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Ibalf^^an^lbour at tbe flDicroecope, 

 Mttb /IDr. Uuffen Mest, ff.X»S., ff.lR./IDS., etc 



True Avanturine.— It would be curious to trace the history 

 of the " True Avanturine " sHde, first labelled " Hypersthene," 

 but which now turns out to be Serpentine, and how its first name 

 was originally given to it. I have sometimes had doubts whether 

 wrong names have not sometimes been purposely given, to prevent 

 the real nature or source of specimens being ascertained. This, 

 from a scientific point of view, cannot but be considered as exceed- 

 ingly reprehensible. It is evident that from some cause great con- 

 fusion has prevailed on the present subject. A clever and amusing 

 writer in the Quarterly Jour7ial of Aficroscopical Science^ April 

 part, 1861, p. 135, extols a good specimen of " Hypersthene " in 

 high terms. In the July part of the same periodical, p. 219, in 

 reply to a correspondent who, " with one of our first London 

 opticians, could not make it that wonderful object you speak of," 

 he rejoins, " Very probably not \ for among the different speci- 

 mens I have examined, I have not seen another equal to mine. . 

 . When it is first-rate, and exhibited . . with inch objective 

 and Lieberkiihn . . . and at night by intense lamp light, 

 without a ' modifier,' I think it stands quite at the head of what 

 may be called the gorgeous class of objects, and I find it more 

 frequently elicits that rapturous Oh ! ! ! (which sounds so delight- 

 fully at a microscopic soiree) than many other of that class, e.g.^ 

 peacock copper, ruby copper, needle antimony, iron ore from 

 Elba, elytron of Ciirculio regalis, etc." Thinking that the manu- 

 factured is probably more brilliant than the natural mineral, one 

 is led to surmise whether the choice specimens here described 

 were not after all just " Artificial Avanturine." Our thanks are 

 specially due to the contributor for correcting the nomenclature. 



Microgaster glomeratus.— The illustrations of Microgaster 

 glomeratiis are interesting. In Science Gossip for 1865 (p. 71) is a 

 curious account of " Cocoons found on squeezing a caterpillar." 

 Presently these " Cocoons " have become larvae, climbing the 

 window-panes, and in the next sentence we are told of the " Lar- 

 vcB depositi?ig small heaps of the cocoons^ protecting them with a 

 covering of yellow silk ! " The structure of the cocoons, closely 

 felted inside, like silky flannel without, admirably fits them for 

 protecting the little inmate through the inclement winter weather. 

 The precision, too, with which the young creature, when about to 

 make its exit, has sheared off with its jaws one end of its tempo- 

 rary shroud and coffin, is also well worthy of note. (See PI. XXIII.) 



