy. 



Novefnber /j, i88g. — The regular fortnightly meeting was held at 

 1 20 Sutter street. Two samples of diatomaceous earth from the 

 Eighth-street tunnel deposit of Richmond, Va., were received from 

 the Richmond Microscopical Society. An unusually interesting bud- 

 get of microscopic miscellany was added to the society's files. Dr. 

 Ferrer was present for the first time since his return from Europe, and 

 exhibited a number of new accessories for the microscope, notably the 

 following : 



A new sliding nose-piece with centering attachment for use with 

 high-power objectives. It consists of a body-piece, which screws to 

 the nose of the microscope and remains in place, and the objective 

 part, which screws to the objective and is fitted to the body by a sliding 

 system. When in place, the objective is correctly centred by means 

 of two keyed screws for forward and lateral motion, and once properly 

 centred the objective remains in and is removed with the sliding piece, 

 the body remaining on the microscope. Each objective is furnished 



