PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
87 
been afforded an opportunity of examining this microtome, and it was 
certainly in bis opinion not only very pretty, but also very efficient. It 
bad one very great advantage over tbe old Cambridge rocker, in that it 
cut an absolutely flat section ; for although in tbe case of small sections 
cut by tbe Cambridge the curvature was so small as to be practically of 
not very much importance, yet if the sections were those of large 
objects of considerable surface, the curvature might be a matter of great 
consequence. He thought also that this form would possess a still 
further advantage in the case where a series of sections were required to 
be cut from a soft tissue surrounding one that was softer, in which case 
the back motion of the Cambridge cutter was too slow, and in making 
the cut they would, he thought, find it of great service to be able to get 
more suddenness and weight of blow brought to bear on the material 
than was given by the spring of the Cambridge form. In any case, 
however, there could be no difference of opinion as to the excellence of 
the construction and finish of this machine, which he felt sure was likely 
to be very useful. 
The thanks of the Meeting were voted to Mr. Curties for bringing 
the instrument for exhibition. 
Mr. C. F. Rousselet read a paper £ On the Male of Bhinops vitrea ,’ 
the subject being illustrated by drawings and the exhibition of a speci- 
men under the Microscope. Mr. Rousselet mentioned that he had 
appended to his paper for publication a list of all the Rotifers whose 
males were already known. 
The President regretted that most of their Fellows who took a 
special interest in Rotifers were absent, as the paper was one of great 
value as an addition to their knowledge of these organisms, this being 
the first time that a male rotifer has been observed to have any other 
organs except reproductive organs. In many low class creatures it 
was a fact that the male had practically become the reproductive 
organs only, and this was especially noticed among the Crustacea, where 
in some cases the male was actually parasitic upon the female. It would 
also be noticed that wherever the male of an organism was in a rudi- 
mentary condition they would find that the group to which it belonged 
was an eminently variable one, and that where there was debasement 
from a well recognised type, there they might expect to find the most 
marked instances of variety, so that where they met with a creature 
possessed only of organs for special purposes, they would be almost sure 
to find another cropping up close by which was very much more highly 
developed. Whatever the cause of this might be, it was a fact that 
debased creatures did vary enormously. He did not know that he had 
heard of a better instance than the one which had been brought under 
their notice that evening. 
The thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to Mr. Rousselet 
for his paper. 
