Experimental Contribution to the Etiology of Infectious Diseases, with special reference to the Doctrine of Contagium Vivum. By E. Klein, M.D., F.R.S. Contributions to the Physiology of Batrachian Lymph-Hearts. By John Priestley. For March (No. 186): On Putrescent Organic Matter in Potable Water (II.). By Gustav Bischof. On the Modifications of the Simple and Compound Eyes of Insects. By B. Thompson Lowne, F.R.C.S. The JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY (ZOOLOGY) for February (No. 72): Observations on British Polyzoa. By Charles William Peach, Esq., A.L.S. (With 1 plate.) For May (No. 74) : On the Conditions favouring Fermentation and the Appearance of Bacilli, Micrococci, and Torula in previously Boiled Fluids. By H. Charlton Bastian, M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S. (Concluded.) Notes touching Recent Researches on the Radiolaria. By St. George Mivart, Zoological Sec. L.S. (With 16 woodcuts.) The JOURNAL OF THE QUEKETT MICROSCOPICAL CLUB for April (No. 36): On a new British Sponge of the Genus Microciana. By J. G. Waller. (With 2 plates.) On the "Autographic" Process of Lithography as applicable to the Illustration of Scientific Papers. By Arthur Cottam, F.R.A.S. On the Investigation of Floral Development, by Marcus M. Hartog, M.A., B.Sc., F.L.S., together with the Proceedings from 10th August to 28th December, 1877. ; The AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY AND POPULAR SCIENCE for Hints on the Selection of a Physician's Microscope. By Professor J. Edwards Smith. On the Measurement of the Angle of Aperture of Microscope Object-glasses (from the English Mechanic'). By F. H. Wenham. (With 1 woodcut.) The Divisibility of Gold. By Professor H. G. Hanks. Polarization by Refraction; also other Forms of Oblique Illumination. By L. R. Peet. On a New Mounting Bottle for Canada Balsam. By A. A. Julien. (With 1 woodcut.) A New and Cheap Form of Heliostat. By Dr. L. M. Willis. (With 1 woodcut.) Are Diatoms destroyed by Drying? (translated from the Proceedings of the French Botanical Society). By Paul Petit. Amoeba proteus. By Professor J. Leidy. Correspondence.-Professor R. Hitchcock on Angular Aperture.-Geo. E. Blackham on Collar Adjustment.-Ditto ditto on the Scale and Vernier Improvement in Stands. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, the State Microscopical Society of Illinois, and the San Francisco Microscopical Society. For May: Isthmia nervosa: A Study of its Modes of Growth and Reproduction. By J. D. Cox. (With 4 woodcuts.) Some Remarks concerning P. T. Cleve and Möller's Diatoms. Upsala, 1877. Nos. 1-48. By A. Grünow. The Preparation of Rocks and Fossils for Microscopical Examination. By R. Fritz-Gaertner, Ph.D. A New Box for Microscopic Slides. By Carl Seiler, M.D. (With 1 woodcut.) Dr. Carpenter on Angular Aperture. By W. G. Lapham. Correspondence.-Professor J. Edwards Smith on Professor Hitchcock's letter in the April number as to Angular Aperture.-Dr. C. Johnston on a suggested Museum of Microscopes.-Professor Hitchcock on Collar Adjustment, and on Mr. Peet's article in the April number on "Polarization by Refraction."- Mr. H. F. Atwood on Volvox globator, and Mr. G. E. Blackham on the Scale and Vernier Improvement in Stands. Transactions of Societies, as in April number. The JOURNAL DE MICROGRAPHIE for April : The Lymphatic Hearts (continuation). By Professor Ranvier. (With 1 woodcut.) On Foreign Microscopes (the American Microscopes) (continuation). By Dr. J. Pelletan. (With 2 woodcuts.) Observations on the Termination of the Motor Nerves of the Striated Muscles of the Torpedoes and the Rays (continuation). By Professor Ciaccio. New Researches on the Intimate Structure of the Retina in Birds. By Dr. A. Tafani. Observations on the Rotatoria and the Infusoria. By Dr. J. Pelletan. The Siliceous Fossil Beds of Auvergne employed in the Preparation of Dynamite. By Dr. Leuduger Fortmorel and M. Paul Petit. (With 1 woodcut.) On the Formation of the Septa in the Stylospores of the Hendersonia and the Pestalozziæ. By L. Crié. Diatoms of the "Ile de Re" gathered on the Chondrus crispus (Lyngby). By P. Petit. On a Photographic Microscope (continuation). By Professor C. Fayel. Review of the third edition of Dr. Van Heurck's 'The Microscope; its Management and its Application to Vegetable Anatomy and the Diatoms.' For May: The Lymphatic Hearts (continuation). By Professor Ranvier. Observations on the Termination of the Motor Nerves of the Striated Muscles of the Torpedoes and the Rays (continuation). By Professor Ciaccio. New Researches on the Intimate Structure of the Retina in Birds (continuation). By Dr. A. Tafani. On Foreign Microscopes (the American Microscopes) (continuation). By Dr. J. Pelletan. The Vernier applied to the Tube or Body of the Microscope. By L. M. Bauwens. (With 1 plate.) Reviews of Dr. Van Heurck's translation of Professor Hamilton Smith's Synopsis of the Families and Genera of the Diatoms. The Medullated Nerve Fibres. By Dr. J. Pelletan. (With 6 woodcuts.) Zentmayer's Double-stained Microscopical Preparations at the Paris Exhibition. By Dr. J. Pelletan. The Objectives of Mr. Tolles. By Dr. J. Pelletan. The