MOUNTING /.\ SECTS. 



from around the cov< with a warm knife, .-111(1 then m 



soft tooth-brush with a mixture of equal parte of alcohol and aqua 



ammonia, and a Blight rubbing will clean the slide with very little 



danger. 



A 1 1 < r removing the superfluous balsam and cleaning the slide, 

 finish by spinning a ring around the cover with the cement made from 

 iln follow ing formula: 



Gum dammar. 7~> grains. 



Gum mastic 45 



( anada balsam, evaporated to dryness 45 



Chloroform 180 " 



Spirits turpentine 100 " 



Mix and dissolve. 



Method of Preparing Minute Entomostraca, Mites, Spiders, Insects, 

 etc.— •• The specimens should be killed*bj adding a few drops of 



OSmk acid tO the water; when they fall tO the bottom they are to 

 betaken up and placed in alcohol of 30 percent, from which they 

 are to be transferred to alcohol of 50 per cent, then to cochineal 

 solution in 70 per cent alcohol, then washed repeatedly in To per 

 cent alcohol, then placed in 90 per cent alcohol, and tinallv in absolute 

 alcohol. Then a small quantity of oil of cloves is poured into the 

 alcohol, and at the line of juncture of the two liquids the specimens 



become permeated with the oil. They are then to he transferred to 

 clear oil of cloves, and tinallv when perfectly char mounted in < anada 

 balsam, or embedded in paraffine and cut in By tins 



method specimens can be obtained with absolutel} no shrinking 

 the protoplasm." (M. M. Hartog, Journ, Royal Microscopical 

 Society, London.) 



Carbolic Acid in Balsam Mounting. Put the living insect into 

 carbolic acid;* this in a few minutest chars the object, rendering it 

 transparent and apparently wholly destitute of \ ;- • ihi biting 



elearlj the sexual organs. Drain off the superfluous acid and mount 

 without pressure in moderately thick balsam. The acid docs not 

 harden the object, hut it remains perfectly flexible tor a long lime. 

 (C. M. Yorce, Science Gossip, June, 1880, p. I 19 Roy. 



Micr. Soc, 1881, 139.) 



Killing and Preserving Insects. — Mr. (1. W. Vicki rs approves of 

 Mr. Vorce's method stated above, and des< »wn mode of 



procedure. " Placea drop of the [carbolic] a< re ( rystallized 



•Liquefied crystals. — N. N. M. 



| Some insects should remain for a day or more. — N V M. 



