34 
MICROSCOPICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SECTION. 
November 8th, 1869. 
Joseph Baxendell, F.RA.S, Vice-President of the Section, 
in the Chair. 
Mr. W. J. Hideout presented the Section with one of the 
“ Diotamaceen Typenplatte/’ prepared by J. D. Moller, of 
Holstein, and containing 408 separate types of Diatoms, 
beautifully arranged within an area of an eighth of an inch. 
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Hideout for his valuable 
and acceptable present, the Section at the same time offer- 
ing him its congratulations upon his escape from shipwreck 
by the loss of his yacht “ Creusa,” off Cherbourg. 
Mr. J. B. Dancer sent for the inspection of the members 
a young cuckoo, which had been caught by a cat in his 
garden, Old Manor House, Tipping-street, on the 19th 
August. Some fifty years since cuckoos might have been 
common objects there, but now that the place is surrounded 
by factory chimneys and the atmosphere so changed that 
vegetation has to struggle for existence, such visitors were 
not to be expected. The Taxidermist imagined that the 
bird had been wounded, which had possibly induced it to 
take refuge in one of the poplars, and being seen by the 
cat, had become easy prey. 
The following note was read from Mr. Joseph Side- 
BOTHAM : — 
About fifteen years ago, I had a large cabinet made of 
forty-five drawers, to contain shells and carpological 
specimens, the drawers being made of pencil cedar. Very 
soon I found that the resinous vapour from the wood 
became deposited on some of the fruits and shells, making 
them appear as if they had been dipped in varnish. 
Chloroform appeared to be the only solvent, and the 
specimens were obliged to be washed with it. This became 
