
158 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 

Pattinson seconded the motion, and it was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Moss 
said Mr. Hall (vice-president) being in London was not able to attend the 
meeting, but he had desired him to say that it would be a great pleasure to him 
to hear of the president’s re-election, he being sure that the Society could not 
prosper so well under anybody else’s management. Mr. Moss then proposed 
the re-election of Mr. Hall, vice-president. Mr. Young seconded the motion, 
and it was carried. Canon Carr thanked the members for again electing him 
president. It had been a great pleasure to him to attend the meetings. They 
had been very helpful; no one could attend them without learning something 
which he did not know before with reference to the subject on hand. They 
had increased the number of members; and the greater the number the more 
numerous would be the objects shown and much wider the diversity of those 
things which gave a general interest to the subject. On the motion of Mr. 
Tiffin, seconded by Mr. Pattinson, Mr. Moss was re-elected secretary, the 
President stating that Mr. Moss had been kind enough to take the burden of - 
the work, and he hoped he would continue to do so with great advantage to 
the Society. The Mayor of Carlisle was re-elected treasurer, and Mr. Wight- 
man and Mr. Pattinson, were appointed auditors. The old Committee were 
re-elected by ballot. This finished the business part of the meeting. Mr. Moss 
then read a paper on “ Polarized Light,” illustrated with models, &c., which 
proved very interesting. He described and illustrated in the first place the 
phenomenon of ordinary light, describing the laws which govern it, and ex- 
plaining by diagrams on the black board. He next explained the phenomenon 
of Polarised Light—its history, and the result obtained by its use. This was 
further illustrated by wooden models—showing the wave motion of light. The 
last part of the paper was devoted to the phenomenon of the beautiful colours 
produced in the polarized ray by interference, which was also illustrated with 
models. A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Moss for his paper before the 
meeting separated. 
MANCHESTER MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—A spRING RAMBLE 
TO GATLEY CARRS.—Twenty members of the Manchester Microscopical 
Society took advantage of the Easter Monday Bank Holiday to have a ramble 
in that beautiful bit of Cheshire know as Gatley Carrs. They left the Central 
station by an early morning train, and, on arriving at Withington station, set 
out on foot for the hunting ground they had in view. Mr. Brittain, the presi- 
dent, who-acted as conductor, led them along the banks of the river Mersey to 
Northenden, and a little beyond the village the work began in earnest. The 
Goutweed (gopodium Podagraria), a plant very scarce in many parts of 
Britain, is here in great plenty. On the conductor calling the attention of the 
members to the fact that an interesting smut might be found upon the leaves of 
the plant, an immediate hunt began, with the satisfactory result that all the 
members obtained a good supply of the parasite which is known as Puccinia 
sopodiz. In the same locality a tolerable supply of an Ascobolus was met 
with, but the species was not identified, the question being left for microscopic 
examination. Two other micro-fungi were looked for in vain; the season, 
though early, was yet to soon for their development. After refreshment, the 
party proceeded to the Carrs, when asuccessful hunt was made for the beautiful 
cluster cup (cidium ranunculacearum), which grows upon the leaves of the 
lesser celandine. On the leaves of the same plant an interesting smut was found, 
Uromyces ficare. Several of the party devoted themselves to pond life, and 
brought home with them well-filled bottles for future examination. The 
weather was all that could be desired, and for so early a period in the spring 
the expedition was extremely satisfactory. 
MANCHESTER MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—RAMBLE IN THE 
BOLLIN VALLEY.—The second ramble of the season of the members of the 
