1894 THE MICROBCOPE. Ill 



habits of iioteworthy microscopical animals. In this wa}^ are 

 treated the Protozoa, the spicular Sponges, the young stages of 

 Zoophytes, Worms, Crustaceans and Ascidians. Thus the studies 

 ^orm a series of most interesting articles of great value, as many 

 of the facts are original, and of a nature not to be met with in 

 ordinary text books. 



Two full-page lithographed plates, sketched from life, and of 

 first class execution, are, in each number, devoted to the original 

 illustration of the microscopical Marine life treated of in the 

 "Studies." To add to the value of these illustrations, they are 

 often coloured. To ensure accuracy, this is done by hand. There 

 are also reviews, the record of Zoological progress, hints on 

 Microscopical mounting, Exchanges, &c. 



The study of the Biology of Ferns by the Collodion Method. By 

 G. F. Atkinson. 8° pp 134, New York, Macmillan & Co. 

 Price $2.25. 



To microscopists this book is of more interest than the or- 

 dinary treatise upon biology on account of its technique. It is 

 a little unusual to exalt the technique to a mention in the title, 

 but microscopists cannot complain. We can only congratulate 

 the author upon the success obtained by this method as set 

 forth in the book. The infiltration of prothallia without 

 shrinkage was a great success. In Part II, are given methods 

 for preparing collodion solutions, for cultivating spores, for kill- 

 ing, hardening, embedding and cutting into sections the various 

 organs. All this is of great interest to the microscopist. Methods 

 of staining might well have been added, but for some reason do 

 not appear. 



Three-fourths of the volume is descriptive of the development 

 and anatom}^ of certain kinds of ferns and the original illustra- 

 tions lend much interest to the narative. Chap. I deals with 

 the gametophytes ; Chap. II-VI, with the sporophytes. Chap- 

 VII is on "'substitutionary growths." A bibliography and an 

 index close the treatise. 



We congratulate Professor Atkinson upon having led his pu- 

 pils through a happy course of study of the ferns and trust 

 that this is not the last we shall hear of his studies in the realm 

 of plant morphology. Let nomenclature go to the rear for a 

 while and let us know all about the processes of vegetable life. 



