HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



15 



embryo can be definitely pointed out in the new-laid 

 ^gg» ^ condition which appears to be rare in the 

 case of lepidopterous eggs, and so far as I know 

 unique. 



J. A. Osborne, M.D. 

 Mil/ord, CO. Donegal. 



MICROSCOPY. 



Mounts for Diatoms. — A blue glass cover gives 

 monochromatic light into the object glass, a clearer 

 image, and better resolution with object-glasses badly 

 corrected for chromatic aberration. A blue glass 

 slide, or a thin blue bottom to a cell, gives the same 

 light on an object, and might replace the inconvenient 

 sulphate of copper cell. With either blue cover or 

 slide, stronger light is necessary than with ordinary 

 glass. 



Recipe for Mounting Infusoria, Alg^, &c. 

 — Wood vinegar S. G. i"04, 100 parts, salicylic acid 

 I part. For AlgK, of this "salicylic vinegar " and of 

 glycerine each i part, and water 20 parts. For 

 Infusoria, S. V. i part glycerine 10, water 40 parts. 



Hollow Glass Illumination. — Mr. Kitten's 

 paper about using a hollow glass sphere as a con- 

 denser for microscopic illumination is very interesting. 

 Will he kindly state where in London such a globe can 

 be procured ? Seme parts of his description are not 

 very clear to those to whom the idea is quite a new 

 one. His solution of sulphate of copper must of 

 course tinge the light with colour. I should like to 

 know if it would suffice to fill the globe with plain 

 filtered water. Also, when the mirror was turned off 

 and a black field produced, the illumination must 

 have been by direct transmitted light upon the object, 

 and not by reflected light from below. Lastly, the 

 directions about adjusting the lamp ascending to the 

 letters C, B, A, are not quite intelligible. If Mr. 

 Kitton will favour us in your next issue with a few 

 additional explanations, I dare say he will oblige others 

 besides—//. B. D. 



Quekett Microscopical Club.— The October 

 journal of the above club contains the following 

 papers : "Williams' Microtome, adapted for use with 

 Ether as the Freezing Agent," by J. W. Groves, 

 F.R.M.S. ; " On the Gustatory Organs of the 

 Rabbit's Tongue," by T, Charters White, M.R.C.S., 

 &c. (President) ; "On an Undescribed Species of 

 Sponge of the genus Polymastia,^'' by B. W. Priest ; 

 " The President's Address," by T. Charters White, 

 M.R.C.S., &c. &c. 



Wax Cells. — At a recent meeting of the Man- 

 chester Microscopical Society, the President (Mr. 

 John Boyd) described a new method of making cells 

 of wax for mounting opaque and transparent objects ; 



and urged for their adoption that, as it takes no more 

 trouble to make a thick or deep cell than a thin or 

 shallow one, it is a very expeditious method — no- 

 waiting for varnish to dry before we can apply 

 another coat. Again, the cell is not soft enough ta 

 crush by ordinary accident, and the tenacity of wax: 

 will enable it to withstand any ordinary blow without 

 removing the cover, which is a great advantage over 

 the ordinary cement cell. 



The Postal Microscopical Society. — We are 

 pleased to find from the eighth annual report of this- 

 very useful and cosmopolitan society that it is in a 

 state of flourishing good health, and likely to continue 

 doing good, thanks to the able management of tl-e 

 Hon. Secretary, Mr. A. Allen. The President's- 

 Address (which is printed in full) is most excellent 

 reading. A plate of a "Tadpole Slide" and a. 

 " Simple Section Cutter for Beginners " prefaces this- 

 year's Report. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Deaths from Wild Animals in India. — The 

 total number of persons killed by snakes and wild 

 beasts in the several provinces of India during iSSo, 

 has gradually increased from 19,273 in 1876 to 21,990- 

 in 1880. The largest number of deaths occurred in 

 Bengal and the North-Western Provinces and Oudh^ 

 in which provinces the deaths during the year aggre- 

 gated 11,359 and 5,284, respectively. In Bengal 

 10,064 deaths were caused by snake-bites, and 359, 

 persons were killed by tigers ; while in the North- 

 Western Provinces and Oudh, 4,723 persons died 

 from snake-bites, and 265 were killed by wolves. 

 The total number of persons killed by wild beasts and 

 venomous snakes during the years 1879 and i88o> 

 was — 



In 1879. 



By wild beasts 



By venomous snakes 



Total 



20,156 



>i,990 



The increase was common to all provinces, except 

 British Burmah. The number of cattle killed increased 

 from 54,830 in 1876, 1055,9x1 in 1879, and 58,386 

 in 1S80 (exclusive of the figures for Mysore, where 

 the deaths in the previous year amounted to 5,899). 

 The increase compared with 1879 is common to all pro- 

 vinces except the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, 

 the Punjab, and Ajmere-Merwara. In the North- 

 Western Provinces and Oudh, the totals for the two 

 years are nearly the same, and in tlie Punjab there 

 was a decrease of about 1,200 in the number of cattle 

 killed. The total number of wild animals destroyed 

 has fallen year by year from 23,459 in 1876 to 18,641 

 in 1879, and 14,886 in 1880. As compared with the 



