under ordinary manipulative operations, it should 

 not be required that the base be held with one 

 hand, while the other makes the adjustments. We 

 can imagine nothing more aggravating than a lack 

 of stability. A considerable weight directly under 

 the pillar is of little value, or a great expansion of 

 the resting points with extreme thinness is little 

 better. There should be a combination of both 

 qualities and if suitable proportions are not main- 

 tained, an excess can hardly be called a fault, 

 whereas too little would certainly be. 



A favorite and good method to obtain increased 

 weight within reasonable dimensions is, to load the 

 base with lead and while some dealers, from inter- 

 ested motives, point this out as a defect, a pur- 

 chaser need not hesitate on this account if the 

 instrument is in other respects acceptable. 



Joint for Inclination. This should work 

 smoothly but firmly and the arm should remain in 

 any position in which it is placed. If it has a 

 gritty sensation, the two parts are liable to. "eat" 

 and finally reach a point where they cannot be 

 moved. 



Besides the above qualification a good joint 

 should work without the slightest back-lash, when 

 the arm is worked quickly back and forth over a 

 small space. 



When the arm comes against the stop for 

 upright position it should not lean forward. 



