iq 6 Analyses of Books. [February, 
extension of our plian to a larger number of chemical operations, 
which we will now describe, as we think the arrangement will be 
found very useful not only in educational laboratories, but also 
in pharmaceutical laboratories, especially in the preparation of 
delicate organic compounds.” 
We cannot give a description of the authors’ appliances with- 
out the accompanying illustrations, but we feel convinced that 
they will be widely useful in the laboratories of colleges, and in 
those of manufacturing establishments where large numbers of 
determinations are always in progress, and where economy of 
time is a matter of supreme moment. 
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society. Containing its 
Transactions and Proceedings, and a Summary of Current 
Researches relating to Zoology and Botany (principally In- 
vertebrata and Cryptogamia), Microscopy, &c. Edited by 
Frank Crisp, LL.B., B.A. Series 2, Vol. III., 1883, pp. 
972. . Published for the Society. London and Edinburgh : 
Williams and Norgate. 
The editor of this Journal and his able staff of assistants have 
again been unsparing in their efforts to place before English 
readers a summary of everything of importance relating to the 
microscope and those branches of Science needing magnifying 
power for their investigation, which has transpired during the 
past year both at home and abroad. 
The papers forming the “ Transactions ” of the Society are 
only seventeen in number, but all of considerable value : the 
discussions following their reading have been reproduced from 
the short-hand writer’s notes, and from the important matter 
elicited from those familiar with the subjects of the various papers 
form a valuable supplement to the more formal Transactions. 
t he fact of the 01 iginal papers being so few in number is no 
fault of the Royal ^ficroscopical Society, but rather the natural 
result of its woik duiing the past forty-four years of its existence. 
In 1828, only twelve years before the formation of the Society* 
there were only four achromatic microscopes in London, and 
during the eailiei yeais of its existence microscopes and workers 
were still few in number; and papers on microscopical subjects 
weie lately or nevei admitted to discussion at the older societies. 
At one of the early meetings of the Quekett Microscopical Club 
the late Dr. Lankester (then president) stated that he recollected 
the time, not very far back, when being known to be engaged in 
the study of minute anatomy would seriously prejudice a medical 
student s examination. The Microscopical Society and its earnest 
