[183] 



Iponb^lbuntinQ m Mintcn 



By E. Wade-Wilton. 



IT seems to be the general opinion amongst microscopists that 

 ponds will not repay for the trouble of an examination in 

 the winter months. This " fireside theory " is as absm'd 

 as it is erroneous. 



In the coldest part of last year, the writer was out collecting 

 microzoic Hfe, when he met a friend, who asked with amazement, 

 " What ! haven't you got your stock of specimens for the winter 

 yet ? How can you possibly supply your customers ? " * This 

 friend was prevailed upon to watch the collecting-operations, and 

 was led to express his belief, after being shown many forms in 

 great abundance, which he had looked upon as very rare, that the 

 winter was after all the best time to collect. 



During the winter months, owing to the difficulty of obtaining 

 specimens from his regular collectors, the writer is often obliged to 

 collect his own specimens, or suffer the greater inconvenience of 

 not being able to meet the demands of his business, and he feels 

 great confidence in the truth of the remarks to be made in this 

 short paper. 



There are seasons in microscopical work as perceptible as the 

 seasons of the year. The summer is devoted to '' Pond-Hunting,'' 

 and the winter to mounting or to mounted objects ; this is most 

 unsatisfactory and quite unworthy of a practical worker. If 

 " Pond-Hunting " is only prosecuted for a certain part of the year, 

 what observations can be made during the rest of the year ? The 

 least observant student will see that " the habits of animals will 

 never be thoroughly known till they are observed in detail. Nor 

 is it sufficient to observe them now and then ; they must be 

 closely watched, their various actions and behaviour under dif- 

 ferent circumstances carefully noted, and especially those move- 

 ments which seem to us mere vagaries, undirected by any 

 suggestible motive or cause, v^'ell examined. A rich fruit of results, 

 often most curious and unexpected, and often singularly illus- 

 trative of peculiarities of structure, w^ill, I feel sure, reward 

 any one who studies living animals in this way. The most 

 interesting parts, by far, of published natural history, are those 

 minute but most graphic particulars which have been gathered by 

 an attentive watching of individual animals." * 



We make no apology for quoting Mr. Gosse at so great a 



*Gos3e, "The Aquarium," in preface. 



