HA RD WICKE'S SCIENCE-G OS SI P. 



9i 



metatarsus, pincer teeth, hairs, and pollen basket. 

 The second slide shows first leg of worker of the 

 same, showing the semicircular comb ; second leg, 

 showing spine to remove pollen from pollen basket 

 on third leg ; third leg, showing the pollen basket, 

 wax -pincers, and combs for cleaning. The third 

 slide exhibits first leg of drone of the same, showing 

 the semicircular comb as in first slide ; second leg, 

 showing spine to support the body, cleaning appa- 

 ratus ; third leg, showing the absence of all apparatus 

 found on worker to aid in pollen gathering. We 

 hope there is no truth in the rumour that, owing to 

 lack of patronage, Mr. Knock intends to discontinue 

 these charming series of entomological slides. If so, 

 it will be a great loss to students generally. 



Microscopic Materials. — Mr. C. H. Walker, 

 of 12 Church Street, Liverpool, sends us samples of 

 pure glycerine jelly and of his refined Canada balsam. 

 His quality " E " balsam is perfectly pure and colour- 

 less, and ought to be very popular. We have also 

 before us specimens of Mr. Walker's slide labels, 

 printed in sheets of 120, gummed. They are sold at 

 the very moderate price of fourpence a sheet. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Norwich Mollusca. — As Norfolk has been 



described as one of the dark corners of England, as 



far as the knowledge of its mollusca is concerned, 



I send the following list of species that I have found 



in the district around Norwich -.—Sphcerium corneitm, 



S. lacustre, Pisidium amnicum, P. fontinale, P. pusil- 



lum, Unio pic tor um, Anodonta cygnca, A. anatina, 



Neritina Jluviatilis, Paludina vivipara, P. contecta, 



Bythinia tentaculata, B. Leachii, Valvata piscinalis, 



V. cristata, Planorbis lineaius, P. nitidus, P. nau- 



tileus, P. albus, P. spirorbis, P. vortex, P. carinatus, 



P. complanatus, P. corneas, P. contorsus, Physa 



liypnorum, P.fontinalis, Limmca ghdinosa, L.peregra, 



L. auricularia, L. stagnalis, L. palustris, L. trun- 



catula, Ancylus Jluviatilis, A. lacustris, Arion aier, 



A. hortensis, Umax flavus, L. agrestis, L. arborum, 



L. maximus, Amalia marginata, Succinea putris, 



S. elegans, Vitrina pellucida, Hyalina cellaria, H. 



all. aria, H. nitidula, H. radiatula, H. uitida, II. 



crystallina, H. fulva, Helix aculeata, H. aspersa, 



and var. exalbida, H. nemoralis, vars. castanca, 



cornea, libellula, rubella, H. hortensis, vars. albina, 



pallida, incamata, Intea, minor, arenicola, H. can- 



tiana, H. rufescens, H. hispida, II. concinna, H. 



serieea, H. virgata, II. caperata, II. ericetorum, II. 



rotundata, H. pygtnaa, H. pulchella, II. lapicida, 



Bulimus obsenrus, Pupa umbilicata, P. marginata, 



Vertigo pygmcca, V. edentula, Clausilia rugosa, C. 



laminata, Cochlicopa lubrica, Carychium minimum, 



and Cyclostoina elegaus. To these may be added the 



following, which have also been found in this district 



by other conchologists : Pisidium roseu/u, Planorbis 

 parvus, Teslacella haliotidea, Hyalina pura, Pupa 

 secale, Vertigo alpestris, Balia perversa, Cochlicopa 

 tridens, Achatina acicula, and Acme lineata.— Arthur 

 Mayfield. 



Glass Tubes for Containing Small Shells, 



ETC. — As I collect shells which are mostly of small 



size, I find it necessary to keep the greater part of my 



collection in glass tubes. I used formerly to employ 



the ordinary corked kinds so well known to all 



naturalists, but I found that they possess the 



following drawbacks : (1) their price, which becomes 



a rather important item when a large quantity is 



needed ; (2) their liability to break at the sealed end, 



probably through imperfect annealing ; (3) delicate 



shells unless packed with cotton-wool frequently get 



broken by rattling about ; (4) shells of a comparatively 



large size are liable to become fixed, when, to 



dislodge them, it is necessary to break either the 



tube or the shell. So after a short time I hit upon 



a method which I think does away with all these 



disadvantages. I purchase a pound of rather stout, 



soft, glass-tubing, from one to three-eighths of an 



inch in diameter (for which I pay the sum of one 



shilling) and cut it up into two-inch lengths, that 



size being, I find, the most convenient. The inside 



of each tube must then be carefully cleaned (for this 



an ordinary pipe-cleaner answers admirably) and the 



tube is ready for use. When required for use one 



end is plugged with a small piece of wadding, and 



the specimen or specimens inserted at the other end, 



which must then be likewise closed. I find (1) that 



these tubes are very cheap, on an average from 



150 to 200 going to a pound. (2) Although I have 



used several thousand of these tubes I do not 



recollect one breaking, in fact I have often thrown 



them against a stone wall with all my force without 



their being damaged. (3) Unless too many specimens 



are packed in the same tube, the cotton-wool plug 



protects them from injury. (4) If by any means 



a specimen gets jammed, it can easily be dislodged 



in consequence of both ends being open. It is 



often required to send small specimens in a letter, 



for this again these tubes come in useful, though 



I think it safer to enclose each tube in a piece of 



gutta-percha tubing (which must fit pretty closely 



round it), as the energetic way some G. P.O. officials 



stamp letters is calculated to smash anything not 



made of the strongest material ; it is also best to 



employ somewhat shorter tubes for sending by post 



as, through their smaller leverage, there is less 



danger of their being broken. — S. Pace. 



Preserving Slugs.— I have found Barff's 

 " Boroglyceride " to be a capital medium for the 

 preservation of slugs in tubes. The preparation can 

 be bought from most chemists, or made by heating 

 together sixty-two parts of boracic acid and ninety- 

 two parts of glycerine until the mixture ceases to 



