94 THE MICROSCOPE. June 



frequently crowded with foramenifera. A specimen which I 

 examined was full of a species of porcelanous foramenifera. 

 They varied from the size of half a pin head to that of a pea. 

 They were easily picked out of the sand with a moistened 

 needle point or a delicate pair of forceps. Beautiful mounts 

 suitable for a two inch objective can be made of them by mount- 

 ing on a dark back -ground. 



Circulation of Blood in a Lizard and a Tadpole. — Notic- 

 ing in a glass of water a little lizard about as long as a pin, I re- 

 moved it to a slide with a ledge. The little animal was very 

 active and would have jumped off the slide had care not been 

 taken to prevent its escape. It soon adhered quite closely to 

 the slide. A drop of water was placed on its head and it was 

 viewed with a one inch objective. In the toes and end of the 

 tail the circulation of the blood was beauiifuUy displayed. 



The same thing may be observed in the tail of a tadpole. 

 There is a transparent expansion of tissue on each side of the 

 dark central line of the tail. Place the animal in a cell, keep 

 its head moistened with water and view with a one inch ob- 

 jective. The blood may then be seen coursing through the 

 veins«and arteries. 



The methods here indicated dispense with frog plates and 

 other cumbersome appliances. 



An Easy Method of Examining Lichens. — Soak the li- 

 chens in water, then remove one oi the apothecia to a slide. 

 Immerse it in a drop of liquor potassa. This liquor dissolves 

 and softens the hymenial gelatine and renders the h3"menium 

 more easily separable. Then crush and tease the specimen 

 with a spatula. Remove the larger masses of debris ; place a 

 thin cover on the slide and examine with a quarter inch objec- 

 tive. In this way the lichen may be analyzed. There is a lit- 

 tle work entitled " An introduction to the study of lichens " by 

 Henry Willey, which will enable the student to trace the speci- 

 men to its genus. 



For more advanced work the " Genera Lichenum " by Dr. 

 Edward Tuckerman will be found useful. The specimen may 

 be rendered more distinct by a solution of iodine of which the 

 formula is iodine, one grain ; iodide of potassium, three grain ; 

 and pure water, one ounce. The effect of iodine is to color the 



