260 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Sep 
the various experiments referred to were exhibited under 
a number of microscopes. Professor 8. Thompson re- 
gretted that he had not heard the first part of the paper, 
and had not had time to read the advance copy of the 
paper which had been sent to him. He entirely agreed 
with Mr. Gordon in rejecting the explanation of the Abbe 
theory given by Nageliand Schwendener, but found him- 
self at variance with Mr. Gordon on almost every other 
point, and proceeded to discuss several conclusions ar- 
rived at in the paper. Mr. Julius Rheinberg having 
criticised the paper adversely at considerable length, 
Mr. Conrad Beck said he did not think it possible for 
anyone who had followed the experiments described by 
the author to dispute his contention that the effects ob- 
served were produced by the diaphragm behind the ob- 
jective. The proof that the effects were entirely due to 
this was shown by the fact that if any of the conditions 
were altered the experiments did not succeed, and there 
was no reason why they should not succeed if the Abbé 
theory were correct. Mr. Gordon contended that he was 
entitled to the support of Professor Thompson, notwith- 
standing the impression his speech had probably left 
on the minds of those present. Professor Thompson 
agreed with him in throwing over Nageli and Schwen- 
dener’s explanations, but considered it wrong to throw 
over the Abbe theory; whereas the quotation at the be- 
ginning of the paper made it clear that Professor Abbé 
had himself thrown it over. In doing so, however, he 
had promised to elaborate it further. Ashe had not yet 
done this, one was obliged to pick it up where it might be 
possible to find it, and so he was obliged to go to Nageli 
and Schwendener’s book. 
THE BRYOLOGIST. 
A quarterly journal devoted to the study of North American Mosses 
Subscription price fifty cents. Sample copy 15 cents. Mrs. A. M, 
Smith, 78 Orange Street, Brooklyn, New York. 
