88 THE MICROSCOPE. 



are a little curved, to keep them accurately together, and 

 the blades are provided with a hole and steadying-pin. 

 This instrument is also useful for picking up minute 

 objects, &c. 



Fig. 53. Collecting Net. 



Collecting Animalcules. For collecting the water ani- 

 malcules, the cambric-muslin net, made similar to a land- 

 ing-net, fig. 53, will be found to answer the purpose; 

 this should be secured to a brass ring a, and fitted into 

 a socket 6, by which it can be attached to the end of a 

 walking-stick, or, when not in use, the socket may be 

 carried in the pocket ; and the net, by contracting the 

 diameter of the ring (which the construction admits of) 

 may be put inside the hat. 



" For l the purpose of collecting aquatic animal- 

 cules, I use, in preference to any kind of net, stout tin 

 hoops, about four inches dia- 

 meter, and one and a half 

 deep, nested for stowage. Mus- 

 lin of different degrees of 

 fineness is strained over one 

 - 54 - opening of the hoop, and a 



screw is attached by its head to the rim, fig. 54. The net 

 is thus portable, and is screwed into a hole in the end of a 

 walking-stick, or, what is better, a fishing-rod. I find that 

 for most purposes the fabric called bobbinet answers very 

 well, and catches creatures much smaller than * its own 

 meshes, while the free escape of water through the open- 

 ings, prevents their being washed out, as they frequently 

 are in withdrawing the net from the surface. If the stick 

 have a pike at the other end, it may be stuck in the 

 ground, and those animals that are visible to the naked 



U> Communicated by Mr. Gibbons of Australia, to the author. 



