78 PREPARATION AND MOUNTING 



the cover is placed upon it, or the damp will certainly 

 become condensed upon the inner side, and the examination 

 seriously hindered. 



Many of the Foraminifera require cutting into sections if 

 it is wished to examine their internal structure ; " decal- 

 cifying " is also desirable in some cases : both of these 

 processes will be found described at length in the chapter on 

 Sections and Dissections. 



When more than one specimen of some particular shell is 

 obtained, it is better to place them upon the slide in dif- 

 ferent positions, so as to show as much of the structure as 

 possible. I will conclude this subject by quoting a passage 

 from T. B/ymer Jones : " It is, therefore, by no means suf- 

 ficient to treat these shells as ordinary objects by simply 

 laying them on a glass slide, so as to see them only from 

 one or two points of view ; they must be carefully examined 

 in every direction, for such is the diversity of form that 

 nothing short of this will be at all satisfactory. For this 

 purpose, they should be attached to the point of a fine 

 needle, so that they may be turned in any direction, and 

 examined by reflected light condensed upon them by means 

 of a lens or side reflector. In many of the thick-shelled 

 species it will be necessary to grind them down on a hone 

 [see Chapter VI.] before the number and arrangement ol 

 the internal chambers is discernible ; and in order to 

 investigate satisfactorily the minutiae of their structure, 

 a variety of sections, made in various ways, is indis- 

 pensable." 



A visitor to the seaside may with little trouble procure 

 one of the most beautiful objects which can ornament a 

 cabinet. On turning over stones which have been covered 

 by the last tide, a very small species of starfish will often be 

 met with. From a small circular centre five long arms 

 project, each of which is covered with spines beautifully 

 arranged. When found, they should be dropped into fresh 

 water with a little spirit added. This kills them instantly, 

 elge many of their long arms get broken by their struggles. 



