306 THE MICROSCOPE AND ITS REVELATIONS. 



or stout sable-hair, which may be inserted into the cleft-end of a slender 

 wooden-handle; and if the bristle or hair should be split at its extremity 

 in a brush-like manner, it will be particularly useful. (Such split-hairs 

 may always be found in a Shaving-brush which has been for some time 

 in use; those should be selected which have their split-portions so closely 

 in contact, that they appear single until touched at their ends. ) When 

 the split extremity of such a hair touches the glass-slide, its parts sep- 

 arate from each other to an amount proportionate to the pressure; and, 

 on being brought up to the object, first pushed to the edge of the fluid 

 on the slide, may generally be made to seize it. A very experienced 

 American Diatomist, Prof. Hamilton Smith, strongly recommends a 

 thread of glass drawn-out to capillary fineness and flexibility, by which 

 (he says) the most delicate Diatom may be safely taken up, and deposited 

 upon a slide damped by the breadth. For the selection and transference 

 of Diatoms under the Compound Microscope, recourse may be had to 

 some of the forms of ( mechanical finger ' which have been recently de- 

 vised by American Diatomists. 1 



1 For a description of those of Prof. Hamilton Smith and Dr. Rezner, see 

 " Journ. of Roy. Microsc. Soc.," Vol. ii. (1879), p. 951; and that of Mr. Veeder,. 

 Vol. iii. (1880), p. 700, of the same Journal. 



