Journal, PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 133 
QuEKETT Microscopical Club. 
At the ordinary Meeting held at University CoUegej December ISth, 
1868, Arthur E. Durham, Esq., F.L.S., &c., President, in the chair, 
sixteen new members were elected, and nine gentlemen were proposed 
for membership ; a number of presents to the library and cabinet were 
also announced, and the thanks of the meeting returned to the re- 
spective donors. A paper was read by Mr. John Hopkinson, " On 
the British Graptolites," the subject being illustrated by sixteen 
diagrams and numerous classified specimens. ' The author, after indi- 
cating their position and range in the geological series, briefly 
described their structure, and traced the history of the various obser- 
vations which from time to time had been made upon them ; their 
classification, zoological position, and mode of growth were also 
noticed, and the distinctive characteristics of the various families 
were pointed out upon the diagrams. The paper was concluded by a 
reference to the fact of the complete extinction of the race, and its 
re-creation after a lapse of time, the inferences from which were held 
to be unfavourable to the well-known theories of Mr. Darwin. Some 
further observations upon the subject were made by Mr. W. H. 
Leighton, who drew attention to the four chief divisions of the 
graptolites, and to the great distinguishing difference between them 
and the aster ida(!), to which at first sight they appeared to bear a 
close resemblance. A vote of thanks to the reader of the paper was 
unanimously carried. 
Mr. Samuel Eoberts exhibited and described a new form of micro- 
meter to be used with the monocular microscope; it consisted of a 
separate tube mounted on a stand, and placed by the side of the 
instrument in such a position that the left eye could look directly 
down it, whilst the right was observing through the eye-piece in the 
ordinary way. Proper illumination being applied, the object on the 
stage was seen with one eye, whilst the micrometer ruling appeared to 
the other, the practical effect being to superpose the two images. A 
short discussion as to the merits of this contrivance ensued, after 
which the President announced that the arrangements for the forma- 
tion of a class for microscopical manipulation, under the direction of 
Mr. W. T. Suffolk, were now completed, and the class would meet on 
six alternate Thursday evenings, commencing in January, at the 
rooms at 32, Sackville Street. Mr. Suffolk intimated that he should 
be happy to receive material for the use of members of the class, and 
would also be glad of the assistance of any gentlemen who had at- 
tended his former courses. At the close of the meeting, a quantity of 
unmounted microscopical specimens, presented by Mr. J. E. Eldridge, 
were distributed amongst the members, and at the usual conversazione 
which terminated the proceedings, a number of highly interesting 
objects were exhibited. 
On January 8th, the second of the winter series of conversa- 
tional meetings was held, and was very largely attended, between 
seventy and eighty members being present during the evening'; 
VOL. I. L 
