18 
MICROSCOPICAL SECTION. 
October 16th, 1865. 
A. G. Latham, Esq., President of the Section, 
in the Chair. 
This being the first Meeting of the Session, the President 
delivered an address reviewing the past proceedings of the 
Section, and referring with satisfaction to the proposal to 
extend its objects to subjects of Natural History generally. 
Mr. Sidebotham read “Notes on Atlantic Soundings.” 
He said that in the unsuccessful attempt made to raise the 
Atlantic Cable after it had unfortunately parted, the ropes 
and grapnels brought up from the bottom small portions of 
ooze or mud, some of which was scraped off and preserved, 
as stated at the time in the newspapers. Believing that a 
careful examination of this deposit might prove of con- 
siderable interest, he wrote on the subject to Dr. Fairbairn, 
who, after considerable trouble, obtained for him a fine 
sample, mounted specimens of which he now presented 
for the cabinet and to each member of the Section. In 
appearance the deposit resembles dirty chalk, and under 
the microscope reminds one much of the chalk from Dover, 
indeed it has all the appearance of being a bed of chalk in 
process of formation. It is composed entirely of organisms, 
chiefly in fragments. In the short examination he had 
made, he observed several forms which give promise of 
interesting results, and he thought it would be desirable to 
frame a complete list of the species found, which would be 
best accomplished by two or three members taking temporary 
