1889.] MICEOSCOPICAL JOUKNAL. 71 



feelings of all our friends and correspondents at home and abroad. We 

 want to do all we can to advance this science, but especially to promote 

 friendship among the workers — to destroy rather than to awaken an- 

 tagonisms. 



Some of our German friends have felt annoyed by a brief quotation 

 which occurred in this periodical last year and which was rather de- 

 rogatory to their goods. We assure them that no injustice was intended, 

 and if any occurred we are very sorry. Circumstances have been such, 

 however, that we could not until now allude to it, and it is not wise to 

 recall and to discuss it in detail. Let it pass, and the Germans or the 

 friends of their goods shall have all the space they require in which to 

 describe and praise their apparatus. Only let it be fraternal and for 

 the promotion of the cause in general. Error easily dies a natural 

 death. It is not necessary that we all stop in the rursuit of truth to 

 take cudgels and pursue every little error that is born of inadvertence, 

 of ignorance, or even of malice. Criticism is good and necessary, but 

 in this critical age it often goes so far as to wound feelings unneces- 

 sarily. Why should not the critic temper his words with kindness and 

 reserve them for great occasions ? The microscopist should magnify 

 the gfood but not the bad in life. 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETIES. 



The Iron City Microscopical. Society. 



i i Tuesday ', January 5 1 , 1889. — There was a full attendance and an in- 

 teresting meeting. The most important exhibits were : Specimens of 

 zoophytes from deep-sea soundings in the southern Pacific, rare diatoms, 

 and many pathological exhibits. 



The paper of the evening, on Demodex follicorum, or the flesh-worm 

 parasite in the human face, was by Dr. Chevalier Q. Jackson, and was 

 illustrated by several photographs taken by Mr. W. S. Bell ; also by 

 several well prepared slides. Discussion followed. 



Preparations are being made for the annual soiree. 



San Francisco, Cal. 

 Wednesday ', January 9, 1889. — President Ferrer made his annual 

 report, as he is about to leave for Europe. He said that the Society 

 now counts thirty-three regular, eight honorary, and eight life mem- 

 bers. Dr. F. Riehl read a paper on " Bacterialogical Examination of 

 Water." He exhibited specimens of surface water taken from a well 

 situated near sewers, Spring Valley water, and Alameda well water. 

 He found these so very full of bacteria that he concluded all were unfit 

 to_drink. Artesian water had proved to be the purest. 



Manchester Microscopical Society, England. 



Thursday^ January 10, 1889. — At this meeting Mr. Thomas E. 

 Hoyle presented a paper on the construction and use of the micro- 

 spectroscope. 



January //, 1889. — In the mounting section there were demonstra- 

 tions : Mounting in glycerine by Mr. James Fleming, reflection and 

 refraction by Mr. T. E. Hoyle, also a practical demonstration course^ 



