Journal of the 
100 
On an Impromptu Bramhall Reflector . 
By W. H. Wooster. 
[Read 30tli September, 1880.] 
As notwithstanding all that can be said against diatomaniac8 y 
the resolution of diatom lines and dots will always have charms 
for a great number of microscopists ; and as it is most certainly 
an excellent species of “microscopic gymnasticsand as, 
moreover, many other objects have line lines and other markings, 
any method that will show these easily and well cannot be too 
widely known. Mr. Bramhall discovered a plan (which, however, 
seems to have been discovered before) of bringing out these lines 
and dots with remarkable ease and beauty. It consists of a piece 
of silvered glass or speculum metal sunk an eighth of an inch 
below the surface of a wooden slide 3 in. by 1-Jin., with a ledge 
at the lower edge for the object slide to rest against. In use it is 
placed on the microscope stage, the object slide placed on it, and 
the light condensed on it at any suitable angle by the condenser, 
so as to be thrown back from the reflector on to the object, any 
degree of obliquity being given by the position of the lamp. 
Some may not be able, others may not care, to make this, and 
still fewer are likely to have one made to order without first 
seeing the effects. I had long promised myself one when I could 
get the bit of silvered glass with which to make it, but it never 
turned up ; when one day it occurred to me that I might try the 
effect of unslinging the mirror of the microscope and placing that 
on the stage with the object slide on it, condensing the light as 
above. The result was a decided success. Whether 1 used the 
French \ of 50°, or the Crouch J of 90°, lines or dots formerly 
resolved by either with great difficulty were brought out with 
greater distinctness, and with little or no trouble or loss of 
time, and either objective easily resolved the lines or dots on 
certain diatoms that it never showed before or since by any 
other method. No doubt many members like myself had 
heard of the Bramhall reflector without making one or getting 
one made. Here is a simple plan of testing it, and ready to 
the hand of every microscopist, after which he may make one 
or get it made as lie thinks best ; blit I feel pretty sure 
that for fine lined objects, when once tried, he will not let the 
