ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 



377 



mixture. After Zenker the preparations were stained with Mallory's 

 fluid (anilin-blue 0'5, orange G 2, oxalic acid 2, H. 2 1U0), Heiden- 

 hain's iron-hsematoxylin, Weigert's and Van Gieson's methods. When 

 Carnoy's fluid (chloroform 10, acetic acid 30, absolute alcohol 60) was 

 used for fixing, the preparations (retina) were stained with iron-hasnia- 

 toxylin and Bethe's toluidin-blue. Several other methods were adopted, 

 but the foregoing seem to have given satisfactory results. In reference 

 to maceration, it is stated that the lens-cells were easily isolated after 

 immersion of the eyes in 3 p.c. solution of chloral hydrate in sea-water 

 for about 4 hours. The same solution was used for the retinal cells. 

 After two hours the retina was dissected out, placed in a drop of water on 

 a slide, and a cover-glass supported by wax feet placed over it. Gentle 

 tapping on the cover-glass separated the elements. Chromic acid, ■ 02 

 p.c. in sea-water, gave good maceration results for rod-cells and rods. 

 Maceration preparations were examined transformed and stained with 

 picro-carmine. 



Improved Brain Microtome.* — K. Berliner describes a new type of 

 microtome with a large stage (fig. 49) suitable for cutting sections of 



Fig. 49. 



large objects, such as the brain. The knife is firmly fixed at each end, 

 and its handles move along rigid cylindrical guide-bars. By means of 

 an accessory apparatus, it is possible to cut sections under alcohol. The 

 mechanism for adjusting and raising the stage is of a new type, fully 

 described in the original paper. 



* Zeitschr. wiss. Mikrosk., xxvi. (1909) pp. 378-81. 



