300 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
early progress of the different processes. With regard to the details, 
no doubt they would find them more easy to follow when they had the 
opportunity of reading them in print; the outline given was very clear, 
but the details would require to be carefully followed out in order 
to obtain a complete understanding of the subject. He had frequently 
grown ferns from their spores, and had witnessed the astonishment 
of those to whom the method of development had been explained ; the 
details of the various processes could, however, only be watched by the 
most careful attention. 
Prof. Groves had very great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks 
to the President for his address. Many of those who were present 
had no doubt examined these objects under the Microscope ; those who 
had not done so should certainly take the present opportunity of seeing 
them. 
The vote of thanks having been carried by acclamation, was briefly 
acknowledged by the President, who then declared the business of 
the meeting to be concluded. 
Mr. J. J. Vezey asked, however, to be permitted to make good 
an omission at the last meeting, by moving “ That the best thanks of the 
Society be given to its Officers, and also to the Auditors and Scrutineers, 
for their services during the past year.” The Fellows of the Society 
were so much indebted to them for the admirable way in which its 
affairs had been conducted, that it was only just that what had always 
been done in former years should not be omitted this year. 
The President, without putting it to the meeting, declared the motion 
to be carried by acclamation. 
Prof. Bell said it was usual on such occasions, when votes of thanks 
to the officers had been passed, for the junior Secretary to return thanks 
on behalf of his colleagues, and he felt quite sure that had Dr. Dallinger 
been with them that evening, he would have done so in a most satis- 
factory manner. In the absence of Dr. Dallinger he would content 
himself by saying that he was very grateful to them for the exceedingly 
kind way in which this vote had been received. With regard to the 
duties, it was undoubtedly a fact that the business of a society so large 
as theirs did require a certain amount of attention, but on the other hand, 
it also was a source of a certain amount of pleasure. If the position 
could be compared to that of a dog which had to lead along an infirm 
and bliud beggar, it would not be one to bo envied ; but the spirited 
horse carrying a man or a woman across country was a different thing, 
and the secretary of a flourishing society like theirs could be compared 
to such a horse ; so long as the Society continued in its present active 
condition there would be no difficulty in finding some one to perform the 
duties. But when one had performed them continuously for a lengthened 
period, and had to turn out of a warm house on a night like that on 
which they met, it was not unnatural that he should feel inclined 
to make a remark like that which was on one occasion uttered by 
Mr. Disraeli ; who, having been called to attend with the members of 
the Lower House to witness a customary formality in the House of 
Lords, was carried off his legs in the unseemly rush ; he is said to 
