POWER OF THE MICROSCOPE. -By delicate
machinery, Mr. Nobert, a Frenchmen, has been
able to rule lines upon glass so near each other
that 112,668, would be included in the space of
an English inch. Mr. Charles Stodder, of Boston,
and President F. A. P. Barnard, of N. Y., claim
that they have been able to see these lines by the
aid of compound microscopes. Assistant Surgeon, J. J. Woodward, of Washington, says that
by photographing the lines and counting them,
himself and Dr. Curtis have shown that 85,000,
to the inch can be seen, but when ruled closer
than these spurious or spectral lines are seen
mingled with the true lines. W. S. Sullivant, a
celebrated microscopist, closes his remarks on
this debated question by saying that, "they
would do well in dealing with these bands to
bear in mind that 'no other sense approaches in
power of self-deception to that of sight, and
that, especially when the eye is strained by an
eager observer, and the imagination perhaps,
plays under the pressure of theory, it is quite
possible, after a little, to see almost anything
that is expected.'"

W. J. B.