1885.] NEW-YORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 29 



More microscopy can be learned and more knowledge ac- 

 quired by ten hours' devotion to the original investigation of an- 

 atomical structure or of physiological phenomena, than by a 

 hundred hours of surrender to the amusement of trying or to the 

 pride of parading one's lenses by examining mounted test-objects 

 only. The glory of a lens, like that of a man, is work. 



In looking for cyclosis in plant-cells, care must be taken 



to distinguish protoplasmic action from the oscillatory move- 

 ment called " Brownian," and from the motions of bacterial 

 organisms. By the practised eye these phenomena are easily 

 discriminated. The caution is given for the benefit of the inex- 

 perienced observer. 



The Minuteness of Sporules. — Bacteria increase by 



repeated self-division. But sometimes the multiplication is 

 effected by the production of sporules. The sporules of the 

 micro-organisms which develop in an aqueous solution of sulpho- 

 cyanide of potassium, and of sundry other chemicals, are so 

 small that they will pass freely through a dozen or more thick- 

 nesses of the finest filter-paper. The smallest sporules known 

 are, probably, those of Bacterimn termo. A lens of the finest 

 quality, magnifying five thousand diameters, failed to disclose 

 them to the keen and watchful eye of Dr. Dallinger, Their im- 

 mense numbers gave them the aspect of a homogeneous, glairy, 

 clouded fluid. But this experienced observer knew that they 

 must presently, through increase of size by growth, become vis- 

 ible in their individuality ; and at the end of nearly two hours 

 they began to display themselves throughout the field with the 

 ' suddenness and beauty of the apparition of the stars at night- 

 fall.' 



INDEX TO ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO MICROSCOPISTS 



WHICH HAVE RECENTLY APPEARED IN OTHER 



JOURNALS. 



Mciduun bellidis, DC, On the Life History of : C. B. Plowright. 



Jour. Linn. Soc. (Bot.), XX. (1884), pp. 511-12. 

 Air, External, of Washington ; An examination of : J. H Kidder. 



Jour, of Micr., III. (1884), pp. 182-5 (2 figs.). 

 Alcoholgahrungspilze, Neue Untersuchungen liber : Emil Chr. Hansen. 



Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell. , II. (1884), Nov. 5th. 



