THE MICROSCOPE. 231 



A good-sized glass fish-eye, mounted in a -piece of cork makes 

 a very satisfactory spot-lens indeed. 



An English writer desires "something after the style of the 

 Postal Microscopical Society, but with less routine, which might be 

 put briefly thus: — No fees, no secretary, no journal, no annual meet- 

 ing," and he might wisely add "no nothing." 



There was exhibited at the Dublin Microscopical Club, some 

 sections perpendicular to long axis of hairs. Stained with picro- 

 carmihe and anilin violet, which latter tinges the outer (Henle's) 

 layer of the inner root-sheath. Huxley's layer staining with picro- 

 carmine as well as the outer root-sheath, the various layers of 

 the complex wall of the hair-follicles were extremely well differen- 

 tiated. 



A writer in JVature has advised a method for freeing objects from 

 air preparatory to mounting in glycerin jelly, etc.. which was used 

 by us years ago to free the stalks of zoophytes, polyzoa and other 

 specimens from air, and which, we believe, has been already pub- 

 lished in this journal. The sections are simply placed in thoroughly 

 boiled water. Boiling expels' the air dissolved in the water, and by 

 placing the sections in such water the air is more or less taken up by 

 the water. The process is rather a long one when any considerable 

 quantity of air has to be removed. 



C. L. P. asks how to lacquer polished brass at home? If it 

 can be heated on a common oven, and about how hot? What to 

 apply a#d how to apply it and how to prepare it? How hot the 

 article should be, and how long it should be left before using after 

 lacquering? A. The brass must be perfectly clean; it must be 

 boiled in caustic lye if necessary. Many lacquers are used; half a 

 pound of red lac dissolved in half a pint of alcohol is a good one. 

 Put the article on the top of a stove until moderately heated 

 and then varnish it, keeping it hot. Then dry it by heat. 



Inulin in the Artichoke. — Pistone and de Regibus find in 

 the bracts of the artichoke, Cynara Sco/y/nus, a substance identical 

 with the spherocrystals of inulin of Sachs, turning the plane of 

 polarization to the left, even in the presence of a dilute acid, and 

 not colored by iodine. 



