1882.] 



MICEOSCOPICAL JOUKKAL. 



IT 



stand the force of Mr. Stodder's 

 assertion that he could display ob- 

 jects better on a large stand than up- 

 on a small one, — meaning one with a 

 small tube. Undoubtedly this is true 

 with low oculars ; but with higher 

 oculars it is not. However, we do 

 not wish to have on our small stands 

 a tube of smaller diameter than the 

 " A " ocular requires, so further dis- 

 cussion of this subject is not necessary. 



In writing upon this subject at 

 first, we did not allude to the advan- 

 tages of a large tube, simply because 

 the display of objects is rather a 

 secondary consideration, from a prac- 

 tical point of view. All the work of 

 investigation requiring the use of 

 high-power objectives, and careful 

 examination, can be done, satis- 

 factorily and accurately, with small 

 tubes. Let us not forget what con- 

 tinental observers have done, and are 

 now doing, with small tubes. 



If the reader will now turn to page 

 114, Vol. II, it will be seen that Mr. 

 Stodder claims certain advantage for 

 large stands in the use of accessories 

 and in illumination. We may admit 

 that most small stands now made, are 

 not adapted to the best display of 

 objects. But this fact by no means 

 controverts our assertion that small 

 stands are the best — it only shows 

 that they are not yet made as they 

 should be. For it is certainly true 

 that a small stand can be made to do 

 all that a large one will, just as well 

 and more readily. For delicate work 

 a large mirror is more difficult to use 

 than a small one — let anyone who 

 doubt's this statement, test it by 

 experimenting on A. pellucida with a 

 Woodward prism, and a large and a 

 small mirror. In a small stand every- 

 thing is conveniently at hand. The 

 fine-adjustment is not too high for 

 comfort, the substage is not too far 

 away. 



We do not speak without practical 

 experience in this matter, having used 

 for years a very large microscope ex- 

 clusively, and afterwards a small one. 



The favorite stand of the future, 



the most salable one, and the one 

 that is destined to displace the tall, 

 showy instruments now so largely 

 used, will be a small, compact micro- 

 scope, with which any microscopic 

 work can be done. 



o 



Proceedings of the American 

 Society of Microscopists. — The 

 proceedings of the Columbus meeting 

 have recently come to hand. The 

 volume contains loo pages of printed 

 matter and seven plates. As we have 

 already given a brief account of the 

 meeting, soon after it was held, an 

 extended notice of the articles is not 

 called for at this time, especially as 

 the volume itself can be obtained for 

 %\.\o from Mr. Geo. E. Fell, of 

 Buffalo. 



Dr. A. M. Bleile has a short but 

 valuable contribution on the inner- 

 vation of the lungs with a plate. Dr. 

 Lester Curtis has taken a strong po- 

 sition against the teachings of Drs. 

 Heitzmann and Elsberg, of this city, 

 who are supported by a few other 

 observers, concerning the net-work 

 structure of protoplasm. We trust 

 that he will have still more to say up- 

 on this subject, for although most 

 histologists are inclined to ignore the 

 ill-founded "bioplasson doctrine," it 

 is well known that grevious errors 

 will readily become fixed in the 

 minds of students and others, if no 

 efforts are made to refute them. Mr. 

 Vorce has a list of the organisms 

 found in the water of Cleveland, and 

 a few interesting observations about 

 the periodicity of their development. 

 A plate containing one hundred and 

 ninety-two figures accompanies this 

 article. Dr. Blackham discusses the 

 question whether homogeneous-im- 

 mersion objectives should be made 

 adjustable or non-adjustable. He 

 thinks they should be adjustable and 

 gives his reasons. Mr. Geo. E. 'Fell 

 has an interesting article about the bin- 

 ocular microscope and stereoscopic 

 vision. Our criticism of that article 

 is, that since, in our opinion, the sub- 

 ject is one which requires more thor- 



