SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



377 



Departmental Editor. — We have much plea- 

 sure in announcing that Mr. F. Shillington 

 Scales, F.E.M.S., of Sunderland, has kindly under- 

 taken to conduct the Microscopy columns in 

 Science-Gossip, as Honorary Departmental 

 Editor of that section of science. As the first 

 number of Volume VI., new series, is due next 

 month, Mr. Scales will commence his duties with 

 the June part. We trust our readers will give 

 Mr. Scales their best support, as they may 

 depend on his exact knowledge of the subject, 

 and we know he intends to make the depart- 

 ment as attractive and helpful as possible. All 

 communications are to be addressed to the office, 

 110, Strand, London, W.C. 



A "Circulating Library "of microscopical and 

 lantern slides is being arranged in Manchester by 

 Mr. Abraham Flatters, of 16-18, Church Eoad, 

 Longsight. It is expected to be ready for the 

 next Winter season. 



Unmounted Material. — Mr. Frank P. Smith, 

 of 15, Cloudesley Place, Islington, London, N., has 

 sent us a packet of unmounted material which, 

 being surplus stock, he is offering free on receipt 

 of stamped envelope. Many of our readers who 

 are beginners in the art of mounting objects for 

 the microscope, an art that everyone who uses the 

 instrument must acquire sooner or later, may be 

 glad to take advantage of Mr. Smith's offer. 



Illumination for Opaque Objects. — It may 

 not have occurred to some of our readers whose 

 microscopes are fitted with swinging tail rods for 

 their mirrors, that by swinging the tail-rod close 

 up beneath the stage and then turning the mirror 

 upright and focussing its concave face upon the 

 object, most brilliant and satisfactory illumination 

 can be gained, superior even to the side silver 

 reflector. It is, of course, necessary not only that 

 the tail-rod should swing at least 180 degs., but 

 also that it should be circular, that the mirror 

 fillings may revolve upon it. Messrs. Watson's 

 "Edinburgh" stand is a good example. 



Substitute for Stage Forceps. — Good stage 

 forceps are a somewhat expensive item in a micro- 

 scopical outfit, and are difficult to use without 

 practice. A useful substitute may be made by 

 fixing a cube of cork about three-eighths of an 

 inch square in the centre of a 3 by 1 slip. Any of 

 the ordinary cements as used by microscopists, or 

 Prout's elastic glue, answers capitally for fixing. 

 A thin pin should be run through the object to be 

 shown, and may then be inserted in either of the 

 sides of the cork cube in succession, thus showing 

 each aspect of the object with various directions 

 of illumination. With small flowers, insects, 

 fungi on leaves or twigs, &c, which it may be 

 desired to exhibit to friends, this apparatus will 

 be found to have many advantages over the 

 forceps, not the least being its non-liability to 



move with inexperienced handling. — Jas. Burton, 

 39, Ingham Road, West Hampstead. 



Zoophyte Troughs. — Though necessary, es- 

 pecially where pond life is a favourite subject,, 

 these troughs often give trouble by leaking and 

 breakage. A cheap and efficient form may be 

 made as follows : Take a square of indiarubber as 

 sold by stationers for erasing purposes, and cut a 

 strip about three-sixteenths of a ninch wide from 

 three sides ; these should be fastened to a glass 

 slip with Prout's elastic glue ; a piece of glass 

 cut from another slip, a thin one preferably, to fit 

 the square thus formed is then to be secured 

 above the indiarubber, and if done carefully a. 

 neat and sound joint will result. The trough 

 may be repaired readily at any time by warming 

 over a lamp and gently pressing the top glass 

 into place. One of the common wheel glass- 

 cutters is all that is required to cut a slip for the 

 front of the trough. By using thicker rubber and 

 larger glasses, troughs maybe constructed in which 

 various organisms may be kept for a considerable 

 time, and their development conveniently watched. 

 — Jas. Burton, 39, Ingham Road, West Hampstead. 



Micro-photography. — I have to thank Mr. F„ 

 Noad Clark for his courteous reply to my enquiry 

 (ante. p. 316) as to photographing objects too 

 large for the field of the microscope. Before 

 seeing it I had experimented somewhat on the 

 lines' he suggests, with results that may possibly 

 be of interest to some of your readers. I found 

 that by using the objectives belonging to my 

 microscope in conjunction with the E. E. lens of a 

 photographic camera, results were obtainable at 

 least as good as with Planar lens, and enclosed 

 you will find a print of each for your inspection. 

 The objectives were carried by a simple adapter, 

 which fitted on the flange of the E.E. lens at one 

 end, and at the other was supplied with a universal 

 screw to fit any objective. The following advan- 

 tages, independently of the cost of the Planar 

 lens, were obtained : ( 1 ) A longer working distance 

 between the lens and the object ; (2) Easier 

 manipulation of the iris diaphragm of the E. E. 

 lens as compared with the smaller one attached 

 to the Planar lens ; (3) Greater variety of magni- 

 fications obtainable by using various objectives. 

 The Planar lens gave two magnifications with the 

 same extension of the camera (the lower one being 

 obtained by removing one of the lenses), viz., 4 

 and 6 diameters, and by extension of the camera 

 these could be increased up to 5 and 8 diameters. 

 With the E.E. camera lens and Watson's para- 

 chromatic objectives, the following approximate 

 magnifications were obtained : E.E. lens and 4-inch 

 objective, from 3^ to 4| diameters ; E. E. lens and 

 2-inch objective, from 5£ to 7£ diameters; E. E. 

 lens and 1 -inch objective, from 10 to 12 diameters; 

 E. E. lens and ^-inch objective, from 18 to 24 

 diameters. With the 4-inch objective the 

 actual working distance was two inches, and the 

 camera extension 16 inches ; and distance between 

 E.E. lens and objective, 2 inches. It is possible 

 that greater care may be requisite than when 

 focussing with the Planar lens, but the difference 

 was scarcely noticeable ; and where economy is a 

 material consideration, the simple combination 

 suggested must mean a considerable saving to those 

 who already possess a microscope and ordinary 

 camera, but no special lenses for objects of these 

 sizes. — E. G. Wheeler, Swansfteld House, Alnwick. 



