290 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Aug. 



tained, owing- to the considerate and often g-enerous ex- 

 ertions of members, and to the efficient supervision and 

 assistance of the secretary, Dr. Shanks, at least an aver- 

 ag-e success. After the boxes have completed their pres- 

 ent circuits, there will be the usual rest until fall. 



Owing- to the amount of time demanded by other and 

 more urg-ent details of club administration, the publica- 

 tion of the report has been necessarily deferred until 

 after vacation. 



San Diego Microscopical Society. 



At one of the last meeting-s of that society, held at 

 the residence of Dr. B. F. Gamber, a permanent org-an- 

 ization was effected, and the following- officers elected 

 to serve for the ensuing- year ; President, Dr. B. F. 

 Gamber ; vice-president, D. Cleveland ; recording- sec- 

 retary. Will H. Holcomb ; corresponding- secretary, Dr. 

 Joseph Rodes; treasurer, Philip Morse. 



A specimen of a beautiful species of alg-a, found in the 

 fresh waters of the San Dieg-o Flume was made the sub- 

 ject of investig-ation and study by the society. A finely 

 prepared and mounted specimen of cyclops, a minute fresh 

 water copepod of the g-enus cyclopidae, taken from the 

 Flume water, was exhibited by Dr. Gamber. This cu- 

 rious form of life, as observed throug-h the splendid instru- 

 ment at the rooms of the society, does not fail to command 

 the attention of all present at the meeting-s of the society. 

 Its kite-shaped body and tail, cumbersome antennae, and 

 one eye, makes it as formidable an object in micros- 

 copical life as were the one-eyed g-iants to the races of 

 men described in the Homeric leg-end. A cyclops is said 

 to produce four and one half billion off spring- annually. 



Micrometallography, as its name implies, deals with the 

 microscopic examination of sections of metals. It prom- 

 ises to be of g-reat practical use to the metal worker, for by 

 its means those mysterious fractures in steel, with which 

 every eng-ineer is familiar, are explained. Under the mic- 

 roscope the steel used by eng-ineers can be thoroug-hly and 

 carefully examined, and the steel "cells" tested. Flaws 

 in the interior of metals can be detected by the micro- 

 scope, and thus many accidents can be prevented. 



