BARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



2 S l 



In a recent paper read before us, Dr. Carter 

 pointed out the morphological peculiarities of vege- 

 table fertilisation, as affording a vast field for summer 

 microscopical work, and the desirability of our illus- 

 trating the subject by the preparation of perma- 

 nent mounts. The Gymnospermia, which comprises 

 the classes of plants bearing naked seeds not enclosed 

 in an ovary, the Conifera for example, is at present 

 represented in our cabinet by two slides — cuticle of 

 pine, and radicle of date palm. How interesting it 

 would be to possess slides illustrating the embryo- 

 logical differences of these great divisions ! Similarly, 

 by separating the Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, 

 the characteristic features of each will be better seen 

 and understood, and a stimulus will be afforded to 

 furnish the various connecting links, and supply 

 deficiencies. 



Of the slides illustrating the inorganic kingdom, 

 the crystals and geological sections fall into their 

 proper places, as of sedimentary, organic or igneous 

 origin — or by such arrangement as our connoisseurs in 

 that department consider best. 



Of scarcely less importance than the classification, 

 is the labelling of microscopic objects, and as the 

 slide or slip is the almost universally adopted 

 vehicle whereon to attach the object, it is of these 

 I will speak. 



With very few exceptions, and notably the very 

 excellent mounts of Mr. Enock, the labels of micro- 

 scopic slides are almost devoid of any further infor- 

 mation than the bare scientific or unscientific name 

 of the object, and that often conveyed in so vague a 

 manner as to be hardly intelligible. On this ground, 

 many otherwise good mounts have recently been 

 removed from our cabinet — " wing of a moth," " hair 

 of an animal,'' being terms too general to be of use. 

 Slides, as ordinarily labelled, will not admit the inser- 

 tion of much matter on the label, as the width must 

 necessarily be something less than one inch ; but 

 if two labels are affixed, and placed horizontally 

 on the slide instead of vertically, each can, as a rule, 

 be a full inch or more in width, and may be arranged 

 to contain a vast amount of information, and that of 

 great importance. 



By horizontal labelling, too, the name of the object 

 can be readily seen while upon the stage of the 

 microscope ; a consummation usually accompanied 

 with considerable chance of neck dislocation, should 

 the slide be labelled in the orthodox manner. 



As an experiment for my own cabinet, I recently 

 designed some labels of this description, and have 

 found them to answer very satisfactorily. 



The kingdom, whether animal, vegetable, or 

 mineral, heads the top of the left-hand label in bold 

 letters, the labels for animal kingdom being further 

 immediately distinguished by red type, the vegetable 

 by green, and the inorganic by black type. Below 

 the heading, follow in consecutive lines the sub- 

 kingdom, class, order, family, genus and species, a 



blank line being left for the English or conventional 

 name. 



The corresponding label on the right hand gives 

 desirable information respecting the mode of mount- 

 ing and of viewing the object, naming the part 

 mounted, the medium in which it is mounted, the 

 name of mounter, date, and power required, and 

 other details, concluding with the name of owner, as 

 a corresponding finish to the " kingdom ! ' on the 

 other label. 



The amount of information thus conveyed is most 

 valuable, and though necessitating some expenditure 

 of time and research, on the part of the beginner, at 

 any rate, the knowledge recorded is stored up, not 

 only in the mind, but upon the slide. As an example, 

 from the animal kingdom, we have, say, a slide of 

 the wood ant. 



Another from the Vegetable Kingdom, a section 

 of the female flowers of the yew. 



It is a decided advantage to have the labels printed 

 in sheets, with (say) eight or a dozen pairs of labels 

 on each, as being more easy to write upon than if 

 already cut up, and having a definite space between 

 each the sheet is readily cut up, no trimming being 

 required. 



The use of square pieces of card of varying thick- 

 ness, placed under the labels, forms a valuable pro- 

 tection to the object mounted between, further allow- 

 ing of the slides being packed together side by side, 

 thus obviating the necessity of rackwork during 

 transit. Probably by calling attention to this part of 

 the subject, other little similar suggestions of value 

 may be elicited. 



I would urge upon younger microscopists especially, 

 the value of labelling their specimens by natural 

 classification as a means of instruction. 



Let us ever bear in mind that "all scientific 

 appliances, classification included, are but imperfect 

 means, the great end being the better appreciation 

 of Nature." 



