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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



MICROSCOPY. 



"Studies in Microscopical Science." By A. 

 C. Cole.— We are glad to welcome No. I of the 

 second volume of this work, of which the first volume 

 deservedly won golden opinions among microscopists 

 and naturalists generally. The present part deals 

 with " The Morphology of the Cell." 



" The Methods of Microscopical Research." 

 By John Ernest Ady.— Part ii. of this useful work 

 treats on " Instruments and their Uses." The work 

 is issued as a preliminary to vol. ii. of the " Studies 

 in Microscopical Science," by A. C, Cole, F.R.M.S. 



Hygrometricism. — Examining some spores of 

 Equisetum palustre the other day, whose elaters were 

 highly hygrometric, I detached one from the rest 

 and carefully observed the action of the elaters. 

 These contracted and expanded with their well- 

 known jerky action, according as they were subjected 

 to the influence of watery vapour. By means of 

 the jerky action of the elater the spore was carried to 

 the distance of one inch and a quarter before the 

 elaters were detached. Two other spores under 

 observation were carried relatively one inch and a 

 half, and seven-eighths, before the separation of the 

 elaters from the spores. This sensitive action of the 

 elaters converts them into locomotive organs for the 

 dispersion of the spores, and so makes them the 

 equivalents of the cilia in zoospores. Has any one 

 noticed that the spores of Ophioglosswn vulgatum 

 are hygrometric ? I carefully opened the sporangia 

 of a ripe specimen the other day, and detached some 

 of the granulated spores. Examining them upon a 

 dark ground with a bull's-eye condenser, I observed 

 that, as the clusters of spores became dry, they flew 

 about in all directions with great rapidity. On 

 introducing a small quantity of water beneath the 

 cover glass, the spores grouped themselves together 

 very regularly into almost equivalent groups. On 

 drying they dispersed again, until the individual spores 

 appeared to be arranged at regular distances from 

 each other all over the field of view. — J. E. Taylor. 



Dale's Illustrated Photographic Cata- 

 logue. — We beg to call the attention of those of our 

 readers who are interested in practical photography 

 to this very full and complete catalogue. Among 

 the various novelties recently brought out by this 

 enterprising firm may be specially mentioned their 

 patent multiple back, which must prove very service- 

 able to tourists and travellers, as it does away with 

 the necessity of changing boxes. 



Mounting Insect Organs. — I should be obliged 

 if any one would inform me the best method of pre- 

 paring and mounting sting and tongue of bees, &c. 

 I have tried first soaking in diluted acetic acid, also 

 diluted nitric acid, and also turpentine, but find none 



of these produce that clearness and transparency 

 which is so characteristic of those sold by opticians.— 

 W.B. 



A good Cement required.— I should be much 

 obliged if any reader could inform me of a reliable 

 cement for fixing, and rendering more secure, objects 

 mounted in Canada balsam, where oil of cloves has 

 been used in the preparation. I find the oil of cloves 

 prevents the balsam becoming hard for a long time, 

 and most cements either run into the balsam, or else 

 chip off the slide and allow leakage.— AT. D. 



Bedding Material for Section Cutting.— 

 Mr. G. E. Davis, in " Practical. Microscopy," states 

 that Mr. John Barrow has made an improved bedding 

 material for section cutting, by mixing naphthalin 

 and stearine in certain proportions. I shall be glad 

 to know these proportions, and also if the material can 

 be obtained ready mixed, and where. — J. Deans. 



The Postal Microscopical Society has just 

 issued its July part, in which we find the usual wide 

 range of subjects. First comes a paper by Mrs. A. 

 Cowen on " The Application of the Microscope to 

 Geological Research," forming a short guide to this 

 comparatively new line of research. A paper on 

 " The Palpi of Freshwater Mites," by Mr. C. F. 

 George, follows. Mr. Edward Lovett contributes 

 " A Day's Microscopic Shore-hunting among the 

 low-tide Pools of Jersey." Mr. Fred. Fitch's " The 

 Fly " is a paper that will be read with interest. Mr. 

 John Brigg has a thoughtful article on " Imitative 

 Colouring in Fish." Besides these there is " Half- 

 an-hour at the Microscope" with Mr. Tuffen West. 

 The collectanea are well edited and comprehensive, 

 and including various forms of practical research in 

 this and general microscopic work. 



The Royal Microscopical Society.— The June 

 part of the Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society 

 contains a very important paper on " The Cultiva- 

 tion and Life-history of the Ring-worm Fungus 

 (Trichophyton tonsurans)," by Malcolm Morris, 

 F.R.C.S., and G. C. Henderson, M.D. By means 

 of a number of detailed experiments, under varying 

 conditions, the gradual development of this fungus 

 is traced, a short account being also added of the 

 researches of previous observers. Amongst other 

 conclusions arrived at are those that the spores of 

 T. tonsurans grow freely at temperatures between 15 

 and 25 C, and that it is the spores of the second 

 generation which reproduce ring-worm on the human 

 skin. Dr. R. L. Maddox contributes a paper " On a 

 Portable Form of Aeroscope and Aspirator." This 

 instrument is intended to facilitate the study of the 

 morbific conditions of the atmosphere in the course 

 of zymotic and contagious diseases, and should attract 

 the attention of those interested in such researches. 

 The largest and most valuable portion of the part 

 consists of a summary of original and current re- 



