414 Bibliographical Notices. 



degree of perfection ; it is their money that pays the expense of 

 costly experiments ; and it is mainly owing to the great demand 

 created by them for microscopes and their accessories, that the 

 scientific man can now procure a good instrument at a moderate 

 price. 



Amongst the more striking immediate results of the springing up 

 amongst us of this sect of " minute philosophers/' as our forefathers 

 would have termed them, we must reckon the production of an ex- 

 tensive and daily increasing literature, intended to guide the possessor 

 of a microscope in the proper use of the means of investigation in his 

 hand. A small portion of this literature has undoubtedly been con- 

 tributed by the microscopists themselves (as indeed in some cases is 

 but too evident) ; but the best works are all the productions of men 

 already holding a high place as naturalists, such as Quekett, Car- 

 penter, Gosse, and others. 



The largest and most important of all the works above alluded to 

 is undoubtedly the ' Micrographic Dictionary' of Griffith and Henfrey, 

 of which a second edition is now before us, the first edition having 

 been published only at the end of 1855. In this book the authors 

 have endeavoured to bring together all the scattered information of 

 which the microscopic observer stands so much in need. In the " In- 

 troduction" we have a description of the structure of the microscope 

 and the mode of using it, together with brief general directions as to 

 the most valuable accessory apparatus, both for the collection and 

 display of microscopic objects, followed by a most valuable disserta- 

 tion on the method of microscopic analysis. In the body of the 

 work, which is arranged alphabetically, we find further special refe- 

 rence to these practical parts of the subject such as the mode of 

 employment of polarized light, chemical reagents, &c., in microscopic 

 research, and also to the various methods to be adopted and mate- 

 rials to be used in the preparation and preservation of objects. 

 But the great bulk of the volume is devoted to the consideration 

 of the various classes of microscopic objects, indicating not only the 

 mode of procuring, observing, and preparing them, but describing 

 admirably the chief points in their structure, physiology, and habits. 

 Of the higher animals, the minute anatomy and physiology of the 

 principal elementary parts and organs are described. Thus, we have 

 articles on < Bone,' 'Cartilage,' 'Hair,' < Feathers,' 'Teeth,' &c., 

 in which the structure and mode of formation of these parts are 

 briefly explained ; and in the same way the structure and functions 

 of the ' Liver,' ' Lungs,' ' Kidneys,' and other organs of the animal 

 body are described. 



The whole of these histological articles are copiously illustrated 

 with woodcuts, many of which are copies of the admirable illustra- 

 tions of Kolliker's 'Microscopic Anatomy.' In other articles we 

 find special reference to certain points in the physiology of plants 

 and animals ; and the minute anatomy of the higher plants is also 

 carefully described. The remainder of the articles are for the most 

 part devoted to the special description of the various groups of ani- 

 mals and plants which may be regarded as possessing most interest 



