THE society's NOTE-BOOKS. 49 



syrup would carry with it any debris lying there. This would not 

 be so cruel a process as starvation, which some recommend. 



F. J. Allen. 



The above methods need not be adopted. If the Gizzard 

 be opened and placed in water for a day or two, it will be nicely 

 cleaned by agitating the water strongly by blowing through a 

 pipette. 



A. Nicholson. 



My own plan has simply been to kill the insect in spirit, and 

 leave it there for three or four weeks, or longer : this hardens the 

 tissues, making them less liable to tear, and therefore easier to 

 manipulate. On opening the Gizzard, it will then generally be 

 found clean and firm in texture, the loose particles of food or 

 dirt being soon washed out, either by Mr. Nicholson's plan or 

 any other suitable one. Gizzards are best mounted in slightly- 

 acidulated Glycerine in a cell of gold-size, which must be well 

 sealed up. Balsam makes them too transparent, and obliterates 

 many of the finer details. 



J. H. Green. 



Glycerine-Jelly Mounts. — Failures when using this medium 

 are due to two causes — {a) imperfect removal of superfluous jelly ; 

 {b) mounting objects which are springy. The most effective 

 way to remove the jelly is to apply a mixture of whiting, or chalk 

 and water, about the consistence of cream. Let this dry, and 

 then brush off carefully : the chalk absorbs the jelly, and leaves 

 the glass perfectly clean. I use a mixture of Gutta-Percha and 

 varnish for the two first coats of finish ; it stands better than 

 varnish alone. 



T. Lisle. 



Ditto. — Washing the jelly off with a tooth-brush, under water, 

 is a simpler method. Glycerine jelly should be varnished within 

 half-an-hour after cleaning, otherwise the jelly shrinks from the 

 edge of the cover, and allows the varnish to run in. 



H. M. J. Underhill. 



Starches. — The nature of Starches cannot be well determined 

 when mounted in Balsam. They should either be mounted dry^ 

 or in Glycerine Jelly, and viewed as an opaque object. Mounting 

 in Balsam prevents the markings on the surface being distin- 



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