ANNALES DES SCIENCES NATURELLES (Botanique), Vol. V., Nos. 1 to 3 (issued in March): Researches on the Comparative Anatomy and Development of the Tissue of the Stem in the Monocotyledons. By Dr. A. Guillaud. (With 6 plates.) The BULLETIN DE LA SOCIÉTÉ BELGE DE MICROSCOPIE, Vol. IV., Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7 (issued January to April):— On Liquids in the Cavities of Minerals, with a Description of Vogelsang and Geissler's Apparatus for Determining their Physical and Chemical Properties. By M. Renard. (With 1 woodcut.) The Vernier applied to the Tube or Body of the Microscope. By L. M. Bauwens. (With 1 plate.) The Histological Preparations of Dr. Kaiser of Berlin. By Dr. K. Ledeganck. The Diatoms of the Alps. By Professor Brun. On the Employment of the Ordinary Microscope as a Polariscope for converging Light, and on a New Microscope for the use of Mineralogists. By Professor A. de Lasaulx. Observations on some Slides of the Remains of Fossil Pliocene Fishes from Pisa. By R. Lawley. The New Oil of Cedar Immersion Objective of Carl Zeiss. By Dr. Henri Van Heurck. Reviews of Books and Journals, with extracts; and the Proceedings of the Meetings of January, February, March, and April. The ARCHIV FÜR MIKROSKOPISCHE ANATOMIE, Vol. XV., No. 1 (issued 1st April): On the Development of the Nerves from the Protoplasmic Cells in Frogs. By Dr. Korybutt-Daszkiewicz. (With 1 plate.) Researches on the Probosces of Butterflies. By W. Breitenbach. (With 1 plate.) Minor Histological Communications. By Dr. P. Schiefferdecker. Observations on the Anatomy of the Antennæ-Hairs. By Dr. Ludwig Loewe. (With 1 plate.) On a Peculiar Looped Formation of the Blood-vessels in the Brain and Spinal Marrow of the Saurians. By Dr. Jos. Schöbl. (With 1 plate.) On the Nerves of the Ureters. By A. Dogiel. (With 1 plate.) The Development of the Mesoblasts in the Hens. By Dr. J. Disse. (With 1 plate.) Explanations on the Observations of M. Foster and A. G. Dew-Smith in vol. xiv., No. 3, p. 317. By J. Dogiel. On the Higher Tissue-theory (Part I.). By G. Valentin. On the Structure and Efficacy of Glands (Part II.): The Ferment Formation in the Glands. By Dr. Moritz Nussbaum. (With 1 plate.) Some Improvements in the Rivet-Leiser Microtom. By Dr. H. Reichenbach. A Method of Staining Rapidly. By Dr. H. Obersteiner. The ZEITSCHRIFT FÜR MIKROSKOPIE for March : The Development and Present Position of Microscopy in Germany (continuation). By Dr. E. Kaiser. On the Staining and Preparation of Bacteria. By Dr. W. A. Haupt. On the Collection and Observation of Microscopic Objects on Travels and Excursions (conclusion). By Dr. E. Bouché. Review of a book by Dr. E. Strassburger on Fertilisation and Cell Division. For April: Three Botanical Monographs of M. F. Ledermüller. By Dr. J. Grönland. On Foreign Microscopes (continuation). By Dr. J. Pelletan. Translated from the Journal de Micrographie.' The Making of Microscopic Preparations. By Arnold Münster. SIEBOLD AND KOLLIKER'S ZEITSCHRIFT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTLICHE ZOOLOGIE, Vol. XXX., Supplement, 1st and 2nd parts (issued 23rd April and 1st May) :— The Form of the Crystalline Cone in the Eyes of the Arthropoda. By Oscar Schmidt. (With 1 plate.) The Poison Apparatus and the Anal Glands of the Ants. By Dr. August Forel. (With 2 plates.) Contributions to the Knowledge of the Post-embryonal Formation of the Limbs in Insects. By H. Dewitz. (With 1 plate.) On the Ornamental Colours of the Daphniada. By Dr. A. Weissman. (With 1 plate.) Anatomical and Zoological Observations on Amphipoda and Isopoda. By Dr. F. Leydig. (With 4 plates.) On the Generative Organs of some Ecto-parasitic Marine Trematoda. By Carl Vogt. (With 3 plates.) On the Shore-inhabiting Cladocera. By Dr. Wilhelm Kurz. (With 1 plate.) Vol. XXX., 4th part (issued 7th May): : On the Origin of the Generative Products in the Hydroida. By J. Ciamician. (With 2 plates.) On the Structure of Reniera semitubulosa: A Contribution to the Anatomy of the Siliceous Sponges. By Dr. E. Keller. (With 2 plates.) Contributions to the Knowledge of the Malpighian Vessels of Insects. By Dr. E. Schindler. (With 3 plates and a woodcut.) The Fibrilla of the Genus (of Sponges) Filifera (Lieberkuhn). By Oscar Schmidt. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON, May 1, 1878. H. J. Slack, Esq., President, in the chair. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read, and were signed by the President. Professor Abbe, of Jena, was balloted for, and unanimously elected an Honorary Fellow of the Society. A list of donations to the Society was read, and the thanks of the meeting were voted to the donors. Mr. C. Stewart (Secretary) then read a paper "On a new British Cheyletus," by Mr. A. D. Michael. The paper was illustrated by carefully executed drawings, and minutely described the structure and habits of the insect, which it was proposed to call Cheyletus flabellifer. The President, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Michael, called attention to the very beautiful illustrations with which the paper was accompanied, and observed that he had himself found another species