92 THE MICROSCOPE. June, 



Cannot say. Can any subscriber give the information? 



PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS 



By L. a. WILLSON, 

 cleveland, ohio. 



How to Examine Mosses. — To properly analyze mosses, 

 an American Bryologist should pos-ess "Mosses of North 

 America" by Lesquereux and James and the "Artificial Keys 

 to the Genera and Species of Mosses" by Charles Barnes. There 

 are many other valuable books on the subject, but these two 

 books will furnish a satisfactor}^ foundation for a start. Without 

 a compound microscope the work is impracticable. For study 

 only ripe and mature mosses should be selected. The first 

 thing that will command the attention of the microscopist will 

 be the capsule. Cut this off close, soak it in water, remove it to 

 a slide, gently remove the calyptra, cut the capsule just below 

 the tip and examine the teeth, cilia, and annulus. These are 

 all beautiful objects. Remember that mosses are very delicate 

 and that rough handling will often destroy the part desired to 

 be seen. If the calyptra be refractory and refuse to come off, 

 boil the capsule for a few moments on a slide in a drop of water. 

 Then the leaves are worthy of attention ; are they smooth or 

 papillose? Are the alar cells different from the rest? Is the 

 margin entire or otherwise? Is the point acute, murcronate, or 

 accuminate or what is its form ? Is the leaf costate or ecostate ? 

 There are many other interesting points to be noted that require 

 a special work upon the subject to treat them properly. The 

 best mounting medium for mosses is glycerine or glycerine geliy 

 but it is better still to keep them in boxes and examine them in 

 water under the 'scope when occasion may require. 



A Convenient Receptacle for Diatoms and Butterfly 

 Scales. — Any one, desiring to keep diatoms or butterfly scales 

 for mounting and arranging in forms, can make a convenient 

 receptacle as follow : — P'ix an inch or three-eighths inch brass 

 ring to a glass slide; inside of this ring make several inscribed 

 asphalt rings. Use these inscribed rings as the receptacles and 



