62 THE MICROSCOPE. Apr. 



to the ovary but that each tube is intimately attached to a stig- 

 matic process, and it looks as if these processes acted as hausto- 

 ria and that the act of fertilization was carried on by suction 



and absorption. 



Here is a field where the amateur microscopist may win im- 

 mortality. 



Quick Methods of Staining Tubercle Bacilli. — Take the 

 sputum of i)ulmonary consumption or one of the little tubercles 

 found therein ; thinly spread on cover-glass in air, pass thrice 

 through spirit lamp flame to fix. Stain five minutes in Nel- 

 son's Dye, (Fuchsine 1 part, 5-100 aqueous solution of Carbolic 

 acid 100 parts, alcohol 10 parts, mix and filter) w^ash in acid 

 alcohol (hydrochloric acid 1 part, alcohol 10 parts) until decol- 

 orized, dry on hot glass slide and mount in warm pure balsam. 



The whole process can be easily completed in half an hour. 

 If a double stain be desired use Baumgarten's Quick Method : 



I. — Cover-glass prepared as aforesaid. 



II. — Float for three minutes on the following steaming hot, 

 in a watch glass. Aniline aq. 2 parts, saturated alcoholic solu- 

 tions of fuchsine 1 part. mix. 



III. — Then 4 to 5 minutes in the following : 



Di>tilled water 50 parts. 



Alcohol 30 parts. 



Nitric acid 20 parts. 



Methyl Blue to saturation, mix. 



ANOTHER METHOD. 



Prepare cover-glass as above stated. Stain in w^arm carbolic 

 fuchsine, then pass the cover-glass to and fro through water at 

 nearly the boiling point until but a faint rosy tinge remains. 

 One or two minutes are usually sufficient and the specimen is 

 ready for immediate examination. 



Arranged Scales of Synapta. — A veritable " Oh My " slide 

 can be ]3repared by arranging the anchors and plates of Synapta 

 as an opaque mount. Mount them on a dark background in a 

 deep cell ; arrange in a circle with the rims of the anchors 

 pointing outward and the i3lates toward the center. Four 

 plates in the form of a cross in the center, with an anchor at 

 each extremity of the cross and an anchor at each angle will 

 make a beautiful and instructive slide. 



