44 
the chemist (who had been a pupil of the Doctor s) had an- 
other; and I became possessed of the third. Dr. Dalton 
died in August, 1844, and to the best of my belief the three 
Daguerreotypes named are the only photographs of the Dr. 
taken from life. Mr. John Dale has had his Daguerreotype 
of Dr. Dalton copied and enlarged, and in all probability 
the retouched photograph at the Society’s room has origina- 
ted from some of these copies. Anything relating to the 
late Dr. Dalton will, I am sure, interest the members of this 
Society. I do not hesitate, therefore, to bring this short 
account of his photographs before the Society. My Da- 
guerreotype of Dr. Dalton is here for the inspection of the 
members ; it has, unfortunately, been roughly handled, 
through lending it to artists, engravers, sculptors, and seal 
engravers, and the impression now is faint compared to 
when it was taken. Among the Daguerreotypes will be 
found one of the late Mr. Nicklin — if is the centre portrait 
of the three. This gentleman was one of the photographers 
sent out by government to the Crimea. He was unfortu- 
nately drowned when the Rip van Winkle foundered in the 
Black Sea. There is also a Daguerreotype of the late Mr. 
John Parry, which I took about 1848. 
Since writing the foregoing, Mr. G. S. Woolley has shown 
me a small copy of Dr. Dalton’s photograph, and on com- 
paring it with my own copy of Mr. Dale’s Daguerreotype I 
find it to be identical. My conjectures have proved correct. 
“ Note on Metallic Niobium and a new Niobium Chlo- 
ride,” by Professor H. E. Roscoe, F.R.S., &c. 
The history of the investigation of the two closely related 
metals Niobium and Tantalum is of interest as showing how 
step by step the difficulties and uncertainties which sur- 
round the examination of analogous and rare substances 
such as these are overcome ; and I may therefore be allowed 
shortly to state the growth of our knowledge on this subject. 
In the year 1801 Hatchett discovered a new metal in the 
