1901] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 107 
loidin sections, but coal-tar creosote would do equally as 
well, provided it is equally white. 
Extracts From Postal Microscopical Society’s Note-Books. 
’ BacTERIA IN WaTER.—A few weeks ago I noticed that 
a glass ornament on the sideboard in my dining-room con 
tained some flowers in rather cloudy water, and guessing 
that carelessness had led to the water being left too long 
I examined a drop of it for infusoria under a moderately 
high power. I was surprised to find that the water was 
absolutely thick with every kind of schizomycetes, micro- 
cocci, bacteria, bacilli, spirille, vibriones, and leptothrix 
forms, besides a few parameecia, monads, etc. The spirilla 
forms were unusually plentiful and active, and several zo- 
oglean masses of bacteria were noticable. I mounted 
some slides from the liquid, of which the accompanying 
is one. The microbes are stained with logwood on the 
cover-glass and mounted in balsam. They will afford a 
test for the excellence of the objectives, condensers, and 
fine adjustments of our members’ instruments. The vib- 
riones have taken the stain best, the other forms indif- 
ferently. By the way, though balsam-mounting is al- 
ways recommended in the text-books, bacteria show much 
better mounted dry on the cover-glass. Atleast I findit so. 
A good quarter-inch objective, which will bear a high am- 
plification, shows well-stained objects perfectly well. 
EXAMINING BACTERIA..—If a slide is prepared for pho- 
- to-micrography, gentian violet is the most suitable stain, 
Take a drop of the bacterial solution on a platinum wire, 
and touch with it a clean cover-glass that has been wash- 
‘ ed with water and alcohol. Then take a second glass, rub 
the two together so as to get a nice clear film on the glass- 
es. Then filter some fuchsine in aniline, and place the 
cover-glasses in the pigment. Occasionally take out one 
with the forceps, and if stained wash well in alcohol. 
