MOUNTING OF MOSSES FOR THE MICROSCOPE, 239 
the capsules, therefore keep a look out. Occasionally they will 
have to be carefully dislodged. If the peristomes are open to 
commence with, an operculum may be found perhaps washed from 
amongst the leaves. 
After taking from the bottle, examine your specimens and re- 
move ragged and imperfect portions, if any; place on a slip and 
see if clean with a low power of your microscope. If so, you will 
be lucky. Most probably you will find it necessary to use the 
brush again, holding the moss under water with one brush whilst 
you clean with another. You can try placing your specimens 
in a saucer and letting the water tap drop on them. When you 
have succeeded in getting them clean, have your glycerine jelly 
ready. Now arrange your moss on a slip, unfold and spread out 
the leaves gracefully and naturally, and with the capsules placed 
with an eye to artistic effect as if growing. Put three small beads 
or portions of broken glass circles for the edges of your cover glass 
to rest evenly upon, so as not to rest upon and burst the capsules, 
and to prevent tilting ; put on your cover glass and secure with 
wire clip; drop the glycerine jelly round the edge of the cover and 
it will run under. Now gently heat over a spirit lamp until ebulli- 
tion takes place. This operation requires a little practice, but 
when successfully done it drives out all air bubbles, liberates a few 
spores from the capsule, and makes the leaves more transparent 
for examination. Should the spores leave the capsule in excess, 
and cloud the field, transfer to clean slip and repeat the experiment. 
Good glycerine jelly will set immediately, when you may possibly 
find the boiling has interfered a little with the nice (that is, natural) 
position of some of the leaves and capsules. If so, warm the slide 
until the jelly is in a fluid state, insert a needle under the cover 
and replace all straight ; at the same time and by the same means 
push under and place in position the operculi. 
Occasionally there may be a desire to preserve intact the beautiful 
fresh green tint of the leaves. In that case, after you have got 
your moss satisfactorily clean, you will have to soak in glycerine 
for several weeks until the glycerine has thoroughly permeated and 
driven out all air from the capsules and leaves. 
When ready, place a warm slip on your mounting stage, put 
your specimen of moss in the centre, and with the aid of a lens 
arrange as straightly as possible; seeing at the same time any air 
bubbles are dislodged either with a needle point or gentle pressure 
of some kind. Now apply the glycerine jelly, dip your cover glass 
in warm water, put over all and gently press down. In adopting 
this method you are not very sure of keeping the moss as artisti- 
cally displayed as you could wish, but the judicious use of a 
needle, quickly handled before the jelly sets, will put right any 
serious defect. Ring and finish as with other slides. 
