SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



25 



MICROSCOPY 



CONDUCTED BY J. H. COOKE, F.L S., F.G.S. 



To whom Notes, Articles and material relating to Microscopy, 

 and intended for Science-Gossip, are, in the first instance, 

 to be sent, addressed "J. H. Cooke, Edlestone, Battenha.ll 

 Road, Worcester." 



Change of Address. — Mr. Cooke's address 

 in future will be: Edlestone, Battenhall Road, 

 Worcester. 



Messrs. Ross, Limited, have issued quite a 

 number of interesting new catalogues. We have 

 received a bundle of five of these, including their 

 price list for 1898. The latter little book is also 

 translated into the Spanish, and issued especially 

 for the country of Spain. 



The Microbes of Paris.— According to M. 

 Miquel, of the Paris Municipal Observatory at 

 Montsouris, the air of Paris contains an average 

 of 7,620 bacteria per cubic metre. In summer it 

 increases to 9,685, and in winter is only 4,020. 

 The air of the sewers appears to be privileged, 

 and contains only 2,500 per cubic metre, while 

 heat and cold do not affect it. He explains that 

 his figures are much higher than those of other 

 bacteriologists, as by his system he can only count 

 his colonies fifteen days after taking his samples, 

 while the general rule is to count them after three 

 or four days. M. Miquel considers that his process 

 is the right one. 



The Microscope and Microscopical Methods. 

 — The sixth edition of this standard work on 

 microscopy, by Professor Simon H. Gage, of 

 Cornell University, well deserves the high 

 popularity to which it has attained in America. 

 The work has been practically rewritten and 

 greatly enlarged ; and it is now illustrated by 165 

 figures in the text. It marks the effort of a 

 practical teacher, the author's method of treat- 

 ment being broad and educational to a degree. As 

 a book of reference on up-to-date, methods in 

 manipulation and technique, it is invaluable for 

 every working microscopist, and we therefore 

 cordially recommend it to our readers. It is 

 published by the Comstock Company, Ithaca, 

 New York. 



The Journal of Applied Microscopy is a 

 monthly publication recently started by the 

 Bausch and Lomb Optical Company of Rochester, 

 New Jersey. To those who have neither the time 

 nor the opportunity to make themselves acquainted 

 with the most modern aspects of microscopical 

 technique this journal will be invaluable. Its third 

 number contains articles on " Methods in the 

 Study of Mature Seeds," notes on " Microscopical 

 Technique." " Mitosis," illustrated by photo- 

 micrographs, "Wheat-flour in Ground Ginger," 

 and several others descriptive of apparatus and 

 methods. It also contains a " Notes and Queries " 

 column and abstracts of the more important of the 

 recently issued papers on microscopical research. 

 The annual subscription to the paper is one dollar, 

 and the London publishers are Messrs. Dawbarn 

 and Ward, Limited, 6, Farringdon Avenue, E.C. 



COUNTRY LORE 



Weather Lore. — It is readily understood, see- 

 ing how much affected is mankind by weather 

 conditions, that dense superstition and many 

 quaint saws have crept into the daily thought of 

 country folk. Neither are such confined to them, 

 if we may judge from the issue of a third edition 

 of "Weather Lore," by Mr. Richard Inwards, 

 F.R.A.S. (London: Elliot Stock, 1898). It is a 

 most entertaining collection of weather knowledge, 

 tradition, proverbs, folk-sayings, wise saws and 

 rhymes. In this edition the subject is much ex- 

 tended, and it is difficult to discover the omission 

 of any quaint reference to weather that one has 

 ever heard. The following quotations from 

 Mr. Inward's book will be interesting to some 

 readers. Bacon says: "The sound of church 

 bells is supposed to dissipate thunder and light- 

 ning." Church bells are still rung in the Austrian 

 Tyrol with this object. Arago says, in the prayers 

 at the blessing of church bells according to the 

 Paris ritual, occurs this sentence: "May the 

 sound of this bell put to flight the fiery darts of 

 the enemy of man, the ravages of thunder and 

 lightning, the rapid fall of stones, the disasters of 

 tempests." It sometimes happens that what were 

 considered superstitions are well founded on fact. 

 For instance, writing in 1723 in his book, " A 

 Rational Account of the Weather," John Pointer 

 says that "flashes of lightning follow in the same 

 track ; the reason being, the first flash rarefies the 

 air and makes a path for succeeding ones." 

 Without entirely granting his reason, the fact is 

 proved by modern photographs that flashes of 

 lightning are often in double and triple parallels. 

 That animals are affected by coming weather 

 changes there is little doubt ; in fact, this is a 

 subject too much neglected by observant natu- 

 ralists, and is one that would well repay atten- 

 tion. Some of the popular beliefs are worth 

 noting. When a cat sneezes, it is said to be a 

 sure sign of rain ; when she scratches a wall or 

 post, wind may be expected ; and a thaw in 

 frost if she persistently washes her face ; she 

 is said to sit with her back to the fire before 

 snow. Dogs eating grass portends rain, and if 

 they howl much, men may look out for a storm. 

 If horses stretch out their necks and sniff the air, 

 rain will ensue. I have sometimes myself noticed 

 in thundery moist weather that standing horses 

 will stamp the ground with their feet. At times 

 this is observable along a cab-rank, when the noise 

 of the stamping will attract attention. Flocks ot 

 goats graze down the mountains preceding the 

 approach of a storm, and upwards before fair 

 weather. I hardly think animals which hibernate 

 can foretell whether a winter will be mild or 

 severe. Still, such is the opinion of country folk. 

 If moles make a large or small provision of worms, 

 or squirrels a corresponding store of nuts, they say 

 the winter will be mild or severe in proportion. 

 Bats uttering plaintive cries, or flying into the 

 house, indicates rain. Such are some of the multi- 

 tude of weather saws in the 240 pages of this 

 charming book. — Flora Winstone, Epping, Essex. 



