PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 211 
aside, the picrate of aniline will crystallize in yellow needles. The 
film for the microscope is formed from a solution of these needles 
in absolute alcohol, a drop of which being spread over a clean, hot 
glass slide, the crystallized film is at once produced by the rapid 
evaporation of the alcohol, if the slide be at the proper degree of 
heat, which can only be found by repeated trials. If too hot, the 
salt mal melt and become partially decomposed ; if not hot enough, 
it will be crystallized in needles, or be deposited as an amorphous 
film. When properly crystallized, circular radiated discs will ap- 
pear, with more or less regularity, showing with the polariscope 
very brilliant colours, and a black cross in the centre. The crys- 
tallized films may be mounted in new soft balsam; but a mixture 
of chloroform and balsam dissolves them immediately. 
The Natural History Society presented for distribution amongst 
the members a number of beetles not required for the museum. 
Mr. Nevill reported upon the fossil foraminiferous shells found 
in the Montreal deposit, presented by Mr. R. D. Darbishire at the 
last meeting. They were mostly in a fine state of preservation, 
and many were as perfect as recent shells. He found— 
Polystomella, Entoselenia marginata, 
Nonionina umbilicatula, ee globosa, very fine, 
Polymorphina lactea, Patalina corrugata, 
Miliolina seminulum, Textularia, 
Entoselenia squamosa, var. sca- Dentalina, 
lariformis, Lagena vulgaris. 
Ditto, of a peculiar form and 
rare, 
The Polystomella and Nonionina were in great profusion; the 
other kinds were scarce; but Mr. Nevill was of opinion that re- 
markably fine specimens might be found of all the various kinds, if 
there were a larger quantity of material to operate upon. Mr. 
Nevill was indebted to the worthy President of the section, Pro- 
fessor Williamson, for verifying the names, and he presented to the 
section mounted and named slides for the cabinet. No Diatomaceze 
were found amongst the material. 
Dr. Alcock exhibited a young living salmon, about fourteen days 
old, attached to part of the ovum. Dr. Alcock particularly called 
attention to the form of the vertebral column, which, whilst young, 
is similar to that of the lower grade of cartilaginous fishes when 
fully grown; the skeleton of the salmon, however, becomes gradu- 
ally changed, until at maturity it is that of the higher class of 
osseous fishes. 
Dr. Alcock also exhibited a lingual riband of the Patella athletica, 
from Bray, in Ireland; he compared it with that of the common 
limpet, Patella vulgata, and pointed out the differences in the form 
of the teeth. 
Dr. Roberts exhibited some mounted specimens of blood-cor- 
puscles from an albuminous urine, which showed an appearance as 
