94 HANDBOOK OF MOSSES. 



The paraffine may then be removed with the needles or 

 washed away, the sections examined with the microscope, 

 and such as serve retained. Before mounting these sec- 

 tions permanently, they should be soaked for a time in a 

 drop of the preparatory fluid above mentioned and -then 

 mounted in Deane's gelatine. Care will be required to be 

 used in removing the sections from the slip on which they 

 have been soaking to the mounting fluid, and I find the 

 better way is to float them first of all on the slip I intend 

 to use for mounting. 



The sections of moss capsules I do not cut in a section 

 cutter, but, placing the piece of paraffine in which they are 

 fixed under a lens of about two-inch focal length, I cut the 

 sections without the aid of either microtome or section 

 cutter, merely watching through the lens so that I may see 

 that I am not cutting my sections too thick. I have more 

 than once cut nine sections out of one capsule in this 

 manner. The razor will require constantly dipping in some 

 fluid to get rid of adhering particles of paraffine, and I find 

 that water with a slight addition of spirits of wine (methyl- 

 ated spirits will serve just as well) serves my purpose best. 

 The razor used for this purpose cannot be too sharp, and 

 should be kept with a nice clean cutting edge, to avoid any 

 danger of fraying. 



The section, when cut, should show well and distinctly 

 capsule wall, alga-like cells in the air cavity continuous 

 and complete, section of mother spore cell band, and the 

 structure of the columella, as seen in fig. 9. 



As a matter of course, every section will not be a success, 

 in fact, many of these will be worthless, but a little practice 

 will soon render the cutting of these sections a matter of ease. 

 The moss capsules that I have found most interesting are 

 those of Funaria hygrometrica, F. fascicularis, Bartramla 

 pomiformis, Polytrichum formosum^ this is a most beautiful 

 object when well cut, Bryum capiUare,2X& Tor tula subulata 

 It must be distinctly borne in mind that the capsules must 

 be fresh ; if they cannot be cut immediately after gathering, 

 they should be kept in water, so that they may be kept quite 

 fresh; and, again, they must not be too ripe, otherwise the 



