PROGRESS OP MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 193 



meetings, lie says, whenever a rare plant or animal is exhibited at 

 those meetings, we have always a wail about its having been " not 

 long since often seen, though now fast clisajipearing." A chief cause 

 of this is the deplorable rapacity of collectors of and traffickers in 

 specimens ; since the preposterous notion prevails that botany and 

 entomology consist in a recognition of the mere physiognomy, without 

 the least regard to the physiology, of species, and being able to call 

 them by their scientific names. 



And so it will be while local societies continue to encourage such 

 errors, instead of promulgating the essential principles of botanical 

 or entomological science, and obstructing the injurious operations of 

 mere collectors or pretenders. And this desirable end, so far as 

 regards taxonomy, might be easily attained without the least harm to 

 rare species. Prizes for the best divSjjlay, illustrated by microscopic 

 drawings and preparations of the generic and specific characters of 

 sections or the whole of many natural orders, would aflbrd really good 

 tests of the industry and attainments of the candidates. For example, 

 why not try for this piu-pose the Willows, Grasses, or Sedges ? Two 

 of these orders have the further recommendation of being of great 

 economic value. Again, as specific distinctions seem to be the ulti- 

 mate aim of these societies, certain cells or tissues, such as the pollen, 

 epidermis, hairs, and stomata, would afford good subjects for investi- 

 gation in this point of view, a.s would also rajjhides and other plant- 

 crystals, and very likely disclose valuable characters not yet recognized 

 in the books of systematic botany. 



I have been led to these remarks by the increasing frequency of 

 the practice now deplored. As the West Kent Natural History, 

 Microscoincal, and Photographic Society is much and deservedly 

 respected, and exercises justly considerable influence in its depart- 

 ment, an extract from its last 'Council's Eeport,' p. 19, will suffice as 

 a sample of the mischief : — " With a view to promote the study of 

 entomology and botany among the members of the society and their 

 families, the council, in the early part of the year, annoimced their 

 intention of giving two prizes of 5/. 5s. each, one for the best botanical 

 collection, the other for the best collection of Lepidopterous insects ; 

 all specimens to be gathered or taken within the West Kent district." 

 This quotation is by no means intended for blame to any particular 

 society, but merely as an example taken from one of the printed 

 ' Reports ' that has lately reached me of what is still being sown 

 broadcast generally throughout the country. 



The Lymplmtics of the Spleen. — From an article in the ' Lancet ' 

 (July 12), we learn that E. B. Kyber describes the anatomy of the 

 lymj^hatics of the horse as obtained from injections made with Prus- 

 sian blue. Kyber agrees with Tomsa in admitting two systems of 

 lymphatic vessels in the spleen ; one belonging to the trabeculae, 

 which is in continuity with the lymphatics of the caj^sule ; and a 

 second accompanying the branches of the splenic artery, which are 

 surrounded by its divisions as by a sheath. These two he names 

 respectively the trabecular and the perivascular lymphatics. Occa- 

 sionally the latter can be injected from the former. The perivascular 



