We put the world before you by means of the Bioscope and Urban films (Nov 1903)

80 utilises them to build the little round tower in which he dwells. Here is a thing in which in itself would defy a whole array of stage carpenters. Mr. Douglas Cox thinks that natural history has a future at the halls. If so, he might do worse than give us some pictures of the monkeys at the Zoo as part of his Christmas entertainment. Beside the ever gesticulating and clambering simian, the rotifer and his efforts to solve the housing question would pale into insignificant interest. " Daily Telegraph," October 20th, 1903. Alhambra. Encouraged by the success of the first series of natural history pictures presented by the Urban-Duncan Micro-Bioscope, the management produced last night a most interesting collection, entitled '• Denizens of the Deep and the Unseen World." We are shown upon the screen with wonderful fidelity the movements and habits of sea bream, pollack, dog-fish, conger-eel, skate, crabs, lobsters, crayfish, and the octopus : while the microscopic set includes barnacles, the Zermatt spider, the spider and the fly, and the brick-making rotifer. Perhaps the most slipper) customer of the lot to capture for the purposes of the camera was the conger-eel, ever in search of something to appease his insatiable appetite. One marvels at the ingenuity and patience with which the naturalist must have waited for his opportunity to catch his subjects in their characteristic moments, for in the acquariuin they occupy they seem immediately to be at home — which could not have been actually the case — and the audience wait for the climax of a fight between lobsters with almost bated breath, and almost feel in the clammy arms of the rapidly-moving octopus. Colour unfortunately is wanting, or the illusion would be complete, yet it may safely be affirmed that more is to be learned in ten minutes of the mysteries of the unseen world below the surface of the waters than half a year's study of text-books, however well illustrated, could teach you. " The Globe," October 20th, 1903. The Alhambra. It is obvious that the possibilities of the Urban-Duncan Micro-Bioscope are many and varied, for by its means all forms of animal life can be thrown on to the informing screen. Last night a new series of pictures was presented, dealing with various kinds of fish, from the bream and pollack to the dog-fish, conger eel, and the octopus, which are depicted feeding, fighting, and at rest. The views thrown on the screen are of such a size that every detail can be seen from any part of the theatre. In addition, a number of pictures enlarged from the microscope were shown last night, much to the delight of a large audience. The Zermatt spider, the spider and the fly, and mounting specimens of the volvox glovator were particularly good. "Daily Express," October 20th, 1903. The great interest exhibited by Alhambra audiences in the studies of plant and insect life has induced Mr Douglas Cox to introduce an entirely new series of Urban's wonderful pictures, which is called "Denizens of the Deep.;' "Morning Post," October 20th, 1903. Alhambra Theatre. The series of Bioscope pictures of spiders, frogs, chameleon and other fearful wild fowl which has proved so great a success at the Alhambra, was last night preceded by a set of view s of " The Denizens of the Deep." riving pictures are show n of crabs, lobsters, eels, skate and an octopus in their habit as they live — in an aquarium. At least it would thus appear, for the various fishes and Crustacea descend into the disc of light from the top and behave as though they had been shot into a tank to which they were previously unaccustomed. And they find not only a strange home, but, apparently, strange company , for differences and disputes are numerous. Of the natural history pictures which have been already described those of the worm-eating toads, the chameleons flipping in their food, and the spider-fight remain. The new views are clever and interesting, but they tend to confirm the lay view that when strange animals are neither eating or breeding they are fighting.