May 2, 1887.] 



♦ KNOW^LEDGE ♦ 



161 



places of such articles required for constant use or reference, 

 and which are liable to be affected or destroyed by 

 even a nominal accession of dust ; e.g., the microscopist's 

 bottles of mounting media, staining reagents, spirit lamps, 

 the boxes used for the storing of microscopical slides, etc., the 

 best form of which will be detailed presently. The com- 

 ponent parts of the entire structure should be fastened 

 together with screws and bolts for the sake of firmness. It 

 need scarcely be added that the composite structure thus 

 built up may be made of any size to suit the particular 

 wants of any special laboratory, but the dimensions given 

 on the annexed diagrams will be found of service in nine 

 cases out of ten. The front elevation shows three such 

 cases placed side by side, from which it may be gathered 

 that, as the stores within the laboratory increase, the 

 dimensions of their future homes can as readily be added to. 

 Again, as each box (c, fig. 1 ) is complete in itself, it may at 

 any time be removed and replaced by one of greater or less 



Gj.'-- 



D'i 



■■6 



h 



^^i ,, a 



Front elevation. 



1 ft. 6 in. 



Side section. 



Fig. L— The Naturalist's Store Case. 



c, upper boxes ; M, instrument box ; D, specimen chest ; 



a, position of lid of instrument bos when opened; 



bhb, position of lids of upper boxes when opened. 



height. Apart from the portability of the structure, this 

 device is better calculated to guard against the incursion of 

 dust and dirt, which, as has before been noted, is of primary 

 importance to the practical students of nature. A large box, 

 constructed upon the book-case principle, with adjustable 

 shelves and large doors with panels of glass, will not be 

 found more convenient for ready access as may upon first 

 thoughts be imagined, and is furthermore prone to the 

 collection of quantities of dust which would necessitate 

 frequent and laborious cleansings. With the portable 

 boxes each set of appliances can be separately kept, easily 

 replaced, and each compartment can be separately wiped 

 out as occasion may arise. Another important advantage 

 to be gained by the adoption of the plan is, that the worker 

 can construct his own cabinet piecemeal from time to time, 

 with but very little skill, and at a very trivial expenditm-e. 

 The author was led to devise it gradually : he first of all 

 commenced by placing a series of small rough wooden 

 boxes, such as can be procured from any grocery or 

 oilman's stores, at the cost of from one to three- 



pence a piece, one over the other, upon a cheap chest 

 of bedroom drawers. Certain of these boxes were set 

 apart for microscopical requisites, such as Canada-balsam 

 phials, spirit lamps, porcelain dishes for sections in course 

 of preparation, &c,, all of them necessitating a dust-proof 

 yet easily accessible lodging ; and these were accordingly 

 provided with small panes of glass framed, and hinged upon 

 the upper edge of each box. The central case for instru- 

 ments soon suggested itself, and an " egg-box " was found 

 which exactly fitted upon the top of the chest of drawers, 

 which were then all filled with geological chips. With but 

 scanty skill and a little taste the whole case may be ren- 

 dered a handsome piece of furniture, worthy of a well- 

 appointed laboratory. The insides of the boxes may bo 

 lined with pieces of white cardboard, and their ungainly 

 edges covered by a neat framework made of picture. frame 

 mouldings, sufficient of which can be procured for a few 

 pence. The cabinet of drawers, placed lowermost, may also 

 be made upon the portable [)lan, and the trays full of speci- 

 mens be virtually adapted from empty " soap-boxes," pro- 

 vided with framed glass lids, and divided into suitable 

 compartments within for each sepai-ate specimen. The 

 soap-boxes thus utilised can then be merely piled one over 

 the other loosely within each larger box, which forms an 

 integral part of the whole lower case. By degrees, all the 

 available floor-space adjoining the walls of the apartment 

 can thus be utilised to the best advantage, and there will 

 thus be aflbrded a highly suitable place for everything likely 

 to be required in the laboratory. 



By a modification of the portable upper boxes into ordi- 

 nary cases of large size, fitted with adjustable shelves, ample 

 space will be provided for such books, pamphlets, and papers 

 as the worker may possess which bear upon the subjects 

 of his studies ; and similar shelves can be set apart whereon 

 to place bottles and jars containing specimens for display, 

 or working material, such as plants and animals in spirit, 

 ifec, mounted osteological and other preparations under glass 

 domes or cases, (tc. 



One case of upper shelves may be set apart to hold 

 microscopical slides, upon the following improved prin- 

 ciple : — Take, for example, a collection of preparations 

 illustrative of the Rhizopoda. A small typical series may 

 be contained in two book-boxes labelled respectively Fora- 

 minifera and Radiolaria, placed endwise, as usual with 

 printed volumes, upon a shelf Each box, to take the 

 English standard sizes, may be made to hold cither twelve 

 or twenty-four slides, in an ordinary rack work within. 

 When the boxes are placed upright upon the shelf, the 

 slides will be horizontally disposed, and thus run no risk of 

 displacement of the objects, by gradual subsidence, as some- 

 times happens when the same boxes are laid flat upon a 

 table. An index of contents may be fastened upon the 

 inner side of the lid of the box, and with a little care the 

 student will soon fall into the good habit of numbering 

 each preparation, and always placing it in the slit corre- 

 sponding to that number upon the index. By the adapta- 

 tion of a simple movable wire, hooked at each end, and 

 capable of adjustment within eyelet holes, one at each 

 extremity of the box, as graphically explained by fig. 2, a 

 holdfast will be obtained, which can be removed and 

 readjusted with the utmost facility, secures each slide in its 

 place, and prevents it effectually from falling out of the 

 box, even when the latter Ls carelessly or suddenly opened. 

 The advantages of such a system are undeniable ; the 

 specimens are held firmly in a horizontal position, a sine 

 qud noil in the storage of such things, and any object 

 desired can be found at a moment's notice by a reference to 

 the outer title on the back edge of the box, and a glance at 

 its table of contents affixed to the inside of the lid. The 



