J'RKSIDKNT S ADOKKSS. Vll 



most porsmis, especially nur younii[ei' friends, of kooii si<i[lit. 

 may, witii a little study and careful trainiuf^, become able to 

 identify creatures more minute than would at first seem 

 possible, either with that sidondid binocular aiTangement, the 

 eyes alone, or, at all events, by the help of a good pocket lens, 

 and a suitable pocket trough, which is of equal importance. 



Portable microscopes are made for this purpose, but I have 

 never found the need of one for gatherings made so near home 

 that they may be thoroughly examined the same day. 



As an illustration, I may say that I always search my 

 bottles, or rather flat trough, with a pocket lens, for Amoebae, 

 and usually find no difficulty in ascertaining their presence or 

 absence by this means alone, and I may further note that it 

 has been my pleasure on many occasions to help those who 

 could not see one of these organisms with the aid of the micro- 

 scope to see one without it, of course procuring favourable 

 specimens, and placing them in the best possible light. 



Choice of apparatus also requires thought, and as I intend 

 that this may be of some real help to those who may follow me 

 in pursuing this delightful study, I must ask the patience of 

 those to whom it is already familiar in describing my own 

 collecting case. It is a light leathern box, about 12in. x Gin. 

 x4iin., with smooth handle attached, having twelve or more 

 thin wooden partitions inside arranged for holding a variet}' 

 of bottles and other things necessary for the purpose. 



When complete, it contains four bottles holding about four 

 ounces each, one smaller with a screwed neck for attaching it 

 readily to the pond- stick, and ten. or more, made from glass 

 tubing about 3iin. long by fin. diameter, all being numbered 

 and having corks attached by string. 



Besides these, a ring net, made of fine French canvas— 

 a material used by ladies, I am told, for the purpose of wool- 

 work — a still finer net of muslin, which will slip over it easily, 

 making the one screwed ring do for both, and being of great use 

 when the specimens sought are too small for the coarser net. 

 A cutting hook also, to screw to the stick ; a small grapnel or 



