218 The Microscope. 



price is the point to be considered by the maker. If he can 

 show that the microscopist can afford to have a travelling afr 

 well as a home instrument, the price must be attractively small. 

 He need conjure up no arguments as to the advisability of tak- 

 ing the microscope on the vacation. We all concede that point. 

 We all feel that we lose when compelled to leave the microscope 

 behind us, but it is usually impossible to do anything else under 

 the present condition of microscopical affairs. 



Since I am giving the manufacturing opticians " points," let 

 me add another. When this ideal travelling stand is ready, if 

 there are any microscopists that do not care or are unable to buy 

 it, would there be any objection to Ihe renting of it? The op- 

 ticians are bright enough to devise some scheme to assure the 

 microscopist that the optical establishment will still be in ex- 

 istence at the old stand when the summer vacation is over, and 

 the microscopist comes home ready to buckle down to work once 

 more. In this way the optician would in time sell his stands 

 and have them too. It is a solution to the problem of eating 

 the cake and having it. 



The writer is not a manufacturing optician. There may be 

 some features in this ideal travelling stand that will cause the 

 practical manufacturer to faint with laughter. Very well. But 

 when you recover your senses, get to work on the stand and have 

 it ready for the next summer's holiday. But remember, if you 

 please, the three essential requirments : 1, Lightness: 2, sim- 

 plicity : 3, Cheapness. 



Acknowledgment. — To Dr D. B. Ward for photo-micrographs- 

 of Diatoms. 



