THE MICROSCOPE. 



171 



balsam mounts, I must bring this second installment of my talks to 

 an end; having reached the limit of my space, without touching 

 upon any other methods of mounting, as was my intention, and 

 which must be left to another time. 



It might be inferred, from the length at which I have dwelt 

 upon balsam and its uses, that I held it in supreme regard as a 

 mounting medium. But such is by no means the case. Whilst it 

 is invaluable as a preservative— and mountings made in it are pro- 

 bably nearer to being abaolutely permajh-nf than any other — it pos- 

 sesses many defects, which render it most unsuitable for mounting 

 many delicate tissues which are so frequently placed in it, thereby 

 becoming almost invisible. There are several aqueous fluids, which 



MOUNTINC; TABl.K WITH I„\Mr 



are far better suited to showing well the structure and beauties of 

 innumerable objects, and these will be treated of in future papers. 

 But their successful use, and the preparation and finishing of a per- 

 manent cell, containing them, requires a degree of skill to which the 

 student can only attain by persistent efforts, and many failures; I 

 have, therefore, thought it best to ground him well in the easier 

 methods of balsam mountings,before proceeding to the higher plains. 

 In the next paper, therefore, I propose to treat of Dry Mounts, many 

 of the preliminary processes of which are identical with those re- 

 quired for fluids, and which will serve to lead up to the latter. A 



