208 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Of the Bulimi, B. Dufresnii, Leach, is an unique 

 form, distantly represented by B. Angasianus, Pfr., 

 in Australia. It is widely distributed, and varies 

 much in general coloration and size. The larger 

 specimens are found in the dense jungle, and the 

 smaller dwarf varieties in the more open and dry 

 parts. 



B. Tasmantcus, Pfr., is allied to B. Kingi, Gray, 

 of King George's Sound. It is distributed around the 

 northern and eastern coasts, always near the sea, 

 clustering on trees and rocks, almost invariably in 

 considerable abundance. 



Vitritia Milligani, Pfr., is one of the finest species 

 of the genus ; it is of a beautiful shiny black colour, 

 and is truly the gem of the land shells of the island, 

 for its remarkable colour and size render it very 

 attractive. It represents in Tasmania H. attramen- 

 tasia of Victoria, Australia, and H. Busbyi of New 

 Zealand. The animal is of a bright and showy red 

 colour. It is confined to the western portion of the 

 island, where it is tolerably plentiful in the dense fern 

 scrubs, particularly about the Duck River. 



V. Verreanxi, Pfr., the only other species, is gene- 

 rally distributed, aud reaches a somewhat large size 

 in favourable localities. I obtained a species in Gibb's- 

 land, Victoria, bearing a close resemblance to this 

 shell. 



Like the land species, the fresh-water are very 

 local in their distribution, almost every creek and 

 mountain-stream affording a distinct species. The 

 Rev. J. T. Woods, in a paper read before the Royal 

 Society of Tasmania, enumerated 32 species ; that is 

 to say, 28 univalves and 4 bivalves, belonging to the 

 following genera: — Physa, 12; Limnea, 4; By- 

 thinea, 7 ; Ancyhts, 2 ; Pomiatopsis, I ; Planorbis, I ; 

 Assiminm, 1 ; Unio, 1 ; Pisidium, 2 ; Cyclas, 1. 

 More recently he has described a species each of the 

 genera Valvata and Ampitllaria. Mr. Brazier, in 

 the Pro. Linnean Society of New South Wales for 

 1876, describes two species, which he places in the 

 genus Amnicola, — A.Petterdiana and ,4. Simsoniana, 

 and he has also described, in the Pro. Zoological 

 Society of London z two species which he assigns to 

 the genus Pahtdestrina. 



The Physa and Limnea are of the ordinary forms, 

 having mostly close representatives in the mainland 

 of Australia ; and the same may be said of the re- 

 mainder, with the exception of two, viz., the Ancylus, 

 A.Cumingianus, Bourgingnat, a remarkably fine and 

 pretty species, — in fact, the finest of the genus known 

 up to the present time. It is peculiar to the Upper 

 Derwent River, in the southern portion of the island, 

 and is without doubt the most remarkable and inte- 

 resting of the fresh-water shells of Tasmania. The 

 other is a small shell, which the Rev. J. T. Woods 

 has placed in the genus Ampullaria, to which genus 

 it very doubtfully belongs, for, in all probability, 

 upon close examination of the animal, it will be 

 found to require a sub-genus, if not an entirely new 



genus, for its reception. The specimens were col- 

 lected in a creek on the northern coast of the island. 

 Several species still remain undescribed, and no 

 doubt, as further investigation proceeds, many more 

 novelties will be brought to light in this highly inte- 

 resting portion of natural science ; as it is, the number 

 of species now known is great for its comparative 

 small size. Still, much remains to be done before we 

 shall have a complete and exhaustive knowledge of 

 the land and fresh-water shells of Tasmania. Should 

 this short and rough sketch prove of interest to the 

 readers of Science-Gossip, I shall be only too 

 happy to contribute something more concerning the 

 conchology of Australasia. 



MICROSCOPY, 



An Improved Wax Cell. — The following plan 

 of mounting in wax is a modification of that sug- 

 gested by Professor H. L. Smith, of New York 

 (Science-Gossip, December, 1876). To my mind 

 it possesses two great advantages over that of the 

 professor, being cheaper and more easily accom- 

 plished. Into the centre of a clean glass slip place 

 one of Pumphrey's vulcanite rings, and into this put 

 a few chips of white wax ; then hold the slip over 

 the flame of a spirit-lamp until the wax is melted, 

 and set aside to cool, taking care that the ring does 

 not slide out of position. When well set the wax will 

 be found to have formed a capital cell on the inside of 

 the ring, and to have filled up the angle formed by 

 the outside of the ring and the glass slip. This form 

 is meant essentially for opaque objects, but it can 

 be easily made available for transparent mounts by 

 placing the slide upon the turntable, and with a 

 broad-pointed scalpel turning out the centre of the 

 wax cell. An exceedingly neat opaque mount is 

 made by filling up this central space with asphalte 

 or other black varnish whilst it rests on the turn- 

 table. To fix the cover-glass, rub the end of a piece 

 of warm wax round the upper surface of the vulcanite 

 ring, when sufficient will be found to adhere for the 

 purpose; place the cover in position, and pass a 

 heated iron round the edge, and the whole process is 

 complete. In this way a great many objects may be 

 mounted, ready for the cabinet, at a single 

 sitting, which for neatness, durability, and sim- 

 plicity of construction are unrivalled. — H. C. Crew, 

 Net her ton. 



Quekett Microscopical Club. — The 13th 

 annual meeting of this flourishing society was held 

 at University College on July 26th, Hemy Lee,. 

 Esq., F.L.S., President, in the chair. The report of 

 the committee briefly reviewed the work of the past 

 year, and congratulated the members upon the con- 

 tinued prosperity of the club in every department of 

 its work. A large number of books had been added to 



