86 
Fourteenth Report of 
which collectors and mounters of objects will find useful in 
their pursuits. Mr. Boswell has communicated an interesting 
fact on the mode of progression of Actinophrys Sol. His 
subsequent paper on the bird's-head processes in Poljzoa had 
been anticipated by the accurate and more extended observa- 
tions of Mr. Busk, read two months before. The valuable 
paper of Professor Quekett, on " a combustible mineral from 
the coal measures of Torbane Hill," clearly demonstrates the 
presence, not merely of the remains of plants, but of a peculiar 
woody structure in every description of coal, and the absence 
of this peculiar structure in the mineral in question. 
In microscopic botany we have been favoured with two 
interesting communications : one by Dr. Hobson, on the 
development of tubular structure ; and the other on the disease 
affecting the vine, by Mr. T. West. 
As most of these papers have been already published, a 
more extended analysis of them would only be tedious. I 
would rather occupy a few minutes in considering how far this 
Society, during the fourteen years of its existence, has accom- 
plished the objects which its founders had in view at its 
formation. 
On turning back to our " History, Constitution, and Laws," 
we find it recorded that one of these objects was the " promo- 
tion of improvements in the optical and mechanical construc- 
tion of the microscope." With the improvements which 
have been made in the construction of object-glasses, the 
Society for many years had but little to do ; although, by 
promoting the use of the instrument, and by keeping alive a 
spirit of rivalry between the different makers, it was not 
altogether without influence. Recently, however, an amateur 
among our own members has demonstrated the possibility of 
getting good definition with an angular aperture that admits 
of no appreciable increase ; and has thrown out suggestions, 
which, if carried into effect, will be productive of still further 
advantages. 
In the mechanical construction of the instrument, and in 
the different methods of illumination, so many improvements 
have been made by our members, that I should take up too 
much of your time were I to attempt to enumerate them. 
The next object proposed for the Society, " the communi- 
cation and discussion of observations and discoveries," has 
constituted the principal occupation of our hours of meeting; 
and for the interest and variety of the subjects, I need only 
refer to the volumes of our ' Transactions.' 
These observations have been altogether the result of indi- 
vidual and self-directed researches ; but it is worthy of con- 
