HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



281 



will generally show the organisms very well. They 

 are then generally mounted in Canada balsam. Tiio 

 accumulation of the powder caused by the action 

 of the rain, or exposure to atmospheric action, at 

 the foot or any projection of the chalk cliffs will 

 afford better specimens than that which is "scraped," 

 as the organisms are less broken than in the former. 

 If the foraminifera are of a larger size, tliough 

 transparent enough to be mounted in balsam, the 

 air mud be expelled, otherwise the objects will be 

 altogether unsatisfactory. To accomplish this they 

 must be immersed in turpentine and kept exhausted 

 under the air-pump until the turpentine has taken 

 the place of the air, when they can be mounted. If 

 to be viewed by transmitted light, Canada balsam is 

 certainly the best medium ; if for reflected light, no 

 plan is so simple, easy, and effectual, as attaching 

 them with a little gum to wooden slides. They 

 should be differently arranged, so as to get a good 

 variety. I would advise " B. M." to lay out 2s. 6d. 

 on Mr. Thos. Davies's admirable work on the prepa- 

 ration and mounting microscopic objects : it is a most 

 useful book, and I am convinced no amateur mounter 

 should be without \i.—Thos. Palmer, B. So. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



The Postal Miceo-Cabinet Club.— Many of 

 the readers of Science-Gossip will remember "that 

 in the May number there appeared a suggestion 

 respecting the formation of a circulating cobinet 

 for microscopic objects. As the address of Mr. 

 Atkinson, the writer of the notice, was not in- 

 serted, 1 was unable to write to him piivately, 

 and too busy to reply through your pases at that 

 time ; but 1 did so in August, and at the same time 

 stated that if Mr. Atkinson would favour me with 

 his address I felt sure I could liud him six s-entlc- 

 men who would be willing to join in so pleasing an 

 undertaking. I then set to work to look up mv 

 halt-dozen friends, and wdieu towards //le end of 

 August I received a letter from Mr. A., instead of 

 SIX I had found thirty members, and had also 

 roughly framed a set of rules. Are have now a 

 club formed of thirty-six members, who are divided 

 into three circuits, which we call jNorrlieri), Central, 

 and Southern ; Mr. Atkinson, the lirst proposer, 

 being our president. Our method of proceeding in 

 the first instance is this : an empiy box is sent to 

 first member on each circuit, who places in it u 

 slide and sends it on to the next, who does the same, 

 &c. &c. The twelfth member, who puts last slide 

 into tlie box, instead of returning it to first member, 

 will send it to Hon. Sec., who will send it round 

 next circuit, then the next ; and when it has been 

 the entire circuit of the club it will again be sent 

 to first member, who will take out his own slide 

 and replace it by another. When it is conjectured 

 that each box has gone half round its own circuit 

 another box will be started again, so when the club 

 is in thorough working order each member will 

 be supposed to receive a box about once a week. 

 Suggestions, hints, and criticisms are requested 

 from all the memhers : from these I hope, as oppor- 

 tunity oilers, to cull little scraps of information that 



may from time to time enrich the pages of Science 

 Gos?,\v.— Alfred Allen, Ron. Sec. 



THE POSTAL MICfiO-CABINET CLUB RULES. 



1. That this club be called the " Postal Micro- 

 Cabinet Club." 



r2. That the club be divided into circuits, and 

 that not more than twelve members shall form u, 

 " circuit." 



o. That the purpose of the club shall be the 

 circulation of microscopic objects, and the general 

 advancement of microscopy amongst its members. 



•1. That each member, on receiving the box of 

 slides, shall keep it ("/^rw evenings only ; he shall 

 then take out his own slide and replace it by 

 another, and shall not fail to post it to next name 

 on the list by Jird post after tliird evening, having 

 first inserted the dates on which he received au'l 

 despatched the box, in tlie form provided for that 

 purpose, which must also be signed with his initials 

 in tlie margin. 



5. That no slide may on any account be removed 

 from the box by any person but the owner, and 

 then only alter it has compassed the full circuit, 

 except it be in the case provided against in Rule 17, 

 unless it be by special perinissiou or request ot the 

 president. 



(3. That Sunday evening shall not be counted ; a 

 box, therefore, received on Saturday need not be 

 posted till first post on Wednesday. 



7. That every twellth member (being last man 

 on each circuit) shall, after the third day, send the 

 box to the lion, sec, together with all manuscripts 

 thereto belonging. 



S. The hon. sec, on receiving a box back from 

 its own circuit, shall send it on to the next circuit, 

 and so on, until it has been seen by all the members; 

 but no member shall take from, or add to, any box 

 which does not belong to his own proper circuit ; he 

 is, however, requested to criticise such slides, aud 

 to add what he pleases to the manuscript depart- 

 ment accompanying the box. 



9. That each member be requested freely to 

 criticise every slide that conies before his notice; 

 to reply to best of his ability to every question he 

 may lind on the list unanswered, or correct (if 

 necessary) any answers already given ; to make 

 any suggestions that may occur to him, and to ask 

 for any information he may wish to obtain. 



10. That every member at the formation of the 

 club shall pay the entrance-fee of Is. ; and on the 

 29th September, 1871, and each succeeding year, 

 the sum of as an annual subscription. 



11. 'that the entrance-money and annual sub- 

 scriptions shall be paid to the hon. sec. for the lime 

 being, which amounts shall form a fund whereout 

 to provide the necessary boxes for micro-objects, 

 aud other expenses to which he maybe put ; and it; 

 shall be the duty of the hon. sec, at the end ot 

 each year, to render to the president an account of 

 his receipts and disbursements on behalf of the 

 club. 



12. Every candidate for membership shall send 

 his name to the hon. sec, who will place it on the 

 paper ruled for that purpose, and send it round each 

 circuit with next box, when every member knowing 

 such candidate will vote for or against his election, at 

 their discretion ; should such candidate, however, 

 be unknown to every member, he will be requested 

 to give the names of two gentlemen as referees. 



13. Thai Mr. Alfred Atkinson, cl' Brigg, be 

 appointed president, and Mr. Alfred Allen, of 

 Felstead, honorary secretary, for the first year of 



