14 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 
and yet awaking like the seven sleepers at the first touch of water. I possess a 
slide, mounted some dozen yearsyago, on which there are hundreds of wheel 
animalcules. These have been repeatedly dried up for weeks or months, and 
yet each time they are revived by the application of water they seem better and 
happier than the last time. Others undergo changes beside which “ Alice in 
Wonderland” becomes common-place ; so singular are some of these that unless 
they had been patiently watched, and worked out, by reliable observers, even 
those accustomed to the wonders of nature would reject them as travellers’ tales. 
The vegetable world is quite as interesting as the animal. Some people have 
an idea that microscopy is an expensive hobby. It is quite a mistake. One 
may certainly revel in the luxury of costly instruments ; but a very good micro- 
scope can be got for a moderate sum, which, once paid, you have a never-ending 
source of amusement and interest. With a magic lantern you must necessarily 
get fresh and costly slides, with a stereoscope the same ; but with a microscope 
everything around you furnishes interesting objects; and if you don’t care to 
spend money on glass beakers, boiling tubes, &c., a little skill in foraging in the 
kitchen when cook is out of the way will go a long way to supply your wants in 
that respect. Cups and saucers, tumblers and wine glasses, are capital substi- 
tutes, and a heap of old shrimp and Liebig pots is a perfect treasure. If you 
want something to start on, try the week’s groceries. It may make your grocer 
a little uncomfortable to know that his wares are being so closely scrutinised ; 
but never mind him. [If all is right you will find a vast fund of interest ; and if 
you should find something you did not buy, you will have gained some material, 
as well as mental good, for he won’t try pranks on you again in a hurry when 
you tell him of his misdeeds. I need not now go more into detail. ‘The abler 
skill of Professor Williamson will take in hand and work out more elaborately 
one special branch of study which I have touched upon. 
The company then retired to the Borough Court, where Prof. Williamson, 
of Owens College, Manchester, delivered a lecture on “ Mosses and Ferns.” 
The President having briefly introduced the Lecturer, 
Professor Williamson said the Committee had selected a subject which cer- 
tainly bore very closely and very accurately upon the object which brought 
them together in the first instance ; he meant microscopic research and the 
study of the natural sciences. He put microscopic research in the foremost 
place, because judging from the address, a portion of which he heard their Pre- 
sident deliver, he took it for granted that microscopic research was one of the 
great objects that the Society had in view. Proceeding to deal with the subject 
of his lecture, the Professor pointed out the modes by which mosses and ferns 
multiplied themselves, and he dwelt particularly upon the statement that the 
investigations of the last half-century had made them familiar with the fact that 
there was a peculiar process in nature by which the blending of two minute 
protoplasmic atoms, not exhibiting many differences, in many cases really indi- 
cating no differences at all, formed a third element endowed with marvellous 
power. The Lecturer then proceeded by means of diagrams to illustrate at 
some length the whole history of the fern from its embryo state to its full de- 
velopment, showing the different modes by which it was reproduced. He also 
followed the same course with reference to the mosses, remarking that mosses 
stand out pre-eminently in the law of nature for their endless reproduction. 
At the close of the lecture, a vote of thanks was moved by the Mayor, John 
Musgrave, Esq., and seconded by J. R. Cross, Esq., M.P., and carried with 
acclamation. 
DONCASTER MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—The present session of 
this Society was opened on October 6th, by a very successful Conversazione, at 
which nearly 300 ladies and gentlemen were present. The programme for the 
year shows that the meetings will be of a very interesting character. The fol- 
lowing papers are announced :—Notes on Mounting, Mr. M. H. Stiles ; Germs, 
