QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 59 
colour, which is often, as I have above stated, of the same 
hue as the field of the microscope.” 
AMERICA.—Silliman’s Journal‘ On the Structure and 
Habits of Authophysa Miilleri (Bory), one of the Sedentary 
Monadiform Protozoa,’ by H. James-Clark, A.B., B.S.— 
We have before had to notice the careful studies of the 
author of this paper, who is devoting his energies to the most 
detailed study of single species of Infusoria. He observes, 
with perhaps a little more enthusiasm than accuracy, that the 
microscopes of the present day are to those of the past what 
Cuvier’s scalpel was to those of his predecessors, and believes 
that a vast deal is yet to be learnt about the Infusoria by the 
use of the best glasses opticians can produce. This is possible; 
at present, however, we have not heard of a single discovery 
in biological science, acknowledged and confirmed as true, 
which may fairly be said to have been made by the use of a 
better glass than the 4-inch objective of many years’ standing. 
Mr. James-Clark describes the simple organization and habits 
of his Infusorian with great care, and really makes use of his 
high-power objectives and illuminating apparatus. We do not 
feel sure, however, that he would not have seen as much with 
a good “‘ quarter,” or at any rate an eighth. There are scores 
of persons in this country who have spent great sums of money 
over microscopes, and yet have never made a single observation 
worth recording ; and the strangest thing is that these are the 
people (with rare exceptions) who possess the “ sixteenths,”’ 
“twentieths,” and “‘ fiftieths,” made by our great microscope 
manufacturers. In Germany, where nearly all the good true 
work with the microscope is done, though the beauty of our 
English glasses is acknowledged, very few observers have 
even seen one of our expensive unused toys; and all is done 
by the cheap glasses of Oberhausen, Kelner, &c. Hence we 
have not, as a rule, much faith in persons who estimate the 
value of their observations by the figure of the magnifying 
power of their objectives. Mr. James-Clark, we believe, does 
not do this; he is a patient and acute observer, and is doing 
good service by his detailed studies of Protozoa. 
