1S39-40 THE MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY 143 



CHAPTER V 



1039-40 



Foundation of the Microscopical Society — Reconstruction of the 

 ' Dinornis ' — Corresponding Member of the Institute of France, 

 1839 — First part of the Report on British Fossil Reptiles read 

 before the British Association at Birmingham, 1839 — Part I. of 

 the ' Odontography' completed, 1840. 



For some years Owen had taken a considerable 

 interest in microscopical work, and had made 

 many observations in the corpuscles of the blood 

 in man and other animals. About this time, also, 

 Dr. J. E. Bowerbank, of Highgate, gathered 

 around him a few friends at certain stated times 

 for the discussion of microscopical problems. 

 The little band used to meet at each other's homes, 

 and Owen was a frequent but not a regular visitor. 

 Eventually Bowerbank, Farre, and the rest 

 determined to form a society which should have 

 for its object microscopical research. Owen, 

 from his abilities and position, was selected as the 

 first president of the new society, and he occupied 

 the chair in 1840 and 1841, and delivered the first 

 two presidential addresses to the Royal Micro- 



