144 AQUATIC MICROSCOPY FOR BEGINNERS. 



water will prove prolific if kept in 'the small aquarium. 

 These are the places too for Chatonotus (Chap. VII.). 



Those temporary pools so often found by the side of 

 country paths in the early spring, formed by the warm 

 rain collected in little hollows where the leaves have 

 been lying all winter, and which dry away almost be- 

 fore the new leaves have sought the sun, those shallow 

 little -lakelets are often wondrously rich in forms not 

 to be found elsewhere at any other time of the year. 

 They should never be passed without taking a dip. 

 While the surface is still filmed with ice, such water 

 may teem with animal life, just such life as the mi- 

 croscopist wants. 



It is not possible to point out the exact locality 

 where an abundance of microscopic animals may be 

 found. They appear to be a law to themselves. The pond 

 that may seem a likely place, may for some unknown 

 reason be barren ; while another to all appearance 

 worthless may prove of great value. The food-sup- 

 ply may be the cause, or the temperature, or freedom 

 from enemies, or some other thing. The mjcrosco- 

 pist can only take his dips to the instrument, hoping 

 he has the success he has wished for. 



There is one place, however, to which he need never 

 go. This is the thick mud at the bottom. Here 

 some Rhizopods may be collected, but Infusoria and 

 other creatures rarely. They prefer to wander among 

 the leaflets of the aquatic plants, to swim in the 

 clearer depths, or to seek their smaller prey nearer the 

 surface. Indeed some forms of Rhizopods are only to 

 be taken nearer the surface among the plants. Car- 

 rying home a bottle full of mud and water with noth- 

 ing else is commonly a useless labor. Rather thrust 



