and Laboratory Methods. '^581 



CURRENT ZOOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 



CHARLES A. KOFOID, University of California. 



Books and Separates of Papers on Zoological Subjects should be Sent for Review to Charles A. 

 Kofoid, University of California, Berkeley, California. 



Monti, R. Le funzioni di secrezione di as- 1^'or the Study of the intestinal epitlie- 

 sortiments intestinale studiate negli iber- ,. ri i i • i 



nanii. Mem. nat. Institute Lombardo. lium of hibernating mammals the author 



1903. PP- 1-34. 2 pis. found that many of the methods of 



modern technique were poorly adapted. For example, Carnoy's fluid failed to 

 give good results. Mingazzini's sublimate-alcohol-acetic, Zenker's, Hermann's, 

 and Flemming's mixtures are recommended. The most delicate fixation, how- 

 ever, was obtained by Perenyi's fiuid, to which a few drops of acetic acid had 

 been added. Certain structural features were best demonstrated by fixing in 

 Moeller's mixture, 40 parts of 3 per cent, bichromate of potash and 10 parts of 

 40 per cent, formalin (not formaldehyde). The tissues were left for '24 hours in 

 this mixture and then transferred to 3 per cent, bichromate of potash for 3 to 4 

 days, washed for 3 hours in running water and transferred to alcohol. Some 

 tissues fixed in osmic-bichromate for 3 to 4 days, washed for a " long time " in 

 running water until no more color was given off and then embedded, gave in very 

 thin sections the finest differentiation, even with ordinary stains. 



For staining, Bizzozero's method and thionin-erythrosin were used for demon- 

 stration of muciparous cells. The methods of Biondi, of Galeotti, and the tria- 

 cid of Ehrlich were used for the glands of Brunner and Lieberkuhn, and Heiden- 

 hain's iron ha;matoxylin with counter-stain of acid fuchsin, Bordeaux red, or 

 rubin were used for most of the preparations. c. a. k. 



Thilenius, Q. Ergebnisse einer Reise durch The author writes from several years' 

 Oceanien. Zool. Jahrb. Abth. f. Syst. 17 : experience in collecting zoological 



425-444, 1902. ^ O D 



material by the most approved German 

 methods for subsequent investigation by modern laboratory methods. The 

 paper is replete with suggestions as to general methods employed in the field, as 

 to outfit in matters of implements, instruments, guns, photographic supplies, 

 chemicals, and preservation and packing of the collections. A few items only 

 can be noticed here. For fixing fluids the author recommends, for simplicity 

 and rapidity, hot water, formol, alcohol, sublimate and picric acid. Chromic 

 acid and its salts are to be avoided on account of the long after treatment, the 

 ease of maceration and of breakage in handling. Picric acid is especially appli- 

 cable since prolonged exposure to it is not deleterious. Reptile embryos kept 

 for 2 years in the saturated aqueous solution were found to be in good condi- 

 tion. The author has high praises for formol, used properly, as a general pres- 

 ervative. For vertebrates it should be injected through the aorta or carotid. 

 Mere opening of the body cavity rarely suffices, though if this is supplemented 

 by injection of the digestive tract, it will preserve smaller animals well. Fleshy 

 fishes and reptiles should also have the musculature injected. The author highly 

 recommends formol for use with small mammals and birds in the tropics where 

 the exigencies occasioned by high temperature and lack of time for proper care 

 of material results frequently in great loss. Such animals are eviscerated with 

 care, the cornea, mouth, and shot-holes carefully wet with strong formol, and a 

 wad of cotton saturated with the same is placed in the body cavity. Such 

 animals carefully packed make good preparations after a full year's preservation. 

 Weaker solutions of formol (10 per cent.) may be similarly used for temporary 

 preservation. c. a. k. 



