13i 



HAilDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



to its mouth, to -watch the broad Delaware as it 

 bore its enormous mass of snow and ice slowly 

 along. At the mouth of the creek the ice was 

 almost gone, and in the open space sported great 

 rosy-sided chub, that seemed to rejoice at the near 

 approach of spring. Wliile I watched them, up 

 from the blue depths of the icy water came the 

 otter, with a still struggling chub across his jaws. 

 I endeavoured to conceal myself, but not quickly 

 enough, for the otter disappeared, but not for ever, 

 as soon, at some distance farther off, he came aga*n 

 to the surface, and clambered on a cake of ice as it 

 drifted slowly outward, " to join the brimming 

 river." 



I sought to drive him from his perch by shouts 

 and snowballs, but in vain ; and with an air of 

 indifference at my presence, he merely watched me, 

 so I thought, as he slowly floated seaward on his 

 trembling raft of ice. 



Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.A. 



MICROSCOPY. 



To Prevent "Euxning-in."— When mounting 

 in fluid, especially glycerine, a friend of mine uses 

 chloroform and amber varnish for the first and 

 second coats after putting on the thin glass cover, 

 and finds it to answer admirably in preventing the 

 succeediug rings of asphalte, &c., from running in. 

 My experience of it also enables me thoroughly to 

 recommend it, as it contains no solid particles, and 

 dries as soon as laid on. It is sold by dealers in 

 photographic chemicals. Por the like purpose in 

 dry mounting I have used, at the suggestion of the 

 same friend, flake-white and gum-water, and 1 

 think " P. K." would find this mixture to work 

 smoother, and give a purer white than whiting and 

 gum-water.— ?r. R. H. 



iNFUSOraA. — Mr. W. Saville Kent, P.L.S., 

 P.R.M.S., &c., being engaged upon a new treatise 

 on the Infusoria, to be shortly published, invites 

 communications from the Pellows of the Royal, 

 Quekett, or other microscopical societies, and micro- 

 scopists generally, upon any new and doubtful forms 

 of infusorial life that may come under their notice. 

 A record of phenomena not generally known in 

 association with previously-described varieties will 

 be of value, as also local lists of species. Address, 

 Wentworth House, Stoke Newingtoo, London, N, 

 Postal expenses of specimens defrayed. 



Siliceous Cuticles of Equisetace^e, &c.— 

 In the new edition of Davies's " Preparation and 

 Mounting of Microscopic Objects," he directs that 

 the stems of plants with siliceous cuticles should 

 be immersed iu strong nitric acid and boiled. 

 I have succeeded better with a slightly diluted 



acid (three of acid to one of water) and a few 

 crystals of chlorate of potash. Boil in a porcelain 

 or platinum capsule ; as soon as the organic material 

 is separated, transfer the cuticle (by means of a 

 strip of thin glass two inches in length; about half 

 an inch of this should be bent at right angles) to a 

 watch-glass filled with distilled water; when free 

 from acid, the inner surface may be brushed with a 

 camel-hair pencil. This will remove any fibres 

 that may still adbere to the epiderm. When clean, 

 immerse in absolute alcohol, and transfer from 

 thence to oil of clover or turpentine, and finally 

 mount in Canada balsam. The leaves of the 

 Deutzias are also i-eadily detached by the same 

 process : when detached and washed, they must be 

 floated on to a cover (the outer surface next to the 

 glass) ; brush very gently, and when dry, immerse 

 the cover in turpentine until all the air is expelled, 

 which when effected, mount in Canada balsam 

 (which may be previously hardened on a slide). 

 The plan suggested (scraping off the scales) in the 

 woik alluded to does not make satisfactory 

 slides.— i^. K. 



Addresses of Provincial Natural History 

 Societies. — On this subject no one is likely to be 

 more interested, or to have better means of infor- 

 mation, than the editor of Sciekce-Gossip. At 

 present, numberless clubs or other provincial 

 societies exist that are ignorant even of the names 

 or whereabouts of their kindred associations, 

 although such knowledge is often required by one 

 or other of them, if for no other purpose than the 

 transmission of little presents or the interchange of 

 Reports of Proceedings. Hence it has become 

 very desirable that a correct list, with the names of 

 the secretaries, honorary or otherwise, of such 

 local societies should be published ; and by doing 

 this, including the microscopic clubs, Science- 

 Gossip, or any of its numerous readers, might 

 confer a most acceptable service to the cause of 

 local and popular natural history. — George 

 Gulliver. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Extraordinary Luminosity of the Sea.— 

 Every one who has sailed over the placid waters on 

 a dark night has seen that bright shining appearance 

 known as phosphorescence, seen best, however, in 

 its golden splendour in the many quiet harbours of 

 eastern lands, where living diamonds appear to drip 

 from your plashing oars. In our own waters this 

 appearance is principally due to noctiluca, anne- 

 lids, crustaceans, or star-fish, and is generally occa- 

 sioned by some disturbing clement entering amongst 

 them as they skim over the surface. In the early 

 part of February, iu the Arabian Sea, and about 

 twelve hundred miles to the westward of Bombay, 



