1897 THE MICROSCOPE. 119 
will render them, after a while, quite transparent when 
their internal organs may be beautifully seen with a bin- 
ocular microscope. 
American vs. Foreign Microscopes.—A great many 
people entertain the idea that in order to obtain a first 
class microscope, it must be imported. Nothing is more 
foreign tothe fact. While it cannot be denied that many 
fine instruments, objectives and accessories are produced 
abroad every expert will depose that some of the finest 
instruments, objectives and accessories are the fruit of 
our own country. Before sending to the old world, examine 
the catalogues of American makers. 
Mounting with Glycerine Jelly.— When using this 
medium it is well to use a shallow cell of shellac turned 
and centered upon the slide. The specimen to be mounted 
should be first soaked in a dilute solution of glycerine. 
The jelly when cold is hard and stiff. Before using, set 
the bottle of jelly in rather hot water. Ina short time, it 
will become limpid. Place the specimen to be mounted in 
the center of the ring. With alittle spatula dip out enough 
of the limpid jelly to fill the ring and cover the specimen. 
Breathe on the cover glass and then put it in place. With 
a rubber-tipped pencil press the cover down and into posi- 
tion. When the jelly has hardened (which it will quickly 
do) scrape off any superfluous jelly on the slide outside of 
the cover. Seal the mount with Brown cement, Marine 
glue‘or shellac. Then finish with a ring of asphalt or 
Brunswick black. 
SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 
Spores of Vaucheria.—Karly in May I found an alga in 
a cattle tank, evidently a Vaucheria. There were inter- 
spersed with it a number of spherical bodies, 100-110 mm. 
in diameter, with either one or two filaments, 30-35 mm. 
in diameter, running out from them, and which I take to 
be spores germinating. These filaments branched into 
larger ones, and on one of the later, measuring 50 mm., 
there occurred the nearly matured ‘flowers’ similar to 
