32 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [February, 



substitute. Recent offers of special boxes by Drs. Close and Sylvester, 

 Mr. Hill, and Miss Booth, in some cases including elaborate note-books, 

 have led us to hope that the emergency maybe met by an appeal to the 

 experts in the membership of the Club. 



Mixed boxes of miscellaneous objects have their value, and their 

 preparation evidently serves to interest beginners and to bring out their 

 powers ; but they are useless for the present purpose. Only high-grade 

 work of really instructive character is needed, and only 25 or 30 boxes 

 of that. There is no doubt that among our nearly 140 members we 

 have a sufficient number fully qualified to furnish these boxes if they 

 would take the interest to do so. The slides should not be mixed at ran- 

 dom ; but each box, or for variety each half of each box, should pertaih 

 directly to some one definite field of study. Remembering the hard 

 usage, and the character of our boxes, objects should be very thor- 

 oughly mounted, avoiding brittle or uncertain accessories like wax, 

 curtain-ring cells or zinc-white cement, which seldom wear well in our 

 service. Water mounts should be avoided if possible as they often 

 fail, and Pierce cells which often split off, and extra-thick cells of any 

 kind, which nearly always succeed in breaking their own slides or the 

 next ones. 



As many may be able to offer suitable slides who cannot conveni- 

 ently write the note-books, which books should give at least three or 

 four note-book pages (closely written or by typewriter) of careful treat- 

 ment of the subjects, somewhat after the manner of the pamphlets fur- 

 nished with the earlier issues of the Cole's Studies ; and as others may 

 be ready to write notes or furnish drawings, ^photographs, or typewriter 

 copies who have no opportunities for mounting, it is proposed to sep- 

 arate these functions if desired, as indicated by the following ques- 

 tions. (It has also been several times proposed and discussed, with 

 many suggestions as to details which we hope may be made valuable, 

 to cut up some text-book, proceedings, magazine articles, or other printed 

 authority, to make up note-books as so successfully accomplished with 

 the Cole pamphlets. The advantages and difficulties of this plan, both 

 very great, will at once occur to every one having experience in the 

 Club work.) 



1. Will you fill one or more boxes of two slides each, or of six slides 

 each, as above proposed, and of what class of objects ; and with or 

 without full notes, dra^vings, photographs, and typewriter notes? 



2. Will you furnish notes for slides from other members, and how 

 many, and for what class of objects ; and with or without drawings, or 

 photographs, or typewriter copies? 



3. Will you furnish photographs of slides, or typewriter copies of 

 MS., to be furnished by others; and if so, which and how many? 



4. What book (not too large, and well illustrated if possible) , if any, 

 would you recommend as suitable to be cut up and worked into the 

 note-books ; and would you prefer to contribute your slides, if any, to 

 illustrate it? 



5. During which month, from May to September this year, will you 

 carry out your offers ; and how much money, if any, will you desire to 

 be repaid by the Club for expenses incurred? 



Answers to the above are not expected from all members, but only 

 from those able and willing to assist in some of the ways indicated. 



