SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
331 
A Chronicle of the recent Falls of Meteorites is given in the 11 Academy,” 
May 13. On Sept. 14, 1875, at 4 p.ir., a meteorite fell at Supino, in the 
district of Frosinone, Italy, of which Keller publishes a short notice in the 
“ Opinione,” Sept. 28, 1875. Its descent was accompanied with the hissing 
noise and explosion usually observed on such occasions. It is stated that 
the meteorite took an almost horizontal direction towards a house situated 
in Supino, which, owing to its having a parapet pierced with apertures, it 
passed without impact, and that it was then lost to sight. Fragments, 
respectively weighing 364, 199, 29, and 18-5 grammes, were afterwards 
found. After the lapse of more than 40 years (if we except the curious 
explosion which took place over Writtle, near Chelmsford, on Sept. 7, 
1875, and that over Bradford, on Sept. 15, 1875, when no meteorites were 
found) a meteorite appears to have fallen in England on the 20th of last 
month, at Crudgington, near Wellington, Salop, at 3.40 p.m. It penetrated 
the earth to the depth of 18 inches, and is stated to weigh 7| lbs. It was 
exhibited last week, at a meeting of the Birmingham Natural History 
Society, when a resolution was passed that the meteorite should become 
the property of the nation, and be submitted to the fullest scientific 
investigation. 
MICROSCOPY. 
The Farly History of Microscopy. — Dr. H. A. Hagen has a paper in the 
“American Naturalist” (March, 1876) which, while dealing with a kindred 
subject, alludes to this. He says it is well known that magnifying-glasses 
have been found among the Assyrian relics and the ruins of Pompeii, but 
the use of their magnifying power is nowhere recorded, though it is probable 
that some of the admirable gems of the ancients were cut with the help of 
lenses. Spectacles, perhaps in some way known in Rome, and even used 
by Nero, are said to have been invented at the end of the thirteenth century 
in Italy. Magnifying-glasses were manufactured by Arabians, and later by 
Roger Bacon, but certainly not used for the purposes of natural history 
before the beginning of the seventeenth century. Italy and Holland 
dispute the honour of the invention, which was perhaps simultaneous in the 
two countries. The great advantages of lenses for observation were directly 
acknowledged, and even augmented, by the invention of the compound 
microscope. Fontana in Rome and Drebbel in Holland are the rival 
inventors. 
Microscopical Papers for the Quarter. — The following is a list of the 
several papers relating to microscopy that have appeared in the “Monthly 
Microscopical Journal” for April, May, and June : — 
On a New Arrangement for Illuminating and Centering with High 
Powers. By Rev. W. H. Dallinger, V.P.R.M.S. — The Identification 
of Liquid Carbonic Acid in Mineral Cavities. By Walter Noel Hartley, 
F.C.S. (King’s College, London). — On some Structures in Obsidian, 
Perlite, and Leucite. By Frank Rutley, F.G.S. (H.M. Geological 
Survey). — On the Aperture of Object-glasses. By F. H. Wenham. — 
On Zeiss’ ith Immersion. By W. J. Hickie, M.A. — Notes on the 
