386 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Dec. 



EDITORIAL. 



American Microscopical Society. — Having been absent 

 in Europe during July, August, and September we have not 

 kept the society in mind so much as we did last spring. We 

 trust, however, to show that we have not forgotten it. As 

 we have three times as many readers who are not members of 

 the society as we have of those who are, we shall try to keep 

 the society alivn in their memories. 



A letter just received from one of the latter says: "Please tell 

 me how 1 can become a member of the society. I have seen by 

 the Journal that the dues have been changed." In reply: Send 

 your name to the secretary. Dr. Wm. 0. Krauss, Buffalo, N. Y. 

 He will probably supply you with a blank application for 

 members ip. That blank calls 'or the endorsement of two per- 

 sons who certity that you are a suitable person. Do not be 

 scared by that scare-crow. Members often explain that "it is a 

 mere matter of form.'' And so it is. The endorsers often are 

 people who never saw the candidate. The S- cretary will often 

 fill in one of the spaces with his own name when he feels sure 

 that the first endorser is all right. Theoretically, the require- 

 ment is to keep out cranks antl mischief makers. Practically 

 the cranks and mis( hief makers get in, and lots of modest, earn- 

 est learners, fe-iring that their knowledge of microscopy is too 

 small, hesitate to apply for m'^mbership. We do not think that 

 any sincere and modest student of microscopy will be rejected 

 on account ol his meager knowledge. At any rate, we venture 

 the assertion and aak to be corrected by "the powers," in case we 

 are wrong. We shall be more than delighted to investigate 

 and report upon any case rejected. As a matter of fact, we have 

 never known an application to be rejected. It might occur, 

 however, and no one except the candidate and "the powers that 

 be" ever know of it. In this connection, we invite the secretary 

 to prepare a clear and concise statement of the qualifications 

 for our next issue and to supply us with enough blank forms so 

 that we may enclose one to every subscriber. We offer the en- 

 tire influence of this periodical to help build up the society. If 

 the Secretary and members cooperate and send in their contri- 

 butions, the society will profit thereby. If they do as they have 



