Li 78 THE MICROSCOPICAL NEWS. 
to the supply, at a nominal cost, if breeding was patronised by the 
Government, or by some association formed for that purpose. 
The Fisheries’ Exhibition, under the patronage of the Queen, 
and of which the Prince of Wales is chairman, is now opened in 
London, and those who visit it will be much pleased and interested 
with what will be exhibited. I have no doubt that it will be the 
means of bringing the matter prominently before the public, and 
some steps may be taken to make the exhibition of permament 
benefit to the country. 
THE PREPARATION OF DIATOMS FROM THE 
LONDON: CLAY: 
N April, 1881, Messrs. Shrubsole and Kitton presented a paper 
to the Royal Microscopical Society upon the “ Diatoms of 
the London Clay,” obtained, in the first instance, from a well at 
Sheerness, and afterwards near Oldham Gap, at Upnor, Lewisham, 
Bishop’s Stortford, Prittlewell, near Southend, and other places. 
Dr. Bossey, of Redhill, seems to have furnished much assistance 
in these discoveries. He was the first to observe that the diatoms 
existed in two states: the one heavy and solid, consisting wholly of 
mineralized forms appearing in the clay as solid, shining, metallic 
spots; the other not so completely mineralized, bearing examination 
with high powers by transmitted light. As an incentive to further 
work in this direction we reproduce Dr. Bossey’s instructions for 
the preparation of these transparent forms :— 
“ Dry the clay, and put it into a tall glass jar half full of water. 
Shake it gently, let it stand three or four minutes, and then pour 
off the thin portion. Repeat this process as long as a turbid milky 
fluid can be poured off. In thus washing away the lighter matter 
always leave an inch or two of water above the sediment. When 
the sediment has been well washed pour some fresh water into the 
jar, and very quickly pour off the turbid fluid, leaving only coarse 
sand, lumps of clay, &c. Repeat this process three or four times, 
and collect all that has been washed over, and set it aside till 
everything has subsided from it. Pour off nearly all the water 
from this sediment (which contains the diatoms), and put the 
sediment with a little water into a watch glass, Blow air through 
a pipette into the watch glass, so as to set the whole of the con- 
tents whirling round the watch glass. While the fluid is still in 
motion put the point of the pipette into the cone of floating matter, 
which will be found in the centre of the glass, and draw up some 
