LY.ii 



SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



that it facilitates microscopical examination of unstained preparations 

 even when quite thick, and in this respect is superior to glycerin or 

 glycerin-gelatin. 



(6) Miscellaneous. 



Immobilizing Flies for Microscopic Investigation.*— In his investi- 

 gation of Diptera, particularly of the genus Drosophila, A. Delcourt has 

 made use of some simple devices (fig. 41), by which the activities of the 

 animals may be arrested. For rapid identification he uses a glass tube 

 flattened towards the middle (1, 2). The alteration in the lumen is 

 shown by the diagrams of cross-sections. A small fly, sucked into this, 

 tube, becomes immobilized in the narrow part, and may then be examined 

 under the binocular microscope. When identified, it may be blown out 

 into the appropriate receptacle. The second piece of apparatus, which 



oj .0 o 



Fig. 41. 



permits of a more detailed examination, consists of four glass plates (3). 

 exactly alike, the apposition of which (4) forms a long, narrow, hollow 

 pyramid. The fly is placed within this pyramid, at a level determined 

 by its size, and while thus fixed may be examined from each side under 

 a fairly high power. The plates are simply placed in juxtaposition, and 

 secured by an elastic band. This is readily effected by the use of a metal 

 matrix, which is withdrawn when the band is placed in position. 



Anthrax Sterilization Process applied to Hides in Dry State.f — 

 This process, devised by A. Seymour-Jones, is reported to be both very 

 effective and innocuous to the hides. It consists in immersing the hides 

 for 24 hours in a mixture of formic acid (1 p.c of 90 p.c. strength), and 



* C.E. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxx. (1911) pp.;97-8. 



t Pamphlet printed for the author by Bradbury, Agnew and Co., Ltd. (Dec. 

 1910) 31 pp. 



