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 NEW BOOKS, WITH SHORT NOTICES. 



The Preparation and Mounting of Microscopic Objects. By 

 Thomas Davies. 2nd Edition (enlarged). Edited by John Matthews, 

 M.D,, F.R.M.S., Vice-President Quekett Microscopical Club. London : 

 Hardwicke. — This little book, which has in our language no rival 

 whatever, has made its appearance in a new edition, the former one 

 having been about ten years in existence, and being hence somewhat 

 behind the time. And in its new form it contains more than fifty pages 

 of entirely new matter, and has an additional chapter by the j)resent 

 Editor, Dr. Matthews, who in it explains seriatim the various novelties 

 in mounting and otherwise preparing objects, which have been devised 

 both in the countries of our own language and upon the Continent ; 

 and indeed, for our own part, we consider this chapter of the greatest 

 value to the amateur, who has frequently insufficient knowledge of 

 languages to enable him to consult German or French authorities; 

 and even if he had, has no opportunity of perusing these books them- 

 selves. For this reason we think, too, that the editor would have 

 done well had he introduced a chapter on the subject of immersion 

 lenses, and explained fully the mode of using these objectives, their 

 several prices, and the best mode of procuring them. We think, too, 

 that he would have done better had he introduced more matter on the 

 subject of the preparation of purely anatomical objects. We fear that 

 on account of this absence from the work of special advice on the 

 mounting of the several specimens, which alone interest the medical 

 student, the book will not appeal as fully as it ought to a very large 

 class — now in fact a special society — of microscopic workers. 



But in all that refers to the wants of the ordinary workers at the 

 microscope, the book will be found amply full, and that too of really 

 useful materials ; for we find that both author and editor have been 

 careful not merely to collect together facts, but to discriminate so that 

 only the useful hold a place in these pages. We may mention a few 

 of the authors quoted in this volume, to show how the editor has taken 

 pains with his work. There are Dr. Beale, Mr. T. K. Parker, Dr. 

 Carpenter, Dr. Klein,* Dr. Alcock, Dr. Lockhart Clarke, Dr. Bastian, 

 Mr. L. G. Mills, Mr. Edwards (New York), Herr Hyrtl, Mr. Mclntire, 

 Professor Williamson, Mr. Moseley, Mr. Dancer, Mr. Sufiblk, Mr. 

 Hislop, Mr. T. G. Rylands, and many others. The chapter on polari- 

 scopy, too, exhibits a great improvement on that in the former edition. 

 The author has given fully and clearly the necessary information on 

 this interesting section of microscopic work. We should have wished 

 the authors had the sxindiy references to either of the Microscopical 

 Journals more accurately given. When the work was first published, 

 but one Microscopical Journal existed; but now there are two, so 

 that a reference to the Microscopical Journal leaves the reader ab- 

 solutely no clue as to which of the two magazines is referred to. We 

 are, indeed, once referred to under our proper title, but that is all 

 that we have been able to observe. And now, if we have found fault, 



