CURRENT NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 67 



Cole's Studies. — Since publishing our October part, 

 we have received Nos. 9, 10, and 11 of each series of the above Studies. No. 

 12, to complete the vol., will be published about the middle of Jamiary. The 

 very excellent character of this work has been well maintained throughout. 

 We have not heard whether a fourth volume will be published. 



The Garner and Science Recorder's Journal is the 



title of a new journal, the first three numbers of which have been received. 

 It is edited by Mr. A. Ramsey, F.G.S., the editor of the Scientific Roll. 

 The Garner aims to be a Popular Natural History Journal. 



Cement for Fixing Wood to Glass. — According to the Echo 



Forcsticr^ a cement for this purpose may be made by dissolving gelatine in hot 

 acetic acid, in such proportions that it solidifies on cooling. — Chem, Rev. 



Fine Red Ink. — Grind up Carmine in a mortar with a solution 



of Silicate of Potash, until a uniform liquid is obtained. It must be kept in a 

 bottle closed with an oiled stopper. The ink dries rapidly, and is very 

 brilliant. — Ch6m. Rev. 



The Palpi of Insects. — Fehx Plateau has recently published 



(Bull. Soc. Zool. France) a series of interesting experiments on the Palpi of 

 Insects, the results of which are quite opposed to the current idea that these 

 oral appendages are essential both to the recognition and seizure of food. He 

 found that beetles, cockroaches, etc., may be deprived of either the labial or 

 maxillary palpi, or both, and still retain the power of identifying and masti- 

 cating their food. It is very curious that the function of such well-developed 

 organs should so entirely elude us. — Science. 



No. 1 1 of Mr. Bolton's Portfolio of Drawings is to hand. It 

 consists of one example in the Vegetable Kingdom, viz., Synedra pulchella, on 

 a piece of alga. There are also 14 examples from the Animal Kingdom. A 

 description of the object represented is given at the back of each plate. These 

 Portfolios are published at is. each. 



Fixing arranged Diatoms and Sections. — Among the many 



methods of fixing diatoms and other minute objects upon a slide or cover- 

 glass, the method of M. Threlfall has been very highly commended. The 

 diatoms are arranged upon a perfectly dry surface of caoutchouc spread upon 

 the slide, and fixed in place by application of gentle heat. The details may 

 be briefly given as follows: — First prepare a solution of caoutchouc in benzene, 

 adding sufficient caoutchouc to produce a jelly-like mass. Of this take a 

 portion as large as two peas, and dissolve it in thirty cubic centimetres of 

 benzene. This dilute solution is the one that is used. Crude caoutchouc 

 should be used, or such as has not been vulcanized. 



This solution affords an easy means of attaching thin sections in series, as 

 well as diatoms, to a glass slip. In either case the slip is coated with a thin 

 layer of caoutchouc, by flowing it with the solution, as a photographic plate is 

 coated with collodion. The solvent rapidly evaporates, leaving the caoutchouc 

 in a thin film on the glass. The sections, ordinarily included in paraffin, are 



