318 THE MICROSCOPE. 
pute that took place in Lilliput between the Big Endians and 
the Little Endians, eleven thousand persons suffered death rather 
than submit to break their eggs at the small end, and that 
“Many hundred large volumes have been published upon this 
controversy.” J also recall the wrath of American instrument 
makers last year—Big Endians—with Dr. Minot’s preference for 
continental, short tuke microscopes. I therefor hesitate about 
putting in a plea for short tubes. 
For several years I have used a large Beck, a delightful instru- 
ment, but I have lately bought a short tube microscope of the 
continental type, made by Baker of London, and I foresee that 
for many reasons, and for many purposes, I shall prefer it to 
the Beck. This instrument is free from several of the objections 
made by “An Amateur;” it does not have the objectionable 
horse-shoe base, and the pillar has a joint so that the tube can be 
inclined, as is the case with many of the continental microscopes. 
Are his optical objections well founded? Are not the object- 
ives which are made for short tubes as well adopted to them as 
the long tube objectives are to long tubes? Many microscopists 
_ think there definition is superior. 
The small instruments are certainly much more “handy,” 
weigh less, take less room, and it is certainly very much easier 
to dissect with them, and to use them vertically, which one fre- 
quently wishes to do. 
As to “An Amateur’s”? advice to those who intend “to do 
work,” that they should abjure short tubes, are not the short 
tubes in general use in biological laboratories where a large 
amount of work is carried on? 
But Gulliver says, “The books of the Big Endians have long 
been forbidden,” and unless I stop now I am afraid you will for- 
bid all communications of both long and short tubians. 
Truly yours, 
ANOTHER AMATEUR. 
Eprror THE MIcROscoPE :— 
Accept my thanks for your kindness in sending me the proof 
of “Another Amateur’s ” letter, and let me ask for a little space in 
which to reply, since there may be others in “Another Amateur’s” 
position. 
The statements that I have made in regard to the short body- 
