138 CATALOGUE OF THE MICROSCOPICAL SOCIBTY. 
Fields, and see some of the beautiful objects there preserved ; 
amongst them they are sure to find specimens of special 
interest to themselves, perhaps illustrating points of form or 
structure at which they may have themselves been working ; 
and those who are members of the Microscopical Society we 
beg to remind of the fact that they are at liberty (sub- 
ject to certain restrictions) to have twenty specimens from 
the Society’s cabinet at a time—a means being thereby 
afforded them of leisurely and carefully examining many 
typical or rare specimens. 
There can be little doubt that all who take a sincere in- 
terest in the progress of biological science will also take an 
interest in these public collections of microscopic objects. 
They cannot show that interest more appropriately than by 
presenting to one or other of these collections rare or unique 
specimens in their possession, or series illustrating original 
discoveries. Many an observer will go to great trouble and 
expense to mount certain objects for observation under the 
microscope; when once seen, drawn, and described in the 
chronicles of some scientific society, they are of little or no 
further use to him. How, then, can he best dispose of such 
specimens? Surely there could not be a more satisfactory 
method of ensuring their safe preservation and accessibility 
to future observers than is adopted in presenting them to one 
of these two large collections. It would, perhaps, be well if 
histological and pathological specimens were added to the 
series already so well developed at the Royal College of Sur- 
geons; whilst specimens of general natural history, Dia- 
tomacee, Bryozoa, &e., should be handed over to the 
Society’s cabinet. 
We leave these suggestions for the consideration of our 
readers, in the hope that they may bear some fruit, trusting 
that some of those who have read these remarks may soon ex- 
amine for themselves these two public collections of objects 
mounted for the microscope, and that it will not be long 
before a third, far larger, and far more comprehensive collec- 
tion, shall have been developed in connection with our great 
National Museum. 
