Miscellaneous. 1 
Processes for the Preservation of the Lower Marine Animals. 
By M. Mavricr Bepor. 
The author particularly describes a new process which he has 
invented by means of which Siphonophora may be preserved without 
the separation of a single appendage of the colony from the stem. 
To obtain good results the following method is to be adopted :— 
A solution of sulphate of copper of 15-20 per cent. is made in 
distilled water (the strength may vary a little according to the 
species to be operated upon). Then the colony to be fixed is thrown 
quickly into this solution, and in doing this a considerable quantity 
of sea-water is at the same time poured in. The solution of sulphate 
of copper must therefore be of about ten times the volume of the 
sea-water. When the Siphonophore is fixed (which is effected in a 
few minutes) some drops of nitric acid are added to the solution, 
and it is stirred very gently with a glass rod, to prevent the forma- 
tion of a precipitate. 
The Siphonophore is left for four or five hours in this solution, 
and then hardened before placing it in alcohol. For the latter pur- 
pose several hardening reagents may beemployed. The best results 
are obtained by employing Flemming’s liquid, composed of 15 parts 
of chromic acid of 1 per cent., 4 parts of osmic acid of 2 per cent., 
and 1 part of glacial acetic acid. As it is desirable as much as 
possible to avoid touching the Siphonophore or changing its vessel 
before it is completely hardened, the following is the mode of 
operation :—Part of the solution of sulphate of copper is removed, 
leaving only sufficient to cover the Siphonophore. Then the 
Flemming’s liquid is gently poured in and left to act for twenty- 
four hours at least. The volume of this liquid employed must be 
about double that of the solution of sulphate of copper. 
The most important operation in the preservation of these animals 
is the transfer into alcohol, which must be very slow and gradual. 
First there are added to the liquid containing the Siphonophore a 
few drops of alcohol of 25 per cent., introduced by means of a 
pipette as far as possible from the colony. Then the dose and the 
concentration of the alcohol are gradually increased. This operation 
must go on at least for a fortnight before alcohol of 70 per cent. can 
be employed. ‘The final preservation is made in alcohol of 90 per 
cent. The results obtained are better in proportion as the transfer 
into the alcohol has been slow. ‘This rule is a general one in the 
preservation of all pelagic animals. Chloride and acetate of copper 
may also be employed; but they do not give such good results. 
The solution of sulphate of copper may also be employed with 
success in fixing a number of pelagic animals, such as certain Cteno- 
phora, Medus, Pteropoda, Heteropoda, Tunicata, &c.; but it is 
always well to harden them after fixation.— Bibl. