242 



and perhaps caught only a short time after emerging. His own habit was 

 rather to rely upon capture and not breeding. 



He had also been asked to say a few words about balsam mounting. 

 The truth, he said, was that he had nothing to tell. So far as his own 

 experience went there was no royal road to success. With care and atten- 

 tion any of the ordinary processes seemed to answer nearly equally well. 

 His own results were obtained simply by care and attention. He did not 

 believe in dodges. Some processes had advantages over others, but people 

 wdio expected royal roads would probably not find them. They must rely 

 upon their own skill for better results. His chief instruments [holding up 

 some very small pieces of wood] were simply single badger's hairs and very 

 fine needles fixed in lucifer matches. They were easily made and inex- 

 pensive. 



To mount insects, &c, in balsam, first kill the creature in hot water or 

 spirit. Hard insects and Atari were best killed in hot water, which caused 

 them to expand their legs. But water rather injured minute flies, and spirit 

 was better for them. Next wash the objects thoroughly in spirit and clean 

 with the badger's hair, clean mechanically and by washing in spirit. Place 

 the object on a glass slip and arrange it with the hair, leave it in spirit for 

 such a time as experience suggested, tilt the slip so as to drain off the spirit, 

 but not to dry the object, which should never be allowed to dry from the first 

 process to the final mounting. Having drained off the spirit, drop on the 

 object a little oil of cloves, which is better than turpentine; slightly warm 

 the slide and put on a thin cover glass, which must be supported so as not 

 to touch the object ; leave it until thoroughly soaked. If necessary remove to 

 a clean slip for the final mount. It may be necessary to arrange the object 

 more than once. Drain off the oil of cloves and put on a small quantity of 

 Canada balsam. He preferred balsam and benzole. Arrange the creature 

 on the centre of the slide. Let the balsam harden a little, then the 

 object will not float off, as happens sometimes when a quantity of balsam 

 is used at once. Lower the cover straight down on the object ; do not try 

 to drive out a wave of balsam as is recommended in the text books. It is 

 better not to put enough balsam at first to fill the space under the cover, as 

 the balsam supports the cover if it do not reach the edge, but if the balsam 

 reaches the edge of the cover it is apt to draw down the cover and crush 

 delicate objects. A few pieces of thin glass to support the cover are a great 

 protection to the object, or better still a few tiny glass beads. Finish the 

 slide with a ring, Bell's cement or something of the kind, but that must not 

 be done unless the cover be supported in some way. It is not necessar)\ 



On the motion of the President, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed 

 to Mr. Michael, and the following objects were exhibited in illustration of his 

 remarks : — 



Cellular ia ciliata. 



Ptllota sericea, and other seaweeds in fruit. 



Plumularia setacea, with extended tentacles. 



Minute shells from the shell beach of Port Curnow, in which the shore 

 end of the eastern telegraph is sunk. 



