44 MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 



examined by the microscope resemble branches of the 

 black thorn ; others possess compound branches on each 

 side like a fan, resembhng the feathers of the peacoclc's 

 tail. 



Hair, transverse sections of: — Human Hair. — The 

 structure of the hair is a subject of some interest ; and 

 many observers with the microscope have been unable to 

 satisfy themselves, when it is viewed in the ordinary way, 

 as to whether it was a solid cylinder or a tube. By 

 examining under the microscope a thin transverse section 

 of hair, the determination of its tubular structure is at 

 once decided. 



It may not be amiss to mention here the manner in 

 which such sections can be procured, as, to many persons, 

 the difficulty of this is insurmountable. Leeuwenhoek 

 adopted the following- plan. Ha\dng shaved himself very 

 clean, he repeated the process a few hours afterwards, and 

 then washed and mounted on a slider the portion of beard 

 thus obtained. This method, besides affording many other 

 objections, does not permit of our examining any other 

 kind of hair than that of the beard, and therefore has 

 induced us to contrive the following : — ^Take a lock or 

 bundle of any hair of which it is desirable to make sec- 

 tions, and dip it into strong glue ; by this means the hairs 

 \^all adhere together, and form when dried a hard solid 

 rod. This rod is then to be cut with a razor or suitable 

 knife in the same manner as thin sections of wood are 

 cut. — Power 120 diameters. 



Hair of Elephant, transverse section. — This hair is solid. 



