350 Hints on the Study of Hepatics. [Sess. 



ation. Hepatics quite recover their normal form on being 

 moistened, though not always their natural colour. 



For the examination of specimens the student will require a 

 dissecting microscope, the stand of which can easily be made 

 out of an old box, a compound microscope with 1 in. and \ in. 

 object-glasses, a pair of scalpels, forceps, and a pair of needles 

 mounted on handles. A double nose-piece for the microscope 

 will save an immense amount of trouble. A small tuft of the 

 specimen to be examined is first to be placed in a saucer with 

 water, and gently kneaded with the fingers to remove the soil 

 and air-bubbles. If there be much soil attached to the tuft, 

 a second saucer of water to clean the specimen will be neces- 

 sary. Examine the plant with the pocket lens while in the 

 ■water, then take it out and partially dry it with a towel and 

 examine it again. The shape of the leaves will now have been 

 noted, whether entire, toothed, or lobed, the angle which they 

 form with the stem, and whether they are inserted on the stem 

 obliquely or transversely. The next step is to place two or 

 three stems under the dissecting microscope, add a drop of 

 water, and note any points which could not be seen with the 

 pocket lens, examining carefully the leaves from both the 

 front and back aspects of the stem. !N"ote whether the 

 margins of the leaves are continued down the stem or not. 

 Now put on a cover glass, add another drop of water, and 

 examine the stems under the compound microscope, using the 

 1 in. object-glass. If doubtful of any point, the \ in. object- 

 glass may afterwards be used. The leaves of many of our 

 hepatics do not lie flat, but are folded so that their shape 

 cannot be seen when attached to the stem. In this case, four 

 or five of them must be carefully dissected off the stem with 

 the scalpels under the dissecting microscope and laid out flat. 

 The shape of the whole leaf and of its lobes can then be made 

 out. Also the under-leaves, if present, may be detached from 

 the stem and examined. The beginner will find the cell- 

 structure of the leaf too difficult to be of use, but it will be 

 found very useful at a more advanced stage. 



It is important to search for perianths in hepatics. In the 

 majority of the foliose species they are at the apex of the 

 stem, and are easily seen. The perianth in these cases ter- 

 minates the growth of the stem ; but frequently innovating 



