368 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
MEETING 
Held on the 20th of May, 1896, at 20 Hanover Square, W., 
the President (A. D. Michael, Esq., F.L.S.) in the Chair. 
The Minutes of the Meeting of 15th April, 1896, were read and 
confirmed, and were signed by the President. 
The List of Donations (exclusive of exchanges and reprints) received 
since the last meeting was submitted, and the thanks of the Society given 
to the donor. 
P. T. Cleve, Synopsis of the Naviculoid Diatoms, part ii. 
[(4to, Stockholm, 1896.) 
Mr. T. Comber said they received the first part of Prof. Cleve’s work 
about twelve months ago, and he thought it was without doubt the most 
valuable work on diatoms which had been published for many years. 
The author’s views upon limits of species were especially worth atten- 
tion, tending as they did towards the reduction instead of the increase 
of the already too numerous lists. Without desiring to be in any way 
hypercritical he might, however, mention one thing which he thought 
might be improved. Prof. Cleve had divided the old genera Achnanthes , 
Achnanthidium, and Cocconeis into several new genera. Into one of 
these, under the name of Heteroneis , he had brought together several 
allied forms, and they should, he thought, have been all designated by 
the generic term Heteroneis , but instead the old generic names had been 
retained. Some were called Achnanthes and others Cocconeis , which would 
be likely to cause needless confusion. With this exception he thought 
the work before them was an admirable one. Prof. Cleve was a dis- 
tinguished chemist, and some time since had been upon the point of 
discovering the new element argon, but, unfortunately for him, whilst 
he had been engaged on the study of diatoms, he had been anticipated by 
two English chemists. 
Mr. E. M. Nelson exhibited and described a small portable Micro- 
scope which had been designed by Dr. Eoss for the investigation of 
cases of malarial fever (see ante , p. 350). 
The President said they must remember that for an Indian medical 
officer extreme portability was of the utmost importance, seeing that 
they often were required to travel over long distances with no more 
facilities for carrying things than saddle-bags. This instrument seemed 
to be very compact, and in this respect would no doubt be found of great 
value. 
Mr. J. E. Ingpen said he wished something could be done in design- 
ing Microscopes of this kind to get them to fold up a little flatter, so 
that they could be carried without inconvenience in the pocket. Some- 
thing seemed to be wanted which would fold into a case more in a book 
