PREPARING SPECIMENS. 93 



calyptra, and a capsule with the operculum removed to 

 show the character of the peristome, when present ; and all 

 these parts should be so cut and mounted that they may be 

 in focus with at least a two-inch objective. 



Sections of the moss stems, leaves, and capsules will also 

 be found very instructive objects. To get sections of the 

 stems or leaves I take a fairly good quantity of the moss in 

 question, and soak it in gum for a second or two ; this, when 

 dry, will fix the stems together in a bundle. This bundle I 

 place in a section cutter, and with a sharp razor cut one or 

 two very thin sections of the whole mass, floating the cut- 

 tings off on to one of the glass slips. In this way I get 

 sections of both stems and leaves. The cuttings I examine 

 with the microscope, and select out those which serve my 

 purpose or if there are none such among the cuttings, 

 I make some more sections, until I get such as will suit my 

 purpose.* 



To cut sections of the capsule, I select a nice green cap- 

 sule of such a moss, for instance, as Funaria hygrometrica, 

 taking care that it is not too ripe for my purpose, though 

 it is requisite that sections should be made through capsules 

 in various degrees of development. These capsules I dip 

 in gum solution, and allow to dry for a few minutes. I then 

 fix them in a flat piece of the solid paraffine. This is readily 

 done by making a shallow gutter in the paraffine with a heated 

 wire or the tang of a small file. The capsules I place in 

 this gutter, before the molten parafrme has set, placing it in 

 as good a position for my purpose as possible. When the 

 parafrme has set, thin sections are cut with a very sharp 

 razor, cutting at the same time both paraffine and capsule, 

 and these sections as cut are floated off into some water on 

 one of the glass slips. The gum with which the capsules 

 were coated soon melts, carrying with it the adhering par- 

 ticles of paraffine. 



* The water in which these sections are placed after cutting removes 

 the gum used in fixing, and they may be more thoroughly washed by 

 allowing a little water to trickle drop by drop among them ; this will 

 remove any superfluous particles of gum, etc. 



