HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIF. 



187 



most careful and effectual manipulation is requisite 

 «ven in these cases. Having thoroughly washed it 

 in pure water, it is placed in position in the centre of 

 a clean slide, a small piece of clean linen is placed 

 over it, a piece of glass surmounted by a small leaden 

 weight over that, and the whole left for some hours 

 to dry. On carefully removing the linen cloth, a 

 few drops of carbolic acid are let fall upon the dried 

 palate and allowed to remain for some minutes. Now 

 drain away the acid, and very carefully and slowly, 

 without overheating, dry the subject over the spirit 

 lamp, holding the slide three or four inches above 

 the flame. When once more dry, apply in the same 

 way a few drops of benzole, which you dry slightly, 

 and then you mount it in balsam and benzole or in 

 dammar in the usual way. With some thickish palates 

 a thin metal or pasteboard cell will be found conve- 

 nient (if of pasteboard, it must be steeped in turpentine 

 for some time previously). Having adjusted the thin 

 glass cover, fasten it to the slide by very carefully 

 winding around them some very fine copper wire. 

 This is much better and more simple than the use 

 of spring clips, &c. The process is completed by 

 drying over the hot-water bath, and cleaning the 

 slide in the usual manner. I have now before me 

 •under a one-inch objective a mounted palate of 

 7/-(v//;w s/'rj^/^/Vi/w prepared by the foregoing process, 

 and I defy any "professional" mounter to exhibit 

 anything more clearly aud lucidly beautiful. The 

 denticulations of even the smaller uncini are here 

 revealed with admirable distinctness, precision, and 

 beauty. W^ith regard to mounting media, I have 

 heard it stated that calcareous plates, spiculre, &c., 

 mounted in pure balsam ultimately become corroded. 

 Can any reader of Sciexce-Gossip throw light on 

 this matter ? — P. Quia Kccgan. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The International Fisheries Exhibition. 

 — This exhibition will be opened in London on May 

 1st, 1883, and will remain open for a period of six 

 months. The class list of exhibits brings within its 

 range every object having even a remote connection 

 with the primary subject of fishes and fishing. The 

 first and largest class is that showing different modes 

 of capturing marine and freshwater animals of 

 economic value ; under this head are included fishing 

 craft of all nations, the equipment of fishing vessels, 

 methods of signalling at night, and of communica- 

 tion, life-boats, &c. Class 2, is headed: "The 

 Economic Condition of Fishermen," and comprises 

 personal equipment, food, dwellings, and all relating 

 to the carrying on of their trade. The third class : 

 ''Commercial and Economic," is one of the most 

 important, including as it does the preparation, 

 transport, and utilisation of fish. From a scientific 



point of view the fourth and fifth classes are the most 

 interesting, being appropriated to fish culture and 

 natural history, in the latter being comprised speci- 

 mens of fish of all kinds, together with their friends, 

 foes and foods. Class 6 includes the history of, and 

 literature relating to fish. Last, not least, is the 

 announcement of five subjects for essays on fishes, 

 fisheries, and the supply of fish, for the best on each 

 of which will be given a prize office. Applications 

 to exhibit are to be sent in before the 1st September, 

 1S82, and the essays before May jst, 1883. 



"The Butterflies of Europe." — By Dr. H. 

 C. Lang, F.L.S. ; London: L. Reeve & Co. Part 

 VII. of this work is published, with beautiful plates 

 of insects, their larvte, and food-plants. 



The British Association will hold its fifty- 

 second annual meeting at Southampton, commencing 

 on Wednesday, 23rd of August. The neighbourhood 

 is a very attractive one, both for scenery and 

 natural science, including the Isle of Wight and the 

 New Forest, rich geologically, entomologically, and 

 botanically, so that we expect there will be a large 

 gathering. The president will be Dr. Siemens, 

 F.R.S., whilst the presidents of sections will be as 

 follows : Physical Science, Lord Rayleigh ; Chemis- 

 try, Professor Liveing ; Geology, Professor Etheridge, 

 F.R.S. ; Biology, Professor Gamgee ; Zoology and 

 Botany, Professor M. A. Lawson ; Anthropology, 

 Professor .Boyd Dawkins ; Geography, Sir R. G. 

 Temple ; Economic Science, Right Hon. G. Sclater- 

 Booth ; Mechanics, John Fowler, C.E. A discourse 

 on "Pelagic Life," will be delivered by Professor 

 Moseley, and another by Sir William Thompson. 

 Numerous excursions to places of scientific interest 

 in the neighbourhood are arranged for. 



" Westbury House School Ephemeris."— We 

 are always pleased to notice the self-exercised efforts 

 of our public schools to work the natural history of 

 their immediate neighbourhoods. The above publi- 

 cation is a capital illustration of how this can be 

 done, for it gives lists of Worthing shells, mosses, 

 grasses, sedges, fishes, &c., as well as notes on local 

 fossils, &c. 



"The Field Natur.\list and Scientific 

 Student." — Under this title we have to welcome a 

 new literary confrere, published in Manchester, by 

 A. Heywood & Co. The articles are all of a high 

 class, and the general tone and style of the publica- 

 tion cannot but make it welcomed by all naturaUsts. 



The Lambeth Field Club.— The tenth annual 

 report of this club just published gives a very ful 

 list of outings for the present summer, chiefly in the 

 neighbourhood of London ; the report shows the 

 society to be in an intellectually healthy state. The 

 catalogue of its library includes all the chief books of 

 the day in natural science. 



