oct. — dec. 1857] Proceedings. 



155 



Collection, and that thia Society was only requested to aid in the 

 same. The Committee nevertheless appreciate Mr. Hawkes' kind 

 offer. 



Read a letter from Mr. H. Smith, Superintendent of the Govern- 

 ment Press, soliciting the publication in the Society's Journal, of 

 certain specimen copies of Plants* in illustration of a new develop- 

 ment of Nature printing. In addition to the impressions forward- 

 ed with the letter, a large folio book of illustrations was laid upon 

 the table, and attracted great admiration. In clearness, in sharp- 

 ness of outline, and in accuracy of representation Mr. Smith's pro- 

 cess particularly excels. 



The most successful representations appear to be those of the 

 Ferns, Grasses, and specimens requiring minute and delicate out- 

 line, like Mollugo Cerviana, the impression of which is admirable ; 

 or complicated details such as the reticulated venation of leaves. 

 But Mr. Smith's excellence of manipulation has also enabled him 

 to overcome the difficulty of printing from the most succulent and 

 fleshy plants. The print of the common Yercum or Madar (Calo- 

 tropis gigantea) is particularly happy and exhibits clearly all the 

 botanical details. A leaf of the prickly pear (Opuntia Dillenii) is 

 equally successful. He has even carried his experiments into the 

 animal kingdom, and exhibits printed pictures of a Snake and a 

 Bat, the characteristics of which are shown with surprising clearness. 



Considerable discussion arose in the Meeting as to how far the 

 discovery is due to Mr. Smith. Mr. S. in his letter gives a precis 

 of the different processes of Nature printing that have been at va- 

 rious times resorted to, and claims for his own plan that it excels 

 all others in simplicity and efficiency, and is capable of a much 

 more extended application. Its distinctive peculiarity, he tells us, 

 consists in the impressions being obtained direct from fresh unpre- 

 pared plants. Mr. Burgass however recollects similar impressions 

 being exhibited two or three years ago at the Polytechnic at Home, 

 but not being aware of the exact modus operandi, which is part of 



* Yido Plate* 5 and 6 of tk« Numb»r. 



