The evening was spent in examining the various specimens, 
most of which were very well mounted. 
March 8th, 1869. — Mr. Chaffers, President, in the chair. 
A variety of unmounted objects were distributed amongst the 
members, Mr. Armstrong showing four mouuted slides of a very 
brilliant beetle (name unknown), viz. the head, elytron, skin, and 
wing. 
The following contributions were made to the Society’s cabinet : 
Mr. Armstrong — Elytron of beetle. 
Mr. Jackson — Spores of Lastrea Filix mas. 
Mr. Hope — Wing of white plume moth. 
Mr. Armstrong presented two large photographs to the Society, 
Pleurosigma formosum, parasite of field mouse. 
It was agreed that at the next meeting, 2'2nd inst., each mem- 
ber should bring a mounted slide or slides of the spider or house 
fly, with observations upon them. 
Mr. Armstrong read a very comprehensive and instructive 
paper upon the microscope and the various objects open to the 
study of microscopists, which he illustrated with a large number 
of photographs of microscopic objects. 
He stated there are three essential conditions of efficiency in a 
microscope — 1st, sufficient visual magnitude; 2nd, sufficient dis- 
tinctness of delineation; 3rd, sufficient illumination; and gave a 
lucid description of the three essentials, and quoted various ap- 
propriate passages from different authors descriptive of micro- 
scopic pursuits ; also describing the beauties of nature, and how 
teeming with life every part of our earth is, and how innumera- 
ble are the objects suitable for the microscopist ; showing forcibly 
the amount of true knowledge the microscopist may attain by 
being observant of the objects of nature, since every flower, in- 
sect, fruit, and, indeed, every particle of matter, may afford him 
both knowledge and entertainment, and that the microscopist 
will discover in what bv less observant men are simply considered 
as domestic pests there are beautiful forms and perfect appli- 
ances for performing the various functions of life, as studies for 
the microscope. He quoted and instanced the Volvox glohator, 
animalculae of various kinds, water-insects and beetles, parasites 
from animals, birds, and insects, acari, spiders, dissections of in- 
sects and plants, instancing the various transformations of 
insect life, showing how interesting is the life-history of many of 
our common insects, naming also for the more advanced micro- 
scopist the various anatomical preparations, and, lastly, showing 
how beautiful as objects of study are the Diatomacese and Des- 
midese, and how truly wonderful is it that in objects so minute 
there should be so much real beauty and geometrical precision of 
lines and outline. In conclusion, drawing attention to the 
various modern appliances and apparatus connected with the 
microscope. 
