xii INTRODUCTION. 



most instinctively, goes first to the water for liis microscopic 

 objects, probably because lie has heard so much about the " ani- 

 malcules" there. His first examination bewilders him. There 

 is so much life and motion and color, there are so many strange 

 forms; but where shall he turn for help? 



Since our illustrious scientists have not offered to help him, 

 the writer, who is only a beginner himself, and who makes not 

 the slightest pretensions, has sympathized with the inquirers 

 whom he has been compelled to turn away unsatisfied when 

 they have come for printed help in their microscopical work, 

 and this little book is the result. It claims no literary merit ; 

 it makes no scientific pretensions. Its only aim is to help the 

 beginner to ascertain the names of some of the common mi- 

 croscopic creatures, both animal and vegetable, with which the 

 fresh waters of the land are filled, and it tries to do so in 

 the simplest and most direct way, leaping scientific hedges and 

 trampling on scientific classification in a manner that will dis- 

 may the learned botanist and zoologist. But the botanist and 

 zoologist have weighty books that delight their souls, so why 

 should not the beginner with a microscope have a book to help 

 him to the names of the commonest aquatic objects, and, it is 

 hoped, delight him by smoothing the path that leads to them ? 

 The writer will not be greatly troubled if the learned botanist 

 and zoologist do not like this little book, provided the beginner 

 in the use of the microscope approves it and finds it helpful. 



It relates almost exclusively to aquatic objects. One reason 

 for this, has already been mentioned. Another and more po- 

 tent one is, that even the beginner knows, in a general way, 

 what he is looking at when he magnifies the common objects 

 of the land, but the microscopic creatures from the water are 

 so truly microscopic, the observer must so often go fishing on 

 faith, and only know the contents of his net by faith and im- 

 agination until he can examine his collection drop by drop with 



