NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 
265 
The “ Transporter ” of Professor Monnier . — This is employed in 
the Laboratory of Microscopy of the University of Geneva, and is 
intended to facilitate a rather delicate operation in the preparation of 
objects for the microscope. Everyone knows how difficult it some- 
times is to place the covering glass on a preparation, in glycerine 
for example, without introducing bubbles of air or deranging the 
object already placed, with much trouble, in the desired position. 
With this apparatus the thin glass is “transported” automatically 
upon the preparation by means of a very simple mechanism. 
The “ Transporter ” is more especially destined for preparations 
in glass cells, but it will serve also for other cells. It is composed of 
a small rectangular wooden plate, to one of the long sides of which is 
fixed by two hinges a wooden lever, like a small flat ruler, with 
a semicircular bifurcation at the end, where it is attached to the side 
of the plate in order to secure it better. By the hinges it can bo 
brought down on the plate, or raised perpendicularly, or even turned 
over on the other side upon the table. 
On the plate are two clips of brass, the distance between which 
can be altered as desired, and which are intended to receive between 
them, and to fix in an invariable position, the glass slides of different 
sizes on which the preparation is to be placed. 
The hinged lever carries on its under side just above the fork a 
piece of brass with two uj)rights, through which a horizontal screw 
works. On the screw are two small nuts, which, on turning the 
screw, approach to or recede from each other. Each of the nuts 
carries a small peg of wood. 
Suppose now that the cell has been fixed to the slide. The latter 
is then placed on the plate and secured between the two clips so that 
it cannot move ; then on the still empty cell is placed the covering- 
glass exactly in the place that it should ultimately occupy. The lever 
is then brought down to the plate, without, however, touching the 
covering glass, the two nuts being then just over it. In order to 
regulate their distance apart, the screw is turned so that the two 
small pegs of wood are vis-a-vis the two opposite sides of the cell, but 
a little inside them. The apparatus is then adjusted for cells of the 
same size. If now a little glutinous matter is placed on the ends of 
the wooden pegs and the lever is brought down so that they touch 
the covering glass, at the same time applying slight pressure, the 
latter will remain fixed to the pegs when the lever is raised again 
and turned back on the table. 
The preparation can then be proceeded with, taking care not to move 
the slide. After the object is put in its place in the preservative 
liquid, the lever is brought gently down, and will then replace the 
covering glass exactly in the position that it was in previously. 
Before raising the lever again the covering glass must be kept in its 
place with the handle of a knife, &c., so that it is not taken up again 
with the pegs.* 
Fungus of the Maple (Bhjtisma acerinumf — The maple frequently 
has black spots on its leaves during the summer, caused by a para- 
* ‘ Journal de Micrographie,’ vol. ii. p. 285, 
VOL. I. 
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