NOTES AND QUERIES. 201 
Heckel points out that prolonged self-fertilization has a tendency 
to cause the flowers to become malformed—that is, double, and a 
certain degree of sterility is, in consequence, induced. 
Cuttinc SEcTIONS OF Myxomyceres.—In the study of the 
lower vegetable forms with naked protoplasm, Myxomycetes, for 
instance, osmic acid can be easily used. By the action of this 
reagent the currents in the protoplasm of Myxomycetes are instantly 
suspended, and in a few instants the plasmodium is sufficiently 
hardened to make sections possible. 
LITERARY.—The July number of Transactions of the Hertford- 
shire Natural History Society contains a ‘Note on the Schwen- 
denerian Theory of Lichens,”—“ On a Species of Cheetospira found 
at Hoddesdon,” and a paper “On the occurrence of Red Snow in 
Hertfordshire.” It is published by Mr. David Bogue. 
Dippinc TusEs.+To H G. The tubes you enquire for may 
be obtained from any operative chemist. If you wish to make 
them yourself, procure some “ glass tubing,” and take a piece long 
enough to make /zwo, of either A or B, Fig. 36. 
Fig. 36. 
Hold the centre of the piece in the flame of a bats-wing burner, 
and when quite soft, gently pull the ends away from each other. 
Cut with a file the narrowed portion and fuse the edges in the 
flame. 
Bacittus.—A remarkable instance of the insidious and virulent 
nature of the poison producing “ woolsorters’ disease” is afforded 
by the death of a man named Baker, employed as an attendant 
upon a backwashing machine by Messrs. Sugden and Briggs, 
spinners, Bradford. On Monday week deceased’s left arm was 
caught by the wheels and the skin abrased. He washed the place 
with some suds from the machine, and so absorbed some of the 
poison from the Van mohair, which was then undergoing its third 
washing, after having been prepared and combed. His arm 
swelled, and he was obliged to leave work on Friday, from which 
time he became rapidly worse, and he died on Wednesday, with 
all the appearances found in death from anthraxx—Sradford 
Observer. 
