The Microscope. ]03 



the side. In i')reparing these, hold the larva under water with the 

 pointed stick, and clear out the viscera with a brush through the 

 anal opening by a rolling motion. After a start has been made the 

 process takes but a short time. Larvae will stand considerable 

 pressure in cleaning, but gentle manipulation, of coure, answers best, 

 especially in those covered with hair. It is best to commence with 

 the largest beetles or larvae one can find. Larvae too large to l)e 

 mounted entire, ought to be opened along the back to give the liquor 

 free access. 



Twenty-seven grains of potassa fusa to one ounce of water, is 

 the formula I use. It acts but slowly on the chitinous parts of 

 insects, but very prompt on the viscera and one's lingers. It is hest 

 kept in a paper-covered bottle to exclude the light. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES 



SAN FEANCISCO MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



^ I HE fifteenth annual meeting of this Society was held at its 

 -*- rooms, No. 120 Sutter street, Wednesday evening, Feb. 9th, 

 the President, Dr. Mouser, in the chair. 



Mounted slides were presented by Mr. Howard and Mr. Breck- 

 enfeld, showing the general character of the diatomaceoiis deposits, 

 samples of which had been received from the State Mining Bureau 

 at the preceding meeting, with a request for a report. The slides 

 showed diatoms of the following genera: Asterolampra, Coseinod- 

 iscus Actinocyclus, Navicula, Arachnoidiscus, Grammatophora and 

 Triceratium, together with some Polycistina and many sponge 

 spiculae. Although a marine deposit, and containing many forms of 

 the celebrated original Santa Monica fragment, the new find did not 

 equal the original in many respects, especially as regards the diver- 

 sity of contained organisms. In the original, more than one hundred 

 perfectly distinct species have been determined. Many interesting 

 facts were related regarding this unique fragment, which did not 

 weigh over two pounds, and was found on the beach near Santa 

 Monica in March, 1870. Many attempts have been made to discover 

 the deposit from which this "ocean waif" must have become 

 detached, but its location still remains a mysteiy. 



The retiring President, Dr. S. M. Mouser, read an address in 

 which he referred to the increase in membership of the Society 

 during the past year, and said, " From every quarter we hear of 

 renewed interest in microscopical matters, and find our own Society 



