852 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



seemed to be almost "n-lioUy neglected. Some little attention had been 

 given to pboto-micrograjDliic combinations of apparatus ; but here again 

 the main essentials of steadiness and facility of adjustment were lost 

 sight of, or were so encumbered with useless fittings that one could only 

 view them as eccentricities of ingenuity. The German oj)ticians were 

 wholly absent, as also were the American. The English were represented 

 by Eoss & Cu., Dallmeyer, Pillischer, and Watson & Sons. The Grand 

 Prix had been awarded to Eoss & Co., presumably for the variety and 

 importance of their exhibits, which included a new pancratic eyepiece 

 for the telescope, doing away with the necessity of altering the focal 

 adjustment, sundry improved photographic lenses and cameras, and 

 Wenham's radial Microscope. Of course the award of the Grand Prix 

 did not commend itself to the less successful competitors, and some dis- 

 satisfaction was expressed at the appointment of M. Alfred Nachet as 

 the microscopical expert tfo advise with the jury. It seemed to him, 

 however, that no more competent m.an was known in Paris than M. Nachet, 

 and it was a matter of course that the expert should be a Frenchman. 

 He (Mr. Mayall) had endeavoured to set aside all prejudice, and to 

 estimate the quality of the exhibits impartially, and he was bound to say 

 the award of the Grand Prix to Eoss & Co. seemed to him equitable, 

 for their apparatus, viewed as a whole, was the most important of the 

 optical exhibits. He could have wished there had been more of com- 

 mendable novelty in the Wenham radial Microscope, as exhibited in its 

 latest form ; still, when compared with the other Microscopes in the 

 exhibition, it had really no worthy rival. He thought it much to be 

 regretted that Messrs. Powell and Lealand did not exhibit ; had they 

 done so they would easily have carried the palm for Microscopes. There 

 appeared to have been a great many unnecessary difficulties thrown in 

 the way of the English exhibitors. They were shunted up into the 

 galleries, where their exhibits were practically unseen, and all sorts of 

 vexatious conditions were imposed at the outset that dismayed the bulk 

 of intending exhibitors. In the face of these unfavourable conditions he 

 could well understand the reluctance of Messrs. Powell and Lealand, 

 Beck, and Swift to compete, especially with the exj)erience they had of 

 the difficulties of being properly represented at the Paris Exhibition of 

 1878. 



The President said they must all feel greatly indebted to Mr. Mayall 

 for the trouble he had taken in explaining what he had seen as well as 

 in looking at the exhibits for this purpose. 



The President announced that the Conversazione vs^ould take place 

 on November 27th. 



The following Instruments, Objects, &o., were exhibited:— 

 Mr. Crisp : — Hart's Microtome Microscope. 

 Eev. H. A. Hall : — Bacillus from Urine. 

 Mr. J. D. Hardy : — Photomicrographic Apparatus. 

 Messrs. Watson and Sons : — (1) Edinburgh Students' Microscopes. 

 (2) Moseley's Slide Cabinet. 



New Fellows : — The following were elected Ordinary Fellows : — 

 Mr. H. C. B. Chamberlin, and the Eev. P. W. Hart-Smith, M.A. 



