68 
The President's Address. 
h. Interesting preparations by J. L. Clarke. 
i. Series of slides of tlie structure of the hairs of insects 
and plants^ accompanying the papers of Tuffen West^ Esq. 
j. Slides showing the vegetable structures found in coals^ . 
accompanying the paper of J. T. Tapholme^ Esq._, read at the 
last meeting. 
I have noticed these as examples of what we have and what 
we want. We are desirous of obtaining series illustrating 
particular subjects,, but single slides will be thankfully re- 
ceived^ and I am authorised to say that Mr. E. G. Lobb^ 
representing the Cabinet Committee^ will be happy to take 
charge of, and deposit in their appropriate place in the coUec- 
tion^ any specimens that members or others are willing to 
contribute. 
I hope, and am willing to believe, there is at last a prospect 
of the collection of objects being one of which the Society 
neecl not be ashamed. 
y. Instruments. — The Society for many years has had four 
excellent microscopes — one bequeathed by the late Edwin 
Quekett, and three, purchased as examples of first-rate con- 
struction, by the three principal makers. The objectives and 
accessories of these instruments, though good, and at the 
time the best that could be procured, are not equal to the 
requirements of the microscopist of the present day. Nothing 
has been done in the way of supplying them wdth the appa- 
ratus needed for the improved modes of illumination, though 
scarcely less necessary than the objectives, however good. 
The reason for this apparent neglect is that the large expendi- 
ture for other purposes has left no funds at the disposal of the 
Council for the improvements of the instruments. During 
the last year a move in the right direction has been made ; 
the binocular arrangement of Mr. Wenham has been applied 
to the excellent instrument of Messrs. Powell and Lealand — an 
alteration made by those gentleman in a manner which has 
given unqualified satisfaction to the Council. Some curious 
old instruments, valuable as illustrating the history and pro- 
gress of construction of the microscope, have been purchased. 
The most important of these is the remarkable instrument 
made by Benjamin Martin, and so highly prized by the late 
Professor Quekett. A very complete description of it was read 
at the last meeting by the Assistant Secretary, Mr. Williams. 
Here, perhaps, I may be allowed a short digression, to say a 
few words on the munificent gift of Mr. Peters, presented to 
the Society this evening — the machine for microscopic writing, 
and with it Ibbetson^s geometrical chuck. The money value 
of these instruments is considerable, the chuck alone, I am 
