40 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[Feb. 1882. 



while for dicotyledons the pumpkin is a 

 good representative, 



— The eleventh edition of Messrs. R. & 

 J. Beck's Illustrated Catalogue of optical 

 instruments is a pamphlet of 176 pages, 

 containing illustrations of the microscopes 

 and accessory apparatus manufactured by 

 that firm. It is a useful pamphlet for re- 

 ference, and every microscopist should be 

 willing to send 15 cents for a copy. 



— Messrs. J. W. Queen & Co. have also 

 recently issued the forty-ninth edition of 

 their illustrated catalogue of optical instru- 

 ments, which is likewise a book of refer- 

 ence, containing more than 180 pages. 



— Dr. George M. Sternberg is now 

 engaged in writing a book on practical 

 microscopical work, which is intended to 

 give a general knowledge of such subjects 

 as are seldom treated in a satisfactory 

 manner in our popular text-books. The 

 work will be ready before long and we 

 will take occasion to refer to it again as 

 soon as the plan is more definitely an- 

 nounced. It will be illustrated by helio- 

 type plates. 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETIES. 



The fourth annual reception of the 

 New York Microscopical Society was held 

 at Chickering Hall on the evening of the 

 3d of February. It was the most success- 

 ful of all the public exhibitions given by 

 the Society, and it was attended by about 

 five hundred persons. The audience was 

 highly appreciative, and included some of 

 the most cultivated persons in New York 

 society. The retiring President, Mr. R. 

 Hitchcock, delivered the annual address, 

 which is printed in full in this JOURNAL. 

 After the address an exhibition of ob- 

 jects was given which, if not one of the 

 largest, was certainly one of the best and 

 most interesting of any that has been 

 given in this city. 



The exhibitions of the Society are given 

 exclusively by members, with instruments 

 belonging to them or to the Society. No 

 member is allowed to show more than 

 three microscopes, and the sole object of 

 the exhibition is to combine instruction 

 with entertainment. Among the objects 

 exhibited, the following are worthy of es- 

 pecial mention : Circulation of blood in a 

 frog rendered motionless by curara, by 

 Mr. J. L. Wall. Circulation in the yolk- 

 sac of a young trout and of a young sal- 

 mon, both of which were provided by Mr. 

 E. G. Blackford, and shown by the use of 



Holman's syphon slides. Mr. F. Colling- 

 wood showed the blood flowing in the 

 tail of a fish ; Mr. W. H. Mead showed 

 cyclosis in Anacharis and Mr. Hitchcock 

 the same in Nitella. Mr. F. W. Devoe 

 showed a spider's nest with its pure-white 

 eggs, a very beautiful object, and also the 

 eyes of a living spider. Mr. E. C. Bogert 

 showed some very beautiful insect eggs 

 on a maple leaf. Several members ex- 

 hibited different forms of living infusoria, 

 rotifers, stentors, vorticella, etc., which 

 they are now able to procure from Mr. 

 Balen. Heretofore, there has been some 

 difficulty about obtaining living infusoria 

 in the city, when wanted for such occa- 

 sions, but Mr. Balen has now removed it. 



We have only mentioned some of the 

 most interesting objects — the list included 

 thirty-three different specimens. 



The Society is in a prosperous condi- 

 tion, and we trust it may have a success- 

 ful future under the direction of the new 

 Board of Managers. Mr. Benjamin Bra- 

 man is the President and Mr. C. S. 

 Shultz Corresponding Secretary. The 

 address of the Society is 64 Madison 

 Avenue. 



The Fairfield Microscopical Club met 

 at the home of Dr. Hufford, Saturday 

 evening, November 19th. The Club, hav- 

 ing reached the close of the first year of 

 its organization, proceeded to the election 

 of officers for the ensuing year. The fol- 

 lowing officers were chosen : Prof. Mc- 

 Calla. reelected President ; Dr. Mohr, 

 elected Vice-president ; J. Grinstead, re- 

 elected Treasurer ; Geo. D. Clarke, elected 

 Secretary. 



Exchanges. 



[Exchanges are inserted in this column without 

 charge. They will be strictly limited to mounted 

 objects, and material for mounting.] 



For a packet of frustules of Ampkitetras antedi- 

 luviana. send slide, or unmounted specimen to 



K. M. CUNNINGHAM, 



Box 874, Mobile, Ala. 



Well mounted Diatoms on Alga, Polycistina, Zoo- 

 phytes various, and other miscellaneous objects for 

 other well mounted objects. Mounted Insects or parts, 

 of Insects preferred. W. FARNELL, 



125 Walnut Street, Macon, Ga. 



Well mounted Diatoms, etc., in exchange for first- 

 class slides, or material. W. H. TIVY, 



6th and Olive Streets, St. Louis. Mo. 



A beautiful collection of wild seeds of Central Ohio 

 to exchange. List furnished on application. 



F. O. JACOBS, Newark, Ohio. 



