SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



47 



number of flakes may contain nothing, and then 

 one may be found which is full of organic remains. 

 In one such " lucky flint " I have discovered nearly 

 forty different objects, including half-a-dozen 

 species of Xanthidia, an almost perfect cast of the 

 interior of a Rotalia, several other foraminifera 

 with the shell silicified so as to make them very 

 transparent, and a beautiful little birobulate 

 spicule. For the systematic examination of such 

 objects a " Maltwood's Finder " is of the greatest 

 value, and they are best seen under a low-angled 

 £ or J-inch object-glass with exactly the opposite 

 illumination to that required for resolving diatoms, 

 viz., diaphragm removed so that the full glare of 

 diffused daylight reflected from the mirror may 

 obliterate any 

 irregularities of 

 structure in the 

 surrounding flint. 

 An interesting 

 short account of 

 these Xanthidias 

 is given in Que- 

 kett's "Lectures 

 on Histology." 

 From it we learn 

 that Xanthidias 

 were first dis- 

 covered in flint 

 by the Rev. J. B. 

 Reade, in 1838. 

 When discovered 

 they ' ' created a 

 great sensation 

 among micro- 

 scopists; and 

 such was the 

 anxiety to obtain 

 specimens, that 

 from first to last 

 several tons of 

 flints were bro- 

 ken up, or cut, 

 in order to find 

 them." Accord- 

 ing to Professor 

 Quekett, Xan- 

 thidias from flint 

 are described by 

 Mr. Reade in the 

 " Annals of Na- 

 tural History " 

 for 1838, and by 

 Mr. H. H.White 

 in the first vol- 

 ume of the 

 "Transactions of 

 the Microsco- 

 pical Society," 

 while the casts 



of foraminifera, also found in flints, are figured 

 and described by the late Dr. Mantell in the 

 "Philosophical Transactions" for 1846. I send 

 the present note in the interest of beginners rather 

 than of experienced microscopists, many of whom 

 are, of course, familiar with these fascinating 

 little objects. — G. H. Bryan, Thomlea, Cambridge. 



Microscopy in " Science-Gossip." —In reply to 

 frequent demands for more microscopy, we are 

 pleased to state that arrangements are in progress 

 for an authority on the subject to take charge of 

 the department, which will be enlarged. We trust 

 our readers will support him with articles and 

 notes.— r Fd. S.-G." 



A Beech Tree in the New Forest. 

 (From a Photograph by Mr. Fred. H. Evans.) 



The Camera in the Forest. — A systematic 

 study of forest trees and their characteristic growth 

 is one which opens a wide field for most pleasant 

 investigation with the aid of the camera. With 

 practice a beautiful collection of such pictures may 



be made, as is 

 instanced by that 

 of Mr. Frederick 

 H. Evans, of 

 London, one of 

 our best amateur 

 photographers. 

 We are enabled 

 to give some idea 

 of the beauty of 

 these pictures 

 from the accom- 

 panying view in 

 the New Forest, 

 Hampshire, by 

 the kindness of 

 the Editor of the 

 " Photogram," 

 who had this 

 block prepared 

 from the photo- 

 graph by Mr. 

 Evans. 



As would not 

 be unnatural, we 

 expect our friends 

 who are photo- 

 graphers first, 

 and worshippers 

 of nature se- 

 condly, prefer 

 artistic surround- 

 ings and the ar- 

 rangement of a 

 picture, rather 

 than botanical 

 types. Still, with 

 judgment, both 

 these desirable 

 points may be 

 obtained. Mr. 

 Evans is an artist 

 born, and in his 

 series of some 

 hundreds of tree 

 photographs, there is not a bad picture among 

 them. That we illustrate, although well repro- 

 duced, has lost in the process much of its real 

 beauty by reduction, and loss of tint and texture. 



Exhibition ok Photography. — The Executive 

 Council of the Imperial Institute has arranged to 

 open at South Kensington, from the middle of 

 May to the middle of August next, as already 

 announced, an exhibition of everything appertain- 

 ing to photography. There are seven divisions 

 for exhibitors, which are most comprehensive. 

 Full information may be obtained from the 

 Photographic Secretary, Exhibition, Imperial 

 Institute, London, S.W. 



