166 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [September, 
Notes from Japan.—III. 
By ROMYN HITCHCOCK, 
OSAKA, JAPAN. 
(Continued from page SS.) 
Our contributions to the Journal have not been regular or frequent since 
we have resided here, for the simple reason that there is no microscopical 
news to be obtained here. Such observations as it has been our good fortune 
to make with the microscope are not sufficiently far advanced to admit of 
publication. We are pleased to announce, however, that we have recently 
been able to secure specimens of harbor muds from four different ports in 
Japan, some of which will soon be distributed. But harbor mud is not satis- 
factory material to clean unless one has a large quantity. Therefore, only a 
few of those who have written for specimens will receive samples of these, 
which will mostly be sent to specialists who are sure to find them valuable. 
The other collections are growing slowly, but in due time every request will 
be complied with. 
The editor of the Brztish Journal of Photography comments upon a new 
specimen of microscopic writing recently executed by Mr. W. Webb, which, 
it is rather ambiguously stated, is ‘so small as to require an eighth of an inch 
power on the microscope to see it.’. The size of the letters is, perhaps, more 
clearly expressed in the statement that ‘if a square inch were written over 
with letters of the same size the whole of the Bible and half a Bible more 
could be contained therein in quite legible form.’ In other words, Mr. Webb 
can write legible letters so small that a square inch would afford space for 
five millions of them! ! 
In the same journal, of March 11, there is a communication from Mr. W. 
Leach describing a lantern microscope which we are quite ready to believe 
is an excellent arrangement, since it embodies in practical form precisely the 
ideas that the writer has long desired to apply, and which have been briefly 
set forth in these columns. The important feature of the device is the sub-stage 
condenser, which consists of a fitting with focussing adjustment, bearing a 
condenser that is changed to suit different objectives. For a two-inch objec- 
tive the condenser is a plano-convex lens 13 inches in diameter and two inches 
focus. For powers from 1% to ;45 inch a similar lens of 13 inch focus serves 
very well. Back of these, in the cone of rays converging from the principal 
condenser, is placed a flint concave of about 6 inches focus and 1? inches in 
diameter. The purpose of the concave is to adapt the course of the rays from 
the principal condenser to the focus of the lenses in the sub-stage. 
Mr. Leach seems to have fully understood the requirements of the lantern 
microscope, and has met them in what seems to be a most rational manner. 
As a result, he states that Volvox »lobator projected on a sixteen-feet screen 
looked about as large as tennis balls; the cornea of Dy¢¢scus may be well 
shown eight or ten feet, and echinus spines seven to twelve feet, in diameter. 
The projecting microscope is undoubtedly capable of great improvement, 
and Mr. Leach has made a step forward which should be followed up. If 
the account we have referred to is not much exaggerated we may conclude 
that already the instrument may be advantageously used in class demonstra- 
tions, for it is there stated that with a ;4 inch objective ‘ images were shown 
upon the screen magnified eighty diameters, well defined, brilliantly and 
equally lighted,’ the source of light being ‘a small paraffine lamp with a 
single half-inch wick.’ 
There is one fact that should be borne in mind by those who purchase ap- 
paratus for this purpose, and that is this :—There is (at least so far as the writer 
is aware) not a sub-stage condenser in the market that is properly con- 
structed for lantern projection. Indeed, it seems doubtful if any single com- 
