212 METHOD OF STxVININO FLAGELLA. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES XIL a^d XIIL 



Fig. 1. — Eylais extendens. Dorsal surface. 



,,2. ,, ,, Epimera and mouth-organs. 



,,3. ,, ,, First leg. 



„ 4. ,, ,, Dorsal surface of larva, legs removed. 



,, 5. ,, ,, Last joints of the first leg, showing the 



peculiar claw. 

 „ 0. — Limnocharis holosericea Dorsal surface. 

 ,,7. ,, ,, Ventral surface. 



,,8. ,, ,, Eyes. 



„ 9. ,, ,, First leg. 



,, 10. ,, „ Mouth-organs and palpus. 



,, 11. — Eylais extendens. Appearance of the ova as deposited on the 

 side of the tube. 



H flDctbo5 of Staining flagclla- 



By David McCrorie, L.R.C.P. and S. Edin., F.E.I.S., etc.* 



OF the different methods of staining flagella which have at 

 different times been described, Van Ermengen's, in my 

 experience, gives excellent results, but takes too long to 

 accomplish ; while Loeffler's, as well as NicoUe and Morax's modi- 

 fication of the same, is very uncertain. Pitfield's method gives 

 good results, and is quickly accomplished, but the flagella are, as 

 as a rule, very faintly stained. The method which is now com- 

 monly adopted in this laboratory is somewhat similar to Pitfield's, 

 but we use a different stain, and invariably we get both bacilli and 

 flagella more distinctly stained than by Pitfield's method. The 

 dye we use is an aniline blue, which is known commonly as "Night 

 Blue," from the fact that it shows as well in artificial as it does in 

 sunlight. The formula which we find to give the best results is — 



lo c.cm. of a concentrated alcoholic solution of " night blue." 

 -j-io c.cm. of a lo per cent, solution of alum. 

 -}-io c.cm. of a lo per cent, solution of tannic acid. 



* From British Medical Journal. 



