The Microscope. 259 



the intellectual development of the scholars, and that by such 

 relinquishment time might be gained for instruction of a more 

 fruitful kind. As for the material, even in towns, it is present 

 in immeasurable abundance. There is a legend that an ardent 

 naturalist once determined to write a complete account of the 

 plants and animals which he found in Lincoln's-inn-fields, but 

 that the magnitude of the task was such as to place insuperable 

 obstacles in the way of its accomplishment. An attempted his- 

 tory of the insect life alone was abandoned for the same reason; 

 and a second Gilbert White might have found ample occupation 

 in observing and recording the habits of the various denizens of 

 the narrow space. It is, perhaps, too much to hope that the of- 

 ficials of a public department will ever so far emancipate them- 

 selves from the trammels of routine as to take the initiative in 

 the promotion of better nature teaching ; but it is not impossible 

 that they might learn to follow if they were clearly shown the 

 way. The parochial clergy in old times were the pioneers of 

 improvement on all educational questions; and there is no rea- 

 son why they should seek to regain something of the leadership 

 which had to so great an extent slipped away from their grasp. 

 Could they not, especially in rural districts and in country towns, 

 do something towards the promotion of a reform which would 

 render the younger members of their congregation more obser- 

 vant, more thoughtful, more careful of animal life, less ready to 

 be over sure about problems the solutions of which are not yet 

 known to mankind, but on which so many people are prone to be 

 dogmatic in precise proportion to their ignorance? The modern 

 Microscope might form one of many levers by which the minds 

 of future generations might be guided towards the attainment 

 of knowledge and the cultivation of modesty and charity/' 



STAINING FOR MICROSCOPICAL PURPOSES. 



In further continuation of his excellent articles, Dr. H. 

 Gierke deals with (1) the treatment of specimens with various 

 metal salts, such as chloride of palladium, oxide of iron, &c. 

 (2) Staining methods in which carmine is combined with other 

 reagents, e. g. picric acid, indigo-carmine, and metal salts. (3) 

 Methods in which logwood is used in combination with various 



