The President's Address. 
75 
4. Ditto, 4th series. (Read June 12th, 1861. 'Tr. Mic. 
Soc. Lond./ n. s., vol. ix, p. 79.) 
5. Ditto, 5th series. (Read December 11th, 1861. 'Tr. 
Mic. Soc. Loud./ ii. s., vol. p. 18.) 
6. "On Asterolamprse.'' (Read January 8th, 1862. Not 
yet published.) 
7. ''On Fossil Diatomace^.'' By W. F. Cooper, Sheffield. 
(Read October 9th, 1861. ' Qr. Jr. Mic. Soc.,' n. s., vol. ii, 
p. 65.) 
These organisms are favorite objects with a large class of 
observers. Their numbers, their almost universal diffusion, 
the great diversity and beauty of the forms, and their use as 
test objects, sufficiently account for this; besides, they afford 
opportunities for the use of the highest powers of the micro- 
scope ; they demand a high degree of practical skill to exhibit 
their delicate markings, and they require, as well as amply 
illustrate the advantage of, the modern refinements of illu- 
mination. Notwithstanding the attention they have received, 
their structure is still imperfectly understood : opinions dif- 
fer greatly respecting them ; the determination of species is 
a matter of extreme difficulty ; so that probably for a long 
time to come they will afford a subject for study and re- 
search. 
8. " On the Seed of Dictyoloma Peruviana.^' By Henry 
B. Brady, F.L.S. (Read Jume 12th, 1861. 'Tr. Mic. Soc. 
Lond.,' n. s., vol. ix, p. 65.) 
The points of interest are the great size and peculiarities 
of the alse or membranous expansions, the structure and de- 
velopment of which are well explained and illustrated. 
9. '' On the Microscopic Structure of the Hairs of Vege- 
tables." By Tuffen West. (Read December 11th, 1861.) 
10. '' On Coal, and the Vegetable Structures found in 
Coals.'' By J. T. Tapholme. (Read January 8th, 1862.) 
The last two papers were accompanied by slides illustrat- 
ing them, which the authors contributed as additions to our 
collection — examples especially deserving imitation, as ap- 
propriate means of adding to, and giving increased value to 
the contents of the cabinet. 
I have now completed the review of our proceedings during 
the past year, and find that none of the objects contemplated 
when the Society was constituted have been lost sight of. 
In evidence that our members have laboured for the advance- 
ment of science, it is sufficient to refer to the number of 
valuable papers they have communicated. No subject has 
been neglected. We have had four papers on the Microscope 
and its adjuncts; one on a subject of Inorganic Chemistry; 
