I860.] Zoology and Animal Physiology. 513 



so that the magnified image shall fall precisely upon the slit. The 

 opening of the narrow slit allows the light of a small part only of the 

 magnified image to pass on to the prisms. Mr. Wenham suggests that 

 it would be convenient to adapt the spectrum apparatus to the direct 

 tube of his binocular microscope, as then by looking into the other 

 tube furnished with an eye-piece the particular part of the object under 

 investigation with the spectroscope could be easily determined. 



Mr. Bridgeman, of Norwich, proposes an improvement in the 

 Lieberkuhn for examining opaque objects with a binocular, which 

 shall place the quantity, quality, and direction of light under complete 

 control. It consists of covering up a portion of the reflecting surface 

 of the Lieberkuhn, so as to obtain any proportion of oblique light in 

 one particular direction, and then by rotating the Lieberkuhn upon 

 the object-glass, it may be brought to bear upon every part succes- 

 sively without having to alter the position of the object. In this way 

 the most delicate structure, as the barbs upon the nearly transparent 

 spines of Opuntia tunicata, may be brought out into full and bold 

 relief, The elegant arrangement of crystallized silver can scarcely 

 be seen to advantage in any other way. He proposes to fix a tri- 

 angular piece of thin, dull, black paper upon the silver with gum, and 

 when dry to trim off the projecting parts from the centre and circum- 

 ference with a sharp penknife, so as to give it a neat appearance. 

 The tube, of the Lieberkuhn should move freely upon the object- 

 glass, and be provided with a milled ring, so as to be easily rotated 

 between the finger and thumb. 



Zoological Society of London. 



During the past quarter, the annual meeting of the Society has been 

 held, and the Council's Eeport, with much interesting matter, shows 

 that the Society is financially and otherwise in a state of great 

 prosperity. There were nearly two thousand fellows and subscribers 

 upon the roll, and the receipts from their subscriptions, added to that 

 of visitors to the gardens, produced an income for 1864 of 21,713Z., 

 or 1,4:291. in excess of the previous year. Upwards of half a million 

 persons had visited the menagerie during the past year, a number 

 exceeding that of any year except the Exhibition years of 1851 and 

 1862. The expenditure, ordinary and extraordinary, of the past year 

 amounted to 24,889L, and the present state of the finances shows that, 

 leaving out of account a reserve fund of 10,000L 3 per Cents., which 

 it is not contemplated to increase, there is still a balance available to 

 be added to the receipts of the present year. 



During the year 1864, extensive additions had been made to the 

 buildings in the gardens, including entrance lodges, an aviary, and 

 the new monkey-house. The total cost of the last amounted to 

 4,842Z., but this expenditure would be well repaid by the increased 

 attraction to the public, and the increased attention to the welfare 

 and health of the Quadrumana contained in it. In striking contrast 

 t o the constant mortality that had prevailed in the old monkey-house, 



VOL. II. 2 N 



