Aug. ], 1SG9.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



187 



MICROSCOPY. 



Maxime Miranda in Minimis.— Under this 

 motto Mr. H. C. Richter has just published a 

 photograph of a group of microscopic animals and 

 plants collected from a pond at Leytonstone. It 

 contains thirty-five objects, including rotifers, infu- 

 soria, entomostraca, water-bears, diatoms, desmids' 

 and conferva. The whole is an exceedingly artistic 

 group, and it could not well be otherwise, since it 

 is the result of a labour of love by one so well known 

 as an artist in the department of Natural History. 

 Each object is in itself a study, and we venture to 

 think that the group of water-bears is the most 

 natural, and perhaps the only natural delineation of 

 these singular creatures we have ever seen. The 

 photographs are neatly mounted on stiff cardboard, 

 and may be had at a very reasonable price, either of 

 Mr. T. Ross, Messrs. Beck, or Mr. C. Baker, the 

 well-known opticians. 



Diatoms of Northumberland.— In the last 

 part of the Quarterly Journal of Microscopical 

 Science, Dr. Donkin furnishes a paper on several 

 new (?) and rare species of freshwater diatoms 

 discovered in Northumberland. The learned doctor 

 in the pursuit of his investigations, with the view 

 of publishing at no distant period an entirely new 

 work on the British Diatomacese, met with these 

 forms, which he has published, we presume, in order 

 to convince microscopists of his ability to produce 

 the promised "entirely new work." Erom this 

 specimen we have no doubt the " new work " will 

 contain much that is very novel. A new edition 

 and appendix to the "Synopsis" would be very 

 acceptable ; but of course we cannot say so much 

 for an " entirely new work," of the merits of which 

 we can only judge from the present communication. 

 A good critical work on Diatomaceas, reducing the 

 spurious species, which the vanity of inexperienced 

 writers has created, would be too much to expect, 

 but not too much to desire. 



Monthly Microscopical Journal.— The first 

 volume of this journal is just completed, and for the 

 six months furnishes 392 pages for comparison with 

 the 426 pages of the Quarterly Journal for the 

 preceding twelve months. Beyond this fact we do 

 not purpose to institute comparisons, but will leave 

 that task to the Fellows of the Society and the 

 purchasers of the Journal. Probably had we 

 counted Lines instead of pages, the balance would 

 have been in favour of the new Journal for six 

 months against twelve. It is impossible for us to 

 indicate the subjects which this volume contains, 

 of interest to microscopists, for that could only be 

 done by reprinting the contents. We cannot believe 

 that any one interested in the literature of micro- 

 scopj T , or in the progress of microscopical science, 



would hesitate to expend eighteenpeuce a month 

 for such a record. 



Scale of the Eel. — We have heard it gravely 

 asserted, and strenuously maintained, that eels are 

 not furnished with scales. In controversion of this 

 popular error we now furnish a figure of Eel scale, 

 magnified to the same proportions as the scale of 

 the Dace in our last number. It will be observed 



Hi 



Fig. 122. Scale of Eel magnified. 



that the scales of the Eel are very peculiar in form, 

 being long and narrow, and the markings, instead 

 of parallel concentric ridges, are monilii'orm series 

 of ovals ; they are of course very delicate and 

 transparent, but undoubted scales. A piece of the 

 skin may be mounted and the scales viewed in situ, 

 those of the belly being most distinct. 



Edinburgh Naturalists' Clob. — The botanists 

 and zoologists of Edinburgh have founded a Eield 

 Club, which is already in a fair way of reaching the 

 number to which it is limited. It is composed of 

 Professors and other members of the University, 

 and amateur naturalists : Mr. Robert Brown, 

 President ; Dr. Black, Vice-President ; and Dr. 

 Edmonston, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. 



