23G 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



MICROSCOPY. 



Eukze-Mites (vol. 1868, p. 49).— I found a 

 colony of these curious little animals last week on 

 Weybridge Heath, ou some furze between the 

 station aud the gate leading into Mr. Locke King's 

 property. One of the furze-bushes was partially 

 enveloped in the thick web, and the points of the 

 shoots were red with the numbers of mites located 

 upon them. I was too hurried to be able to see 

 whether the characteristic green specimens were 

 present. — W. W. Spicer, lichen Abbas. 



Scale of the Pike (Esox lucius). — During the 

 year 1866 we figured the scale of the pike (fig. 71) ; 

 but, since then, we have figured so many of the 

 scales of our British fishes that we look with less 

 satisfaction on the scale there engraved, and, con- 



Fig. 142. Scale of Pike. 



sequently, have now added the pike to this latter 

 series, not only larger, but, as we think, better done. 

 The few remaining of our British fresh-water fishes 

 we shall be glad to add to this series, as soon as we 

 obtain authentic scales. 



Slides foe Opaque Objects.— We have received 

 from Mr. H. P. Aylward, of Manchester, a sample 

 of wooden slides which he has prepared for mount- 

 ing opaque objects. These slips are of hard wood, 

 3x1 inches, with a countersunk cell, of variable 

 size. The upper edge of the cell is grooved for the 

 glass to fall in, and this is fixed in its place by means 

 of an adhesive paper ring. The slides are neatly 

 finished, and when the object is mounted it has a 



very neat appearance. The slides are finished so as 

 not to require papering, and, we doubt not, will 

 form a useful adjunct to the materials of the 

 amateur mounter. Further particulars may be 

 obtained from the designer of these slides, at 

 No. 15, Cotham Street, Strangeways, Manchester. 



Microscopists who are tired of their own round 

 of objects and observations, will find during the 

 autumn some very pretty little cup-shaped fungi, 

 mostly hairy, and often yellow, growing on the old 

 excrement of various animals, as the horse, cow, 

 ass, rabbit, sheep, &c. These are just visible to 

 the naked eye, of a fleshy substance, and may 

 easily be made to show their internal structure 

 by pressure on the slide. The sporidia, when fully 

 matured, are very often of a beautiful amethystine 

 purple. These objects are described under the 

 name of Ascobolus, and may be mounted in the same 

 manner as described for Peziza, in a communication 

 made at the August meeting of the Quekett Micro- 

 scopical Club. Though found in such company, 

 the collector need be under no apprehension of 

 anything disgusting, since the excreta become old and 

 washed before the Ascoboli make their appearance. 



Wiiat to look foe. — Will botanists, when out 

 on their excursions, look for the following micro- 

 scopic fungi : — A brand m Pucciuia on the leaves of 

 the common tansy {Tanacetum vulgare) ; a parasitic 

 fungus on the leaves of Bupleurutu ; a cluster-cup 

 (jEcidium) on the leaves of Parnassia palustris ; an 

 orange rust on the leaves of Empetrum nigrum ; a 

 brand {Pucciuia) on the leaves of Chrysospleniuui 

 oppiositifolium, hitherto only found by Dr. Greville ; 

 a bright orange Uredo on the leaves of Euonymus 

 europceus ; a rusty Pucciuia on the under surface of 

 the leaves of Arctium lappa ; similar rust on the 

 leaves of Polygonum Bistorta ; a Pucciuia on the 

 leaves of Sedum Rhodiola ; and a parasite, much re- 

 sembling an Uredo, on the leaves of the common 

 houseleek. If any of these are found, will the finder 

 of them send specimen and particulars to the 

 " Author of the ' Handbook of British Eungi,' " at 

 the office of this journal. 



Amplification.— Great advantage would it be if 

 microscopists would invariably put under every dia- 

 gram of objects the number of times magnified. In 

 many cases, especially perhaps in Mr. Gosse's work, 

 "Evenings at the Microscope," do I find sketches 

 of objects seen which are, after all, only within reach 

 of those who own the very highest powers — not to 

 be seen by those who possess objectives of only, say, 

 300 diameter power. To those who have a good 

 microscope with 1-inch and i-inch objectives it is 

 tantalizing to see pictures of objects to see which 

 the very high powers are required ; and frequently, 

 perhaps, the young microscopist tries to see what is 

 figured in the book and is utterly disappointed and 

 disheartened.— F. A. F. 



