THE society's NOTE-BOOKS. 245 



Of the above twenty-six families, I have found fourteen in the 

 neighbourhood of Kirton-in-Lindsey, viz., Colletes, Andrena^ 

 Halictiis, Sphedes, Ccelioxys, JVo/nada, Epeolus, Afelecta, Apa?U/ius, 

 Os/nia, Alagac/iile, Aiithopliora^ Bombus, and, of course, Apis, 

 The proboscis of each family is very characteristic. 



C. F. George. 



Mounting Fresh-water Polyzoa. — I extract from Scimce 

 Gossip, 1879, p. Ill, the following article, entitled A N'ew Method 

 of Preservijig Infusoria : — " The following things will be neces- 

 sary : A bottle of thin Canada balsam, diluted with chloroform, a 

 hot-water plate, and a few dishes. The fixing solution, which is 

 made in the following manner : To 25 cc. of chromic oxydichloride 

 acid is added 50 cc. of water, with 5 cc. permanganate of potash. 

 First draw a large ring of white wax upon the slide much larger than 

 the covering glass ; then place the Vorticellas which you wish to 

 preserve in the ring with some water. When they have attached 

 themselves to the slide, some of the chromic-oxydichloride solution 

 must be added, which will instantly fix the specimen in position. 

 After remaining about three minutes the water may be poured out, 

 and a few drops of chloroform added and poured off, the covering 

 glass placed carefully on, and a few drops of dilute Canada balsam 

 added so as to flow under the cover, which is then placed upon 

 the hot-water plate to dry. Specimens preserved in this manner 

 retain all the freshness of the living animal." 



I also read in the Amei'ican Quarterly Microscopical Journal 

 the following from the ZeitscJirift fiir Mikroskopie, " On the Prepa- 

 ration and Preservation of Microscopic Water Inhabitants " : — ■ 

 " For some time Duncker, of Bernau, has been selling a fluid in 

 wliich Infusoria are well preserved, but its composition is a secret. 

 The author has used a medium which he thinks may be the 

 same ; at least, it acts equalty well. In preserving Infusoria, 

 Rhizopoda, Flagellata, Ciliata, Chlorophyllaceas, Desmidiaccce, 

 etc., etc., the following process is followed : — In the centre of a 

 lac cell, not fully hardened, place the organism in a few drops of 

 water, apply the cover glass, and then place a couple of drops of 

 pyroligneous acid, so that it will be drawn into the cell, cement 

 the cover down, and the work is done. The objects may be 

 stained by such aniUn colours as are soluble in water (the best 

 are anilin blue or diamond fuchsin) by staining in the following 

 manner : Anilin blue, i part ; water, 200 parts, after filtering ; 

 pyroligneous acid, 800 parts (all by weight). This stains the 

 objects in a few hours, and they may then be mounted in pure 

 pyroligneous acid. I have not tried these methods. 



Henry Basevi. 



Vol. V. s 



