54 HOW TO USE THE MICROSCOPE 



If one can be got with a mouth about 1 inch in 

 diameter, and about 4 inches long over all, so much 

 the better. This net is used for capturing free- 

 swimming life-forms. It is plunged into the water 

 and swept about in different directions, and in due 

 time raised above the surface to allow superfluous 

 water to escape through the muslin. If carefully 

 handled the captured creatures will be forced into 

 the bottle, from which they are to be transferred to 

 store bottles or tubes for examination at home. 

 I find the tubes in which tabloid drugs and photo- 

 graphic chemicals are sold particularly useful. On 

 arrival home the living material should be placed 

 in glass vessels, such as wineglasses or tumblers, 

 with a sufficiency of water, and some small aquatic 

 plants, which will oxygenate the water, and so 

 prolong the life of its inhabitants. Many aquatic 

 plants make beautiful and instructive objects, and 

 it must not be forgotten that a number of interesting 

 creatures attach themselves to their leaves and 

 stems. For more detailed guidance in the collection 

 of these life-forms, I cannot do better than refer the 

 reader to an inexpensive book, " Ponds and Rock- 

 Pools," by Henry Scherren, F.Z.S. 



The limits of this volume render it impracticable 

 for the writer to give the reader anything like a 

 complete and detailed account of the living material 

 contained either in a pond or rock-pool. He must 

 satisfy himself with brief mention of a few life- 

 forms. 



Among the vegetable life of the pond may be found 

 various forms of Algse, some of which grow in 

 threadlike lengths, each thread being composed of 



