i86 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



structure. Nos. 20 and 21 of the original " Studies 

 in Microscopical Science " are devoted, severally, to 

 blood-vessels and cells, and the human cerebellum, 

 so that both departments of biology get equal 

 attention. The coloured plate of the latter is one of 

 the best yet struck off. The slides which accompany 

 these various " Studies," we hardly need say, keep up 

 their high histological and artistic character. 



"The Journal of Microscopy," &c.— This 

 now well-known periodical, edited by Mr. Alfred 

 Allen, grows both in importance and interest. The 

 last part issued, contains the following papers : 

 "Some new Infusoria from Bristol," by J. G. 

 Grenfell (illustrated) ; " On the Collection and 

 Preparation of the Diatomaceae," by A. W. Griffin ; 

 "Further Researches on Tubifex," by A. Hammond 

 (illustrated) ; " The Action of Ammonium Molyb- 

 date on the Tissues of Plants," by Dr. T. S. Ralph ; 

 "The Microscope in Pals;ontology," by Dr. M. 

 Poignand (illustrated) ; " Diamonds and their 

 History," by J. A. Forster; "Hydrozoa and Me- 

 dusae" (illustrated), by J. B. Jeafiferson ; "The 

 Larval Forms of the Crustaceae," by Edward Lovett ; 

 " Examination of the External Air of Washington," 

 by Dr. J. H. Kidda. In addition we have the 

 selected notes from the Postal Society's book, reviews, 

 current notes, &c. 



Mounting the Anthers of Flowers.— In the 

 Bulletin of the Belgian Microscopical Society, M. 

 Ratabone gives the following method for preparing 

 the cells of anthers for examination. He places the 

 latter in alcohol of ^'5, for .'about five minutes, gently 

 rubs them about, and then transfers them to distilled 

 water. The cells then open in a remarkable manner ; 

 the pollen-grains are easily detached, and no trouble 

 ensues from air-bubbles. The specimens are then 

 mounted in glycerine. 



Mounting Insects.— A writer in the " American 

 Monthly Microscopical Journal " says, that a mount- 

 ing needle, bent like a hook at the end, and dipped 

 in alcohol, is the best way for capturing small insects 

 on windows, stones, &c. The insect is always 

 drawn into the drop included in the hook. Dipping 

 the needle into the alcohol frees the insect from the 

 drop and loads the needle again. The editor suggests 

 concentrated carbolic acid as better to dip the needles 

 in, owing to the stiffening effects of alcohol. 



The Mildness of last Season.— As an instance 

 of the mildness of last season, on the 26th of January 

 I took a piece of sallow in full bloom. The branch 

 contained six catkins, all bearing the pollen, as in 

 April ; the other portion of the shrub was very 

 forward. Is not this an exceptional case?— /^w. P. 

 Ellis, Eiifidd Chase. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Horned Aphis {Ceraiaphis lalam'cE).—T)ie 

 author of the article on this aphis, in last November's 

 Science-Gossip, was doubtless unaware when he 

 wrote it that this insect had been previously de- 

 scribed and figured in the " Garden " of the loth of 

 July, 18S0, by myself, from specimens which I found 

 in some orchid houses belonging to my uncle, 

 Mr. Joshua Saunders, at Clifton, in 1879. It was 

 described under the name of Boisduvallia latania, 

 which was the name it was then known by. Un- 

 fortunately, I mistook the winged form for the males, 

 foolishly taking it for granted that they were so, 

 as the insect belonged (as it was then supposed to 

 do) to the Coccidse, though the neuration of the 

 wings puzzled me. I found a considerable number 

 of winged specimens among the apterous ones which 

 were abundant on various plants in April and May 

 in 1879, and again in May and June in 1880. I 

 cannot agree with Mr. Richter whom Mr. Anderson 

 quotes, as stating that " they never occur on the leaves 

 as do the apterous forms, but only on the stems of the 

 plants, hidden under the leaf-stalk which embraces 

 them," as I have found them on the leaves of various 

 kinds of plants, though generally near the basis, nor 

 are "they very difficult to catch or even to see." I 

 took them easily with the wet point of a camel's 

 hair brush, for they are very sluggish in their move- 

 ments. I never saw one even attempt to fly and, as soon 

 as I knew what I was looking for, had no difficulty in 

 seeing them. One day I found among some apterous 

 specimens I was examining, one which was evidently 

 a pupa of a winged form, as it had rudimentary wings. 

 I at once carefully searched all the plants infested by 

 this insect and found several more pupae. The next 

 day I was delighted to find a winged specimen, and 

 subsequently I found a dozen or more. My figure 

 shows the neuration of the lower wings, which Mr. 

 Buckston's does not. I did not know, until the last 

 volume of his monograph was published, that he 

 intended to include this insect, or I would have 

 provided him with a perfect specimen. — George 

 S. Saunders. 



The Crystal Palace Insectarium. — Mr, 

 William Watkins is delighting the frequenters of the 

 Sydenham Palace with a most interesting display of 

 beautiful and curious tropical and indigenous insect 

 life. I visited the exhibition on Saturday last, and, 

 although Mr. Watkins was not there, I found no 

 difficulty in understanding the inhabitants of each 

 cage from the lucidly-written description of each 

 species exhibited. Entomologically speaking there 

 are some fine specimens, notably cocoons of Castnia 

 eiidesmia from Chili, one actually fourteen inches 

 long, another nearly a foot, from which a fine moth 

 has recently emerged and deposited some eggs which 

 are as large as grains of rice. A very interesting 



