286 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [December, 



Much has been said at different times as to the possibiHty of 

 adapting fish to a life in the lake. In the absence of all experi- 

 ment it would be rash to conjecture, though it would seem 

 unlikely tliat fish could thrive in such a brine ; but the fear 

 expressed by some, that even if fish could be accustomed to the 

 lake they would starve, is unfounded : for certainly the food supply 

 is abundant. The vegetable life of the lake is a subject worthy of 

 investigation and one which at present is practically untouched. 



MICROSCOPICAL APPARATUS. 



A Cheap Microscope Lamp. — Mr. Wm. D. Grier, the well- 

 known microscopist of Boston, Mass., sends us the following de- 

 scription of a lamp which he has found both economical and 

 useful in his microscopic work : 



During the past few years I have seen in the journals directions 

 for making almost everything, from a dissecting microscope to a 

 slide-box, but no one has vet suggested a home-made lamp. Un- 

 fortunately " illuminators " are expensive luxuries, and the follow- 

 ing description of one which I rigged up in a moment of inspira- 

 tion may be of use to some whose desires are, like my own, very 

 much larger than their pocket-books. The component parts and 

 their prices are as follows : 



A small kerosene lamp with a flat wick 75 



A two-ring retort stand 65 



A " tube clamp," No. 59=^9 of Eimer & Amend's " Prices 



Current " 50 



A piece of ground glass, 4x5 ; ditto of white card-board ; ) 



dito of sheet brass, lead or tin, 5x7 ; iS inches of 1-16 - .25 

 brass wire ) 



Total $2.15 



Cut the sheet metal like fig. i , place the ground glass on it and 

 bend the ears a over to hold it in place ; 'bend the long piece d as 

 in fig. 2. 



Put the lamp on the large ring of the stand and lower the small 

 ring over it, clamping it firmly at any desired height. Clamp 

 the ground glass in place with its centre in line with the flame, 

 bend the brass wire as in fig. 3, slip the helix c over the upright 

 rod of the stand and place the card in the two little bends at <?, 

 and the lamp is ready for use. An ordinary side condenser can 

 be substituted for the ground glass, and a cheap tin reflector for 

 the card. I use the lamp in this way for photo-micrography and 

 find it excellent. If a blue glass is desired, thoroughly clean a 

 spoiled 4x5 dry plate or other piece of clear glass the same size, 

 and flow with " King's transparent blue lacquer ;" don't apply 



