102 NOTES AXD MEMORANDA. ["rura'j,.'^lb':T?m ' 



ducts and the deep-seated lymphatics of the liver. Both Kiernan and 

 Mascagni noticed that injections throwTi into the ducts returned by the 

 absorbents, and the former observer stated that bile is frequently pro- 

 pelled into the absorbents on injecting the duct ; and it is known that 

 in some diseases of the liver the hepatic lymj)hatics are found to be 

 distended with bile. 



Sjionges or Worms. — In a paper read before the Montreal Natural 

 History Society, on the 29 th of November, " On the Genus Scolithus 

 and some Allied Fossils." Mr. Billings attempted to prove that the 

 well-known fossil Histioderma Hibernicum from Bray in Wicklow are 

 really not the casts of an annelid, but are, as theii* structure seemed to 

 show, veritable sponges. 



A Microscope and Camera combined. — Those who care for the 

 multum-in-parvo class of apparatus will do well to read the description 

 (' British Journal of Photograjjhy,' January) of a new instrument 

 invented by MM. Borie and de Tournemine, and exliibited at a 

 meeting of the French Photographic Society. The description of 

 the instrument is too long for our pages. But we may state that, 

 according to the inventor, the apparatus may be used as the following 

 separate instruments : — A solar microscope, a photogi-aphic solar 

 microscope, a compound microscope, a photographic apparatus, an 

 enlarging apparatus for negatives, a terrestrial telescope, a telescopic 

 photograj)hic apparatus, an enlarging apj)aratus direct upon paper, and 

 a photographic ophthalmoscope. 



NOTES AND MEMOEANDA. 



Soiree of the Old Chang-e Microscopical Society. — We learn from 



the secretary, Mr. S. Helm, that the fourth annual soiree of this Society 

 will take place at the City Terminus Hotel, on the 14th inst. Gentle- 

 men desirous of exhibiting objects at the soii'ee should communicate 

 with the secretary without delay. 



Microscopy in Dublin. — The following quotation from 'The 

 Medical Press Circular' of the 19th of January, needs no comment 

 from us ; its force will be fully apparent to oui* readers : — " Dr. John 

 Barker read an interesting paper ' On Microscopic Illumination ' at a 

 meeting of the Eoyal Irish Academy on the 10th inst. Dr. Barker 

 truly describes the present defective manner of viewing microscopic 

 objects, by saying that ordinarily on looking into a microscope we feel 

 disposed to shrink from the sudden glare of light which strikes on the 

 eye from the field of vision, which is flooded with intense light ; the 

 pupil contracts, and at fii-st we see nothing at all ; presently a some- 

 thing semi-transparent is rendered visible by the relative opacity 

 and transparency of its parts, and by the shadows they cast on the 



