AN EVENING AT THE MICROSCOPE. 179 



descriptions of the tiny creatures exhibited, but not 

 seldom I am rewarded by observing an enthusiasm 

 that answers to my own, as some more than 

 ordinarily lovely organism has been brought up by 

 the pipette from that not very attractive-looking 

 aquarium. 



I want to describe in a simple, non-technical way 

 a few of the more familiar objects obtained in this 

 way. I shall have but little to say to those who 

 are accustomed to work of this kind, for I wish to 

 write now exclusively for younger and comparatively 

 inexperienced disciples of the microscope. I am 

 continually hearing it affirmed that writers on 

 scientific subjects never seem to think that students 

 of nature must begin at the beginning, and that by 

 plunging all at once into the intricacies and tech- 

 nicalities of zoology they usually repel the inquirer 

 and lead him to the conviction that all natural 

 science consists of nothing but dry facts and unpro- 

 nounceable names. There is, perhaps, some truth 

 in such remarks, but on the other hand it should 

 be borne in mind that while it may be well to try 

 to make the alphabet of knowledge attractive, yet 

 the marvels of nature can be fully appreciated by 

 those only who are willing to take some trouble to 

 study them accurately and systematically. 



Let us now take a dip into the aquarium and see 

 what will come up. Selecting a minute portion of 

 the jungle-like mass of water-weeds, I place it in a 

 small glass trough or in the live-box. Having fixed 

 the one-inch objective in position, I lay the trough 

 on the stage of the microscope and proceed to focus 



