Tue Microscope. 41 
A BLACK GROUND FOR OPAQUE MOUNTS. 
W. C. BRITTAN. 
HE following receipt for a paint that will give a dead black 
surface as required for the inside tubes of optical instru- 
ments, etc., should be in the hands of all who work with the 
microscope: Take two grains of lampblack and add three drops 
of gold-size, mix thoroughly and add twenty-four drops of tur- 
pentine, when again thoroughly mixed it is ready for use. Ap- 
ply it thin with a camel’s hair brush. When dry the articles 
will have as fine a dead black as when they come from the op- 
ticians hands. This paint will also be found just the thing where 
a dead black ground is required for opaque mounts. 
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EDITORIAL NOTES. 
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DeatH oF Dr. W. B. Carpenter.—We had hoped to give 
our readers a proper notice of the death of this eminent scien- 
tist; and simply because this notice has been delayed is not 
from any want of appreciation of his work. We never had the 
pleasure of meeting Dr. Carpenter, and we know only too little 
of his life and work, except as might be portrayed in his works 
dealing especially with microscopical and physiological subjects. 
It has been our endeavor to get some person who knew him well 
to write a sketch of his life and labors; but in this we have 
failed and now at this late date we can simply say that he leaves 
an example worthy our imitation; a life made of onelong work- 
day. He once wrote that he would feel well rewarded for his 
labor “if it should tend to direct the student to,more system- 
atic labors in those fertile fields which only await the diligent 
cultivator to bear abundant fruit; for,’ he adds, “the inex- 
haustibility of Nature is constantly becoming more and more 
apparent.” 
Mr. E. H. Grirrita wishes to thank those members of the 
American Society of Microscopists who have sent their cabinet 
photographs for the society in answer to his cards of solicitation. 
It is his desire to see a good photograph of each member of the 
society in the hands of its custodian and he hopes that those 
who have not already sent theirs will do so before the next 
