
284 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 

The following gentlemen were elected members :—Mr. H. B. Bidden, Sale, 
Cheshire; Mr. W. F. Follows, Polygon, Eccles ; Rev. G. W. Reynolds, M.A, 
St. Mark’s Rectory, Cheetham Hill; and Mr. R. C. Pilling, Robin's Nest, 
Blackburn. ; 
The CHAIRMAN: You will, many of you, be aware that the next will be our 
experimental meeting. We have amongst us a number of gentlemen who have 
been making rapid progress in the propane of objects, and have been doing 
the work exceedingly well. We think it very desirable that members should 
have an opportunity of watching the process they adopt, and there is no doubt 
that the evening will be a very profitable one, especially to the younger mem- 
bers of the Society who have had no experience in object-mounting. You will 
have the different modes of mounting shown before you on the tables. I be- 
lieve it will be sufficiently profitable, and that the number of workers will be 
quite enough to make the evening exceedingly profitable. The members on that 
occasion may bring friends with them in any reasonable quantity. We want 
to create an interest in our proceedings outside the Society, as well as inside. 
We know that there are some outside who sympathise with us, and who will 
be very glad to come on that occasion, ape the ladies. I know some 
ladies who do work of this kind exceedingly well. One or two of the mem- 
bers are very proud of their wives, and I do not wonder at it, for they show 
some excellent work done, and particularly in that difficult duty, which I 
always find awkward, of ringing. I cannot ring very well—my hand shakes a 
little—but some of the ladies can do it very well. Iam sorry to see that Mr. 
Davis is not here to-night. I had hoped that the question of apertures would 
have been completely settled to-night. I don’t know what will happen, I am 
quite in your hands ; whatever you think should be done—whether the ques- 
tion should be adjourned or not, or whether you had better settle it at once— 
I am quite at your service, and I shall be very glad of any opinion from those 
who have an opinion upon it to give. Mr. Miles, you will notice, is down for a 
paper on this subject. I suppose it will be your desire that he deliver that 
paper, and after that you can take your own course. 
he SECRETARY : I have been asked by Mr. Stanley to mention that there 
will be a meeting of the Ramble Club as soon as the business of this meeting 
is over, 
The CHAIRMAN: Has any member anything particular to refer to? We are 
always glad to receive information from our members, and if in their excursions 
they have found anything especially interesting to the Society, we are always 
glad to hear what they have to say. 
Mr. FLEMING displayed a rough sketch of a Zoophyte, or Laomedea genicu- 
fata, which he had picked up at Southport. 
Mr, STANLEY said he had brought down a few of the Hypmacee which is 
the largest family of the mosses. ‘There are 120 species, and they are remark- 
able for their creeping habit. When the moss is dry, it is extremely crisp, aud 
very pleasant indeed to sleep upon. It makes a very comfortable pillow. It 
is used, I believe, by many of the Laplanders for sleeping upon, and it is also 
used by the women for packing their children in when they carry them on their 
backs, where they rest secure and comfortable while they travel considerable 
distances. I have not been able to mount it for the microscope. 
Mr. RoBINsoN: Ihave brought down with me this evening a larva which I 
am not able to name. Perhaps some gentleman can help me. 
Mr. J. L. W. Mices: Mr. President and gentlemen—It was your pleasure 
that this subject [the optical performances of objectives] which I referred to at 
the July meeting should again be brought up this evening. Such being the 
case, after consulting with Mr. Cooke, he confirmed me in what was my 
opinion, namely, that it would be my duty to introduce the subject personally 
and a second time this evening. As you are aware, that which I called a paper 
a 

