INFUSORIAL ANIMALCULES. 39 



Section XIV. — On the Mode of Drying and Preserving 

 Infusoria. 



Although such exceedingly small creatures as animal- 

 cules, when dead, lose many of their characteristic features, 

 especially the soft-bodied ones, yet, for the verification of 

 some parts of their structure, it is absolutely necessary 

 to observe them in a quiescent state; and hence, a method 

 of effectually drying and preserving them must be con- 

 sidered essential. Bacellaria, in this condition, have often 

 been preserved by botanists, in collections of minute 

 Algae, and with very little management ; but other families 

 will require more care. Having selected the creature you 

 wish to preserve, remove it with a fine pointed quill, and 

 put it on a slip of glass, or other convenient receptacle. 

 By this means there will be but a small portion of water 

 surrounding it, which may be extracted by some pointed 

 pieces of ragged blotting paper. When you have with- 

 drawn as much of the water as possible from the speci- 

 men, the remaining moisture may be readily evaporated, by 

 placing the glass on the palm of the hand. The Hydatinea 

 may be best preserved when destroyed with strychnia, 

 and then rapidly dried. By what mode soever life may 

 be taken away, it is absolutely expedient that they should 

 be speedily and carefully dried, otherwise their bodies will 

 be decomposed, gases evolved, and the object will fail. 



The best way of mounting for the microscope dried 

 Infusoria will be on slips of plate glass, having a po- 

 lished circular cavity, in which to deposit the creatures. 



