76 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[April, 



difficulties if not absolute impossi- 

 bilities to fertilization by this pro- 

 cess. If the pollen-tube theory be 

 ignored the fecundation of every sin- 

 gle ovule in whatever position it be 

 attached to its funiculus or to the 

 placenta would be easily accomplished 

 in the most simple and natural man- 

 ner by reason of such position or at- 

 tachment. Nature chooses always the 

 most simple means to accomplish its 

 ends ; it has never been found to have 

 placed obstacles in its own path ; 

 where we think to have discovered 

 them, they are only the children of 

 our imagination or of a misinter- 

 pretation of appearances. 



In conclusion I will say that as 

 Mr. Britton considers it necessary in 

 the interest of science to warn the 

 amateur student not to allow himself 

 to be led astray by my heretical no- 

 tions, he would have rendered a much 

 greater sei'vice to science by encourag- 

 ing that class of workers to examine 

 for themselves, instead of counselling 

 them to imitate the example set by 

 the professors of the science and to 

 believe blindly in what is offered by 

 others as Gospel truth. 



J. Kruttschnitt. 



EDITORIAL. 



Publisher's ]!fotices. — All communications, re- 

 mittaffces, exchanges, etc., should be addressed to the 

 Editor, P. O. Box 630, Washington, D. C. 



Remittances should be made by postal notes, money 

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Subscription-price before April ist, $1 per year, in 

 advance. All subscriptions begin with the January 

 number. After April ist the subscription-price will 

 be $1.50. 



The regular receipt of the Journal, which is issued 

 on the 15th of each month, will be an acknowledgment 

 of payment. 



Ihe first volume, 1880, is entirely out of print. The 

 succeeding volumes will be sent by the publisher for 

 the prices given below, which are net. 



Vol. II (1881) complete, $1 50. 



Vol. Ill (1882) complete, $2.00. 



Vol. IV (1883) complete, J1.50. 



Vol. V (1884) complete, fi.50. 



Vol. V (1884), Nos. 2-12, $1.00. 



Microscopical Societies. — We 

 desire to publish a complete list of 

 the microscopical societies in the 

 country, with the dates of their or- 

 ganization, number of members, and 



names of their present officers. We 

 would also like to have information 

 concerning their membership, con- 

 dition, and prospects. It has been 

 suggested that the list should be re- 

 vised each year, so as to be a record 

 of the societies in existence. 



We therefore request the secretaries 

 of microscopical societies to favor us 

 immediately with the information de- 

 sired that we may soon be able to 

 publish the list for this year. We 

 would be pleased to receive copies of 

 constitutions or rules of the societies 

 for reference. To ensure the proper 

 entry in the list, it is earnestly re- 

 quested that secretaries do not delay 

 sending the desired information. We 

 cannot possibly know all the societies 

 in the country, and if any are left out 

 of the printed list it will be due to 

 the neglect of the officers who are 

 able to g^ive the information. 



Staining Tissues. — The first of 

 the series of articles which Prof. W. 

 H. Seaman has undertaken to trans- 

 late for this Journal, published this 

 month, does not give a very good 

 idea of the practical value they pos- 

 sess. This part is introductory to 

 the most exhaustive study of the stain- 

 ing agents used in microscopy that 

 can be imagined, it is" an invaluable 

 work for reference, giving as it does 

 a brief statement of the materials 

 used, their method of preparation, 

 and their special applications, with 

 references to the original descrip- 

 tions of processes. 



The article is not confined to dyes 

 used for animal tissues, but it treats 

 of colors used in all branches of mi- 

 croscopical investigation. All who 

 have occasion to do staining of tissues, 

 of whatever kind, will find this arti- 

 cle of the greatest use, and our readers 

 are much indebted to the translator 

 for devoting so much of his time to 

 the subject. 



The subject will be continued from 

 month to month, as it necessarily oc- 

 cupies a considerable space on these 

 pages. 



