1284 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



that was acquired from the mere handling of quantities of material, and sorting 

 it out. Indeed, this seemed to me to be the most thoroughly educative factor 

 involved in the expedition. Again, one must have the actual experience to real- 

 ize the difference in the instruction derived from museum specimens and those 

 taken fresh from their proper habitat. For instance, we were all astonished at 

 the bright colors of the deep-sea forms, and impressed with the manifestly adapt- 

 ive nature of these colors, because not only a given species but also the associa- 

 ted forms were brought up together, making manifest the fact that these colors 

 were very often protective. 



Such facts would never have been suggested by the study of museum speci- 

 mens, no matter how abundant and well preserved they might be. 



Of course we had to depend almost exclusively upon alcohol as a preserva- 

 tive, formalin not having yet come into use. An excellent device for saving 

 alcohol and weight was carried into effect at the suggestion of Dr. Benedict. 

 This was simply to take specimens after they had been for a few days in alco- 

 hol and solder them up in large tin pans, two of which were soldered together 

 by their broad fiat rims. These pans were both square and round, and could be 

 conveniently crated when sealed. Specimens preserved in this way often came 

 through in better shape than when left in alcohol. 



It may be of interest to some of your readers to be informed that the entire cost 

 of this expedition to each member was almost exactly two hundred dollars, includ- 

 ing fare from Iowa City to Baltimore and return, and every necessary expense 

 during a three months cruise. There was no accident or misfortune of any kind, 

 and no sickness except the inevitable sea-sickness. C. C. Nutting. 



State University of Iowa. 



A Description of the New Wing of the Laboratory of Hygiene 

 at the University of Pennsylvania. 



As an immediate result of the increasing interest in the science of bacteri- 

 ology, the construction of suitable laboratories for its pursuit has come to be a 

 subject of no little importance. At present there is of necessity more or less 

 experimenting in this line, and the results obtained by one institution are of 

 value to other institutions contemplating the erection and equipment of labora- 

 tories and lecture-rooms for the work. 



Dr. A. C. Abbott, Professor of Hygiene and Bacteriology at the ITniversity 

 of Pennsylvania, has recently contributed a detailed description of the new 

 addition opened a year ago for the instruction of bacteriology in that institution. 

 In planning the building, the primary object was to provide a lecture-room with 

 seating capacity for not less than three hundred students, and a laboratory 

 sufficiently large to accommodate not less than seventy-five students working at 

 one time. Externally, the structure as completed is of red brick trimmed with 

 brown stone and terra cotta, and two stories high ; conforming in lines and finish 

 to the original building. Internally there were three features of construction 



