22 8 THE MICROSCOPE. 



of course, be sufficiently heavy to sink the cork in the spirits. Care 

 should be taken in withdrawing the pin-points when the spider is 

 ready for transfer to spirits of turpentine. The hardened balsam 

 must first be dissolved, then the pin-points taken out and the spider 

 carefully removed from the cork. When quite clean place it on an- 

 other piece of cork or glass, and pin out as before and put it into 

 the turpentine bath, where it should remain until it is fit for mount- 

 ing in balsam. The pins should be about one-quarter of an inch 

 long and tolerably fine. In setting ants on the film of Canada 

 balsam their jaws will not always remain open. To prevent their 

 closing a small splinter of wood may be placed between the points 

 of them, which, if carefully done, keeps them well open. The pre- 

 caution is not necessary while they are in the turpentine bath. 



If it is desirable to keep insects for any length of time before 

 mounting them in Canada balsam, or if they have to be sent to a 

 distance by post, the preparation of them should be stopped after 

 they have been in spirits of wine on the film of Canada balsam. 

 The film, with the insect on it, can be detached from the piece of 

 glass by cutting the former with the point of a fine needle drawn 

 round the insect. Remove the detached piece of film and place it 

 in a small glass bottle full of clean spirits of wine. The hardened 

 balsam can at any time be dissolved away from the insects by spirits 

 of turpentine. It is sometimes easier to set small insects in position 

 by placing them on their backs upon the film of balsam. Their legs 

 can be arranged in that position with greater facility. — Royal Mic. 

 Journal. 



Microbomania and Microphobia. — The symptoms and 

 effects of these two maladies are wittily described by M. Paul 

 Somans in the feuilleton of a recent issue of the Gazette Medicate de 

 Paris. 



In connection with the numerous maladies, or rather symptoms, 

 which have recently been described, such as agarophobia, claustro- 

 phobia, morphiomania, etc., there is a new mental disease, which is 

 making great ravages among our medical brethren. I speak of 

 microbomania and its indispensable corollary, microphobia. 



Microbomania is an affection of adult or middle age, sometimes 

 .attacking those in advanced years. It is most frequently observed 

 among the best educated physicians, those most given to biological 

 research, and almost always ambitious. 



