NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 281 



tozoon did not enter from the surrounding atmosphere, or owe its 

 existence to decomposition. The urine of several phials, subsequently- 

 brought to the office, has been carefully examined, but no other speci- 

 mens have been seen. The microscope used in this instance magnifies 

 300 diameters; the protozoon figured is drawn of the actual magnified 

 size, as observed, and at the moment of observation. The protozoon 

 would now be motionless; now, the neck would swing upward and 

 downward; now, the worm would bend in sinuosities throughout its 

 entire length, the movements following in rapid succession ; again, 

 the protozoon would change its position in the field of the microscope 

 from a horizontal to a vertical one ; at other times it would very 

 suddenly contract, and assume a different appearance, the caudal end 

 being truncated or club-shaped; in a few seconds it would, with 

 lightning-like rapidity, shoot out to its full length. The author says 

 he will not hazard any conjectures as to what kind of protozoon this 

 is, but it seems to be allied to what is portrayed in Cobbold's work as 

 the Dactijlius aculeatus. 



NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



The Reproduction of Bacteria. — Herr Grimm, in the 'Archiv 

 fur Mikrosc. Anatomie,' describes the reproduction of Bacteria and 

 Vibriones from his own investigations. He has observed their con- 

 jugation and fissiparous multiplication, and also has seen leucocytes 

 breaking up into granular matter, which ultimately assumed the form 

 of Bacteria. 



Spontaneous Alteration of Eggs. — A contemporary states that 

 M. U. Gayon comes to the conclusion that the main cause of the 

 decomposition of eggs is the presence of small organisms which must 

 have formed in the egg while in the oviducts of the fowl. 



Mounting in Soft Balsam. — ' Science Gossip ' for March has an 

 interesting note on this point by an American gentleman, Mr. W. H. 

 Walmsley, of Philadelphia. He says that the following directions, if 

 carefully followed, will invariably result in success : — Select the finest 

 Canada balsam and slowly evaporate it until upon cooling it assumes 

 a brittle resinous consistency. Break the mass into small pieces, and 

 dissolve them in chemically pure benzole, until a saturated solution 

 about the consistency of rich cream is formed. The specimen to be 

 mounted, having been previously freed from moisture by drying, or by 

 being passed through weak and absolute alcohol (the latter being by 

 far the preferable method), is finally to be placed in oil of cloves, and 

 carried from the latter to the slide, where, after being properly 

 arranged with needles, a drop of the balsam is placed upon it, 

 followed by a core in the usual manner, and the whole laid aside to 

 harden, which will be accomplished in a few days. This will be 

 facilitated if, after the lapse of twenty-four hours, the slide be slightly 

 warmed, the core pressed carefully down with the forceps, and a small 

 weight laid upon it. The best finish for the edge of the circle I have 



