HARD WICKE ' S S CIENCE- G SSI P. 



abruptly rising hill, crowned at the top by Wade 

 Brown's Tower. To our left the valley, with the 

 main line to London running through it, presents a 

 glorious scene. Making a descent, we find Cyno- 

 glossum officinale flourishing ; further on we recognise 

 J/yosolis arvensis, though the pretty little M. collina 

 which we met with here last month had disappeared ; 

 and we also miss the flowers of Oxalis acctosclla. 

 Apargia hispida is abundant here. Further down, on 

 a kind of plateau, we find large tracts covered with 

 Helianthemum vtdgare, in full bloom, as also is 

 Folygara vulgaris and Euphrasia officinalis. In the 

 rougher ground, we noticed Scolopendrium vulgarc, 

 with its beautiful shining bright green fronds. A 

 glance at our watch reminds us that if we wished to 

 reach our destination that day we had better be 

 moving on, so we retrace our steps again to the road 

 from whence we branched off, and taking another for 

 a short time, passed through several fields, where we 

 found on our way, Orchis mascula, Sagina procumbens, 

 Galepbdolon lutcuin, Stellaria holostea, Aspcrula odorata, 

 and Lotus major. The last of these fields, which 

 afforded us a good view of Westbury White Horse. 

 brought us out to the Brass Knocker Hill ; descending 

 which, we found Geranium lucidum with its pretty 

 shining stems and leaves, Symphytum officinale, some 

 plants with white, others purple flowers ; and 

 Veronica beccabunga. As we approached Limpley- 

 Stoke we found Allium ursinum. Just as we 

 began to ascend Winsley Hill, and close to the 

 gates of the vicarage, we came across a large bed of 

 Galium crucial urn. A short distance from the foot 

 of this tedious hill, we turned off by the canal side ; 

 continuing our course along the towing-path, we 

 found Prunella -vulgaris, Euphorbia amygdaloides, and 

 Myosotis palustris. After a walk of about a mile 

 and a half, we arrived at a point called the elbow, 

 where, quitting the canal, we again traversed some 

 fields, falling in by the way with our friend Rhi- 

 nantkus crista-galti. A short walk brought us to 

 Turleigh Villa, a charming house, beautifully situated 

 and commanding an extensive view of the Valley of 

 the Avon, Bradford to the left, Avoncliffe to the 

 right, and Westwood perched up on its hills almost 

 in front. This was to be our destination, and here 

 we intended to rest and refresh ourselves, sure of a 

 ready welcome from our relatives within its walls. 

 Here then we will leave our subject, simply remark- 

 ing that it will be observed, that though we came 

 across nothing rare, yet our case was not empty. In 

 a future paper we hope to give an account of a 

 ramble to Conkwell, where we flatter ourselves we 

 shall find a few plants by no means common ; and 

 should opportunity permit, we may set forth the 

 result of a ramble to Wick Rocks. 



Charles F. W. T. Williams. 

 Bath. 



( To be continued.) 



MICROSCOPY. 



Finishing Slides. — Many suggestions have been 

 made public from time to time with regard to 

 methods of finishing microscopic slides. For example, 

 a writer in a recent number of the " American Monthly 

 Microscopical Journal " advocates a very elaborate 

 process, which includes the application of thick copal 

 furniture varnish by means of a knife point and the 

 turn-table. The slide, we are told, must then be laid 

 aside in a dry place for "at least a week," to harden, 

 and then the superfluous varnish may be cleaned off 

 the glass slip with cotton, stone, and water — a very 

 roundabout and troublesome process, to say the least 

 of it. To save inexperienced hands from needless 

 trials of patience, waste of time, and unsatisfactory 

 results, I am induced (with the Editor's permission) 

 to state briefly what I have found in practice to be a 

 very simple, easy, rapid, and thoroughly satisfactory 

 method of finishing off balsam or dammar-mounted 

 slides. The process is not by any means new, and I 

 make no claim to originality in regard to it ; but I 

 have found it to work so admirably in a collection of 

 several thousand specimens, that I feel sure young 

 hands will be thankful for the information. Take 

 some old Canada balsam and dilute with benzole 

 until it is thin enough to flow freely from a sable or 

 camel-hair pencil (the former, of what is known as 

 the "duck" size, is undoubtedly the better tool). 

 Apply this with the turn-table in the usual way, so as 

 to make a neat ring around and slightly projecting 

 over the edge of the thin glass cover. Amongst the 

 advantages of this process may be enumerated the 

 following : I. There is no risk of spoiling slides by 

 " running in," as too often happens with asphalte and 

 some other coloured varnishes. 2. If the mounting 

 of the preparation has been done with care, and there 

 is not more than a slight exudation of balsam or 

 dammar beyond the edge of the cover-glass, there need 

 be no preliminary cleaning-off before " ringing" the 

 slide — an important consideration in regard to the 

 saving of time and trouble. 3. The ring of balsam 

 dries quickly and sets hard. 4. No after- cleaning 

 process, like that above alluded to, is required ; the 

 slide being ready for the cabinet within a few minutes. 

 5. The process will be found easy of accomplishment 

 by the veriest tyro, and the result is neat and satis- 

 factory. — y. Ford, Wolverhampton. 



Mr. Bolton's MiCROScoric Laboratory.— We 

 have received the third portfolio of drawings and 

 descriptions of living organisms (animal and vegeta- 

 ble) illustrative of freshwater and marine life which 

 have been sent out with the living specimens by 

 Mr. Thomas Bolton, F.R.M.S., and are glad to see 

 that his microscopic laboratory is, if possible, showing 

 signs of even more vigorous life than hitherto. The 

 organisms which have been sent out at various times, 



