HARDWICICE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



87 



engraved upon it: "B. Martin Invt. et Fecit. 

 London." It has no date upon it, but was probably 

 constructed about 1770. 



Benjamin Martin was of considerable repute as 

 an optician and mathematician, and wrote several 

 scientific treatises on various sciences. In addition 

 to the treatises previously mentioned, he was the 

 author of the following : " The Description and Use 

 of a new invented Pocket Microscope," Svo, pp. 29, 

 plates 2. Chichester, 1738 ; "A New and Compen- 

 dious System of Optics," Svo, pp.295, plates 34; 

 " Micrographia Nova ; or a New Treatise on the 

 Microscope and Microscopic objects;" containing— 



" I. The Description and Use of two different 

 Reflecting Microscopes, of a new form and 

 structure, and furnished with a Micrometer ; viz., 

 one designed for the Pocket, the other mounted on 

 a Ball and Socket, which renders it of Universal 



Use. 



"II. A large and particular Account of all kinds 

 of Microscopic Objects to be found in the Human, 

 body, in Quadrupedes, in Fowls, Fishes, Insects, 8,-c, 

 in Plants and Vegetables of every kind, in Earth, 

 Minerals, and Fossil Substances, and various other 

 Miscellaneous Subjects. With directions how to 

 procure and prepare them for Use, and divers 

 occasional Remarks interspersed thro' the whole. 

 To which is added an Account of the Camera 

 Obsctjra and Solo, Microscope, or Method of 

 Magnijing Objects in a Darkened Chamber, in every 

 way by Reflection and Refraction." 



I have carefully quoted the table of contents, in order 

 that the modern " microscopist " may see what was 

 the range of a work on " Microscopy " published 

 133 years ago. It contained 62 4to. pages, and was 

 " adorn'd with Copperplates " (2), and the price was 

 2s. 6d. ! 



In the same year he published "A Large and 

 beautiful Print on Imperial Paper {Price Three Shil- 

 lings and Sixpence), intituled, Synopsis Scienter 

 Celestis, by Mr. Benjamin Martin, author of the 

 Philosophical Grammar," &c. 



In the earlier part of his life he appears to have 

 kept a school in Chichester, but at last gave it up, 

 and commenced optician and globe-maker at " The 

 Sign of the Globe and Visual Glasses, two doors 

 below Crane-court, Pleet-street, London," and 

 which he carried on successfully for many years ; 

 but confiding in the integrity of those to whom 

 he relinquished the active part of his business, he 

 became bankrupt, and, driven to desperation, he 

 attempted self-destruction, which though not suc- 

 cessful, accelerated his . death at the age of 7S 



years. 



{To be continued.) 



Butcher-bird. — A fine specimen (male) of this 

 bird was shot at Craigo, in this neighbourhood, last 

 week ; very rare in this part of Scotland. — R.B., 

 Montrose Museum. 



MICROSCOPY. 



New Cross Microscopical Society.— The New 

 Cross Microscopical and Natural History Society 

 held its occasional soiree at the New Public Hall, 

 Lewisham High-road, on the evening of the 3rd 

 March, and was one of the most successful meetings 

 of the kind which the Kent or Surrey students of 

 nature have ever been privileged to attend. The 

 large room, so admirably adapted for a gathering, 

 was well filled, without being inconveniently crowded, 

 with about 500 visitors, while about 100 microscopes 

 contributed to their instruction. Too warm com- 

 mendation cannot be given to the excellent hon. 

 secretary, Mr. H. A. Auld, of Blackheath, for the 

 painstaking and admirable manner m which the 

 "get-up" was managed. Mr. J. H. Steward, of 

 the Strand, gratuitously lent a number of binocular 

 and monocular instruments, besides some excellent 

 graphoscopes and stereoscopes. During the evening 

 there were two exhibitions of the oxyhydrogen 

 lime-light in the upper lecture-rooms, illustrating 

 sundry" micro-photography and natural history 

 objects, while in , the large hall was shown a large 

 and valuable collection of British and foreign 

 lepidoptera and coleoptera (butterflies, moths, and 

 beetles), zoophytes, shells, and corals, living lichen 

 and flowers, and sundry curious specimens of pond 

 life; amongst which was a brick-making melicerta. 

 Almost every department of nature appeared to 

 have been taxed to insure the success. This pro- 

 mising young institution holds its evening meet- 

 ings at the hall the third Wednesday of every month 

 at' 8 o'clock. Besides a microscopic exhibition at 

 these gatherings, it has its summer meetings which 

 are generally conducted by a scientific guide, who 

 explains such phenomena as it has been decided 

 previously to examine. 



Liquid Cement.-" R. S. T." may purchase at 

 any chemist's, compound tragacanth powder and 

 powdered gum-acacia for a very small sum, and if 

 these are mixed in equal proportions and moistened 

 according to requirements at the time with dilute 

 acetic acid, or, if the colour will not be of any 

 importance, with ordinary vinegar, a strong and 

 lasting cement will be obtained, which, as far as my 

 experience goes, surpasses any of the cements now 

 sold.— W. O. Mackmurdo. 



Poraminifera— Having received a slide con- 

 taining foraminifera from Bantry Bay, it occurred 

 to me to ask whether any one has given great 

 attention to the question whether the species vary 

 in the different localities, and if so, does it depend 

 on the adjacent or submerged strata. Could you 

 give an instruction how the foraminifera are to be 

 obtained from the Greensand ? I was much struck 

 with a series at the Loophole, at Bath, from the 



