Edited, under the direction of the Publication Committee, by
FRANK CRISP, LL.B., B.A., F.L.S.,
One of the Secretaries of the Society;

PREFACE.

THE present volume of the Journal has been continued on the same plan as the previous one; but it is intended in future volumes to subdivide “Microscopy" into two parts, "(a) Collecting, Mounting, and Examining Objects," and "(B) Instruments, Accessories, &c."

As the result of endeavours made to ascertain the views of the Fellows, it has been found that a desire exists that the pages occupied by the Bibliography should be devoted to an extension of the abstracts of important biological and microscopical papers, instead of including the titles simply of all such papers. Recognizing that the Editors exist for the Journal, and not the Journal for the Editors, it is intended to give effect to this wish, though not without some personal regret. The aim of the Journal has been, as before explained, to give the Fellows full information as to what has been published in the current periodical literature of all countries; and as it is impossible to do this completely at any rate at present-by means of abstracts, the Bibliography was intended to supply some of the omissions, so that the Fellows might still feel assured that there was no paper that was not, in some form, brought under their notice.

As great importance must attach to the nearest approach to completeness in this respect, it is proposed to incorporate with the Record of Current Researches, bibliographical notes of papers that it may be impossible to abstract, either for want of space or for other reasons.

Some of the parts of the Journal are now out of print-the number required having been in excess of the expected demand. The Publication Committee would have been glad to avoid commencing a new series at so early a period, but they have come to the conclusion that under the circumstances this will be the better course, so that it may be possible for future Fellows to commence with a complete series rather than with one which must always remain incompleto.

Additional title-pages are supplied with this volume, so that Fellows desirous of binding it in two parts can do so. The Council, after consideration, were of opinion that it will be better to have one volume only for each year, rather than to multiply the number of

indexes, which, in previous cases, has been found to add much to the difficulty of finding any given subject.

As with the former volume, every endeavour has been made to render the contents and index as efficient as possible; and it is hoped that no difficulty will be found in readily referring to any note contained in the Record.

In addition to the Publication Committee, the best acknowledgments are due to the Associate Editors, Messrs. Parker,* Bennett, Bell, and Ridley, the more so that they have to look for their reward in the hope that their exertions may be of some benefit to all who are desirous of keeping au courant with the contents of the fast increasing periodical literature relating to Biology and Microscopy.

Among other Fellows for whose assistance acknowledgments are due should be mentioned Mr. C. J. Fox and Mr. F. H. Ward; also Mr. John Mayall, jun., whose co-operation in regard to microscopical subjects (properly so called) has been of the greatest

value.

FRANK CRIS.

*Mr. T. J. Parker was unfortunately obliged to sever his connection with the Journal on his appointment to a professorship in New Zealand.

1

THE

Royal Microscopical Society.

(Founded in 1839. Incorporated by Royal Charter in 1866.)

The Society was established for the communication and discussion of observations and discoveries (1) tending to improvements in the construction and mode of application of the Microscope, or (2) relating to Biological or other subjects of Microscopical Research.

It consists of Ordinary, Honorary, and Ex-officio Fellows.

Ordinary Fellows are elected on a Certificate of Recommendation signed by three Fellows, stating the names, residence, description, &c., of the Candidate, of whom one of the proposers must have personal knowledge. The Certificate is read at a Monthly Meeting, and the Candidate balloted for at the succeeding Meeting.

The Annual Subscription is £2 2s., payable in advance on election, and subsequently on 1st January annually, with an Entrance Fee of £2 2s. Future payments of the former may be compounded for at any time for £31 10s. Fellows elected at a meeting subsequent to that in June are only called upon for one-half of the year's subscription, and Fellows absent from the United Kingdom for a year, or permanently residing abroad, are exempt from one-half the subscription during absence.

Honorary Fellows (limited to 50), consisting of persons eminent in Microscopical or Biological Science, are elected on the recommendation of three Fellows and the approval of the Council.

Ex-officio Fellows (limited to 100) consist of the Presidents for the time being of such Societies at home and abroad as the Council may recommend and a Monthly Meeting approve. They are entitled to receive the Society's Publications, and to exercise all other privileges of Fellows, except voting, but are not required to pay any Entrance Fee or Annual Subscription.

The Council, by whom the affairs of the Society are managed, is elected annually, and is composed of the President, four Vice-Presidents, Treasuror, two Secretaries, and twelve other Fellows.

The Meetings are held on the second Wednesday in each month, from October to June, in the Society's Library at King's College, Strand, W.C. (commencing at 8 P.M.). Visitors are admitted by the introduction of Fellows.

In each Session two additional evenings ("Scientific Evenings ") are devoted to the exhibition of Apparatus and Objects of novelty or interest relating to the Microscope or the subjects of Microscopical Research.

The Journal, containing the Transactions and Proceedings of the Society, with a Record of Current Researches relating to Invertebrata, Cryptogamia, Microscopy, &c., is published bi-monthly, and is forwarded gratis to all Ordinary and Ex-officio Fellows residing in countries within the Postal Union.

The Library, with the Instruments, Apparatus, and Cabinet of Objects, is opon for the use of Fellows on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M., and on Wednesdays from 7 to 10 P.M. It is closed during August.

Forms of proposal for Fellowship, and any further information, may be obtained by application to the Secretaries, or Assistant-Secretary, at the Library of the Society, King's College, Strand, W.C.