NOTES AND QUERIES. 249 
transformation is connected with some organism. ‘The organism 
is identified as belonging to the order of bacteria. This is a sup- 
plement to the recent researches of M. Pasteur, and a discovery 
consolatory and gratifying, inasmuch as it supplies an instance of 
bacteria associated, not with disease, but with the most valuable 
transformations taking place in the soil. The practical value of 
the discovery is due to the knowledge it gives as to the transforma- 
‘tion of nitrogenous matter into nitrates—a transformation which it 
must undergo before the plant can use it. 
CARLISLE MicroscopicaL SocrETy.—Meeting on Sept. 2nd. 
There was only a thin attendance, a great many members being 
away from home. ‘The President announced some rules for con- 
ducting the ordinary meetings of the Society, and the Secretary 
read the proposed programme for the Session, commencing in 
November. ‘These were agreed to. Pond and river water being 
the evening’s subject, was fairly illustrated. 
Loss or Licut.—Refracted light through lenses causes a loss 
of original light fully 20 per cent., while by reflected light from the 
surface of mirrors only about 35 per cent. of the original light is 
utilised. By a combination of refracted and reflected light, which 
may be obtained by the use of a prism, 96 per cent. of the light 
which falls upon such prism may, however, be utilised. Professor 
Amici’s illuminator is an adaptation of this principle ; all light 
falling upon the inner surface of the hypothenuse of a glass prism 
of 45° being totally reflected. Four per cent. of the original light 
is, however, absorbed by the other two surfaces, and 96 per cent. 
therefore is utilised. 
MOUNTING WITHOUT PRESSURE.—Could any of the readers of 
the NORTHERN Microscopist give me particulars of the process 
by which the heads of bees, beetles, &c., are rendered sufficiently 
transparent to enable their internal structure to be exhibited when 
mounted without pressure >—/. P. 
DEATH OF THE ALFoRD Boranist.—The death is announced of 
John Duncan, the Alford Botanist, for whom public subscriptions 
were raised some months ago, amongst the subscribers being her 
Majesty the Queen. Duncan, who was a weaver, gathered in the 
course of his long life a complete collection of the grasses, &c., 
indigenous to Scotland. This collection he presented to the 
Aberdeen University in December last. 
AN INTERESTING Dip.—We have lately received from Mr. 
Thomas Bolton one of the most interesting tubes he has for a long 
time sent out. Professedly a tube of Bacillaria paradoxa of which 
it contained fine specimens; there were also JVitzschia sigmoidea, 
, 
