208 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [September, 



does this work with a machine of his own invention, cutting his 

 lines upon gold with a diamond. He uses gold because it is 

 more easily reducible to a finely polished surface. 



Professor Claypole exhibited the gizzard of a black beetle and 

 the eye of a crayfish, which were shown by his twin daughters, 

 who are both accomplished microscopists. 



Sarah F. Whiting exhibited the eye of a beetle in which a little 

 cross marked on the glass beneath it was reflected i,ooo times. 

 It would be difiicult to catch the literally Argus-eyed beetle 

 asleep. 



Many other equally interesting specimens were on exhibit, 

 but space will not permit a more extended notice. The soiree 

 was a great success. 



Friday Morning. 



The microscopists held their concluding session this morning. 

 Professors Kellicott, Rogers, and Claypole were appointed a com- 

 mittee to consider the question of changing the time of meeting 

 so that it should hereafter more closely precede that of the Amer- 

 ican Association for the Advancement of Science. Mr. C. C. 

 Mellor, of Pittsburg, read the treasurer's report, showing expenses 

 $866.58 and a cash balance of $178.17. The society accepted 

 with thanks the anonymous offer of these prizes to be awarded at 

 the next meeting : For the best original investigation of plant 

 life, first prize $SO, second $25 ; for the best original investi- 

 gation of animal life, first prize $50, second $25 ; for the best 

 mounted slides, first prize $20, second $10; for the best pho- 

 tomicrographs, first prize $20, second $10. Professors Kelli- 

 cott, Gage, and Seaman are to announce the conditions in the 

 next number of the society's official publication, and the executive 

 committee of the society is to make the awards". 



Professor E. W. Claypole chose a popular subject and spoke 

 with great emphasis on the general introduction of cheap 

 microscopes. The paper pointed out the importance for the dif- 

 fusion of a knowledge of microscopic science of a low-priced grade 

 of compound microscope suitable for students of high schools and 

 college graduates. They can seldom afford the cost of even the 

 cheaper instruments in the market, and consequently drop in most 

 cases their studies in this direction on leaving school or college. 

 Most of the machinery and some of the adjustments might be dis- 

 pensed with and the cost thus reduced. It is not likely that by 

 any means the cost of such an instrument could be brought down 

 to the level of the school microscopes, which have been in use in 

 England for nearly forty years, but considerable reduction could 

 be made by the changes suggested. Good instruments of the na- 

 ture above outlined ai'e sold and have been sold for about $15 in 

 England, and are abundantly suflRcient for the needs of the average 

 microscopical student. Moreover the ownership of a microscope 

 is essential for the continuation of the study, and the purchase of 



