570 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



Mr. W. H. Patterson, M.R.I.A., seconded by Mr. Lockwood, 

 unanimously adopted : — 



"Your Committee regret that owing to different circum- 

 stances the progress of the Section has not been so successful 

 during the past session as had been anticipated. Four excur- 

 sions had been arranged for, but owing to the severity of the 

 weather, only the first was carried through. The Section was 

 well represented at the annual conversazione of the Club, 

 and contributed in no small degree to the success of that 

 meeting. During the winter there was only one meeting held, 

 when a communication was given by the secretary on the 

 structure of the Honey Bee, illustrated by lime-light by Mr. 

 John Brown, and another communication and practical demon- 

 stration on Photo-micrography was given at the same meeting 

 by Mr. John Donaldson. Owing to business engagements, the 

 secretary, Mr. M'Cleery, has been obliged to resign the position, 

 so that the post is now vacant, and we hope some gentleman 

 will soon be found who will be able to carry on the work of the 

 section in a thorough manner." 



On the motion of Mr. R. Lloyd Praeger, seconded by Mr. W. 

 D. Donnan, the Committee of the Section was re-appointed. 

 The chairman of the Section, Mr. Alexander Tate, C.E., then 

 in a few brief pointed remarks introduced the business of the 

 evening, and in doing so said that it was evident, both here and 

 at the conversazione of the Club, as had been already referred to, 

 that the interest in microscopical research in our city had 

 become greater, and he hoped that this interest would still 

 further increase. He referred to the investigations into the 

 beginning of life by Professor Virchow, and showed how these 

 could not have been made without the aid of the microscope. 

 After referring to the extent and variety of the exhibits before 

 them, he asked the audience to go carefully round the different 

 instruments and examine the beauties they unfolded. The 

 following exhibited : — Mr. J. J. Andrew, L.D.S., section of eye- 

 brow ; Mr. S. Cunningham, Ostracoda and other forms of 

 minute pond-life ; Mr. Henry Davis, lichens in section and 



