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b. Microscope Exhibit. The exhibition microscopes occupy 

 small stands in the West Wing of the second floor. In front 

 of the windows on the right as one enters the wing are shown 

 a few of the simplest and smallest forms of plant life. Under 

 the first microscope is a preparation showing the vegetative 

 condition of one of the slime-moulds, organisms in which 

 the characteristics of plant and animal are so little differen- 

 tiated that it is nearly impossible to affirm with confidence 

 that they belong either to the one kingdom or to the other. 

 In the vegetative stage — the stage here exhibited — the 

 organism is strikingly similar in its essential attributes to 

 some of the lower animals. Later, in the reproductive stage, 

 there is at least a superficial resemblance to the fungi, which 

 are undoubted plants. By means of the second microscope 

 the spore-bearing stage of a slime-mould may be seen. The 

 stalks and the netted framework of the spore-case walls 

 remain, but the spores have mostly fallen. A few of the 

 spores, however, appearing like minute dark dots, can be 

 detected, adhering to the network. Under the lenses of the 

 third microscope are representatives of the diatoms — one- 

 celled organisms, some of which have the power of animal- 

 like locomotion. The living substance of each cell is enclosed 

 and protected by a hard transparent glassy wall consisting 

 of two halves, one of which fits into the other like a band- 

 box into its cover. Following this are shown "sea mosses," 

 or " seaweeds," as they are commonly known, and closely 

 related minute plants which inhabit fresh water and belong 

 to groups often referred to in popular speech as " pond- 

 scums " or " ooze." In the natural unmagnified condition, 

 many plants of this sort seem quite the reverse of attractive, 

 but when placed under a sufficiently powerful microscope 

 many of them reveal a rare beauty. The "sea mosses," or 

 " seaweeds," gradually lose much of their natural beauty of 

 coloration on prolonged exposure to the light, but the prevail- 

 ing elegance and symmetry of form and structure persist. 



Following the plants of the seaweed type are several repre- 

 sentatives of the smaller fungi. The specimens exhibited 