recently in the bark of cherry trees, which at the present time of year contained a large number of small insects, such as mites of various kinds, Chelifers, spiders, Poduræ, &c. Dr. Braithwaite suggested the desirability of bringing forward such papers as the one which had just been read, and urged upon the Fellows generally that they should not content themselves by merely subscribing to the Society and attending the meetings: there was much to be done in the way of similar observation and descriptions. This family of the Acaridæ, especially, opened up a wide field for investigation, and the same might be said of the Cryptogamia and other botanical subjects. Now that their new Journal was being started, it was very desirable that Fellows should encourage it by working out small monographs on various subjects similar to the one they had just heard. Mr. S. J. McIntire, in reply to a question from the President, said that about twelve years ago he had given some attention to the subject, and had then met with two species of Cheyletus, one of which was C. eruditus, and the other was thought not to have been before described. With regard to colour, he had at that time observed that a quantity of Cheyleti found behind a cage where some birds were kept, were of the same red colour as the bird mites upon which they had been feeding, and not of their usual orange colour. Mr. Stewart inquired if the red colour was diffused all over the insects, or whether it was merely seen through the course of the alimentary canal ? Mr. McIntire said it was generally diffused, but when the insects had been feeding the darker course of the alimentary canal was clearly marked. The President inquired whether it was also the case with regard to mites as with spiders, that they would attack and eat one another up? Mr. McIntire said that, as a rule, any mite would eat up another which was not strong enough to defend itself. The President said that they had received a very important paper upon blood-corpuscles, which, however, it was impossible to read in extenso, especially as it was illustrated by numerous drawings, apart from which it could not be very readily understood. Mr. Stewart had, however, carefully read the paper, and would give them a résumé of its contents, and the paper itself would appear in full in the Journal. Mr. Stewart said that the paper in question was in continuation of one formerly read before the Society upon blood-corpuscles, and which was already in print. They would probably remember that the author (Dr. H. D. Schmidt, of New Orleans) then described his observations upon the blood of man, and he now proceeded to follow this up by some further remarks, and to make comparisons between what he had seen and the blood of the Amphiuma, frog, and of man. Mr. Stewart then, by means of drawings on the black-board, described the chief points of the paper, and indicated the line of argument taken and conclusions come to by the author. The President proposed a vote of thanks to the author of the paper, and also to Mr. Stewart for the very excellent description which he had given of it. Carried unanimously. The President called attention to the Scientific Evening which it had been arranged should be held on the 15th instant, and urged upon the Fellows the desirability of their bringing up their instruments with any objects of interest upon the occasion. He hoped that no effort would be wanting to secure a good attendance and make the meeting a success. The President said that it had been thought that their ordinary meetings might be made more interesting if, after the papers had been read, the Fellows would bring forward any notices of objects of interest which might have come before them, or of any matter relating to their microscopical pursuits upon which it might be desired to obtain any further information. With a view of setting the example, he would just mention two little matters which might serve to start this plan amongst them. He believed that at the present time specimens of the very beautiful Lissajou's curves, drawn microscopically by Mr. West, could be obtained, and he would strongly advise Fellows who were interested in the matter to get them, with a view to the solution of some curious questions of interpretation. If they procured a specimen of these curves in which the lines crossed one another more or less obliquely, and began to examine it with a 4-inch objective, illuminating it with a larger spot lens than usual, they would get some very beautiful effects of colour, but they could not obtain a really correct view of the object itself, because of the very striking character of the false perspective, which made it seem as if one set of curves passed a long way behind the others. It seemed to him that, if they met with any similar arrangement in nature, they would not be able to detect the fallacy, except by some process of reasoning from analogy. He should advise that these objects be examined by various powers up to inch, and was sure that some very instructive results would follow. With this power they did not get at all a true idea of the object, but they did obtain a still more curious |