i86 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



it is curious how, in thi«, as in a good many other 

 cases, books- and writers copy from one another 

 without proving what they assert. It is most sadly 

 the case. As to making sections of real coal, it can 

 be done, but it is not very easy. — Edward Thomas 

 Scoil. 



Cutting Sections of Coal.— I am thankful that 

 Mr. Kitton has seen the "joke" in my last communi- 

 cation. I was rather afraid he would not, as it told 

 so heavily against himself. I am quite familiar with 

 the works of Reinsch, and on referring to the papers 

 which speculate on the microscopic examination of 

 coal, I find that he admits but little is to be seen. I 

 am therefore still of opinion that in the more mineral 

 forms of coal no actual structure can be detected ; and 

 I am glad to see that Carpenter, E. Holmes, and all 

 your more advanced microscopists are of the same 

 opinion. It would, therefore, be as necessary to add 

 in the pages of the Micrographic Dictionary " that this 

 process is not successful with anthracite or hard coal 

 in the mineral state,'\as it would be to add at the end 

 of a recipe for treating delicate vegetable tissue, 

 " this process will not succeed with a brickbat." — 

 C. H. Griffith. ^ 



The Postal Microscopical Society. — We 

 have received number two of the new journal of this 

 society, full of interesting matter to the naturalist 

 and microscopist alike, some of the papers giving the 

 i"esults of original research. This journal supplies a 

 ■want, and therefore we wish the illustrations of the 

 present number were more artistic. 



Studies in Microscopical Science. — These 

 weekly publications, edited by Mr. A. C. Cole, are 

 each illustrated with one coloured plate, which so far 

 have been remarkable for their high artistic finish. 

 That in number seven for instance, giving a coloured 

 section of the spinal cord of a cat, is equal to, if not 

 beyond anything of the kind yet attempted. 



Manual of the Infusoria.— Part VI. By W. 

 Saville Kent, F.L.S., &c. (London : David Bogue). 

 We have received the concluding part of this magni- 

 ficent work, which has grown beyond original con- 

 templation, the present part being nearly twice as 

 large as any of its predecessors, although its price 

 remains the same. We congratulate author and 

 publisher alike upon the completion of a work which 

 is not likely to be attempted again. To naturalists 

 who work with the microscope and use that instru- 

 ment as a means of gaining fresh knowledge, this 

 book will be very precious. It comprises nearly one 

 thousand quarto pages, which are illustrated (besides 

 woodcuts in the text) by thirty-two plates, averaging 

 about fifty figures to each plate. The work is in- 

 scribed to Professor Huxley, in very appropriate 

 language, and Dr. Huxley cannot but feel proud of 

 the honour done him by his distinguished ['pupil. It 



will be but a short time before this book has increased 

 in money value ; for, all things considered, it is by far 

 the cheapest and most comprehensive work connected 

 with Microscopy we have ever seen. 



Origin of Jet. — Whatever may be the origin of 

 jet, or the reason why we find it as we do, of one 

 thing I must assure Mr. Dotchon, that a great deal 

 of it was formerly some kind of firwood. I have 

 various sections in which the grain of deal and the 

 grain of the jet are curiously alike. I have also' 

 sections in which the fir glands are just as visible as 

 in a fresh piece of deal. I have three sections of the 

 same bit of jet, but in different directions which are 

 interesting ; but I don't by any means intend to say 

 jet is never found without the woody structure being 

 evident. — Edivard Thomas Scott. 



On the Mounting of Molluscan Palates for 

 the Microscope. — All the microscopic treatises 

 that I have consulted, despatch the mounting of 

 molluscan palates in a very summary manner, as if 

 the process was very simple. To obtain a really 

 clear and well-mounted palate is, however, by no 

 means easy. Two requisites are indispensable, viz., 

 the tongue must be perfectly clean, and it must be 

 made as transparent as possible. Some authorities 

 say that it ought certainly to be mounted in fluid, 

 and they contemptuously controvert other equally 

 worthy authorities who prefer to mount it in balsam. 

 Now, any palate can be effectively mounted in balsam 

 provided only that the palate be thoroughly clean. 

 And this is no simple or easy matter. My process 

 is as follows, and it seems quite sufficiently, if not 

 completely successful. After removing the tongue 

 from the animal, I immediately immerse it in a rather 

 strong solution of caustic potash for not less than 

 twelve hours. I then remove it, place it on a slide, 

 and with a large and good camel-hair brush (the 

 "goose" size is the proper thing) and water, care- 

 fully remove every trace and particle of the muscular 

 or fibrous matter with Mhich it is covered on every 

 side. It is surprising what a quantity of "stuff" 

 will come away with proper manipulation. Some 

 times the solution of potash will require to be used 

 with the brush in lieu of plain water ; and small 

 fibres, as they appear at the edges of the organ, must 

 be removed by ihe needle. The work must be 

 frequently examined by the hand lens and the micro- 

 scope, so that every atom of dirt may be seen in time 

 and removed. After half an hour's vigorous and 

 careful brushing, if the palate lies perfectly flat upon 

 the slide, with no crumpling at the margins, and if to 

 the naked eye and under the microscope it looks 

 perfectly spotless and clear, then, and not till then it 

 may be pronounced thoroughly clean. Of course 

 some of the stouter palates may be boiled for several 

 minutes in the potash solution, and no doubt some 

 are more difficult to clean than others, and may 

 require a second immersion in the alkali, but the 



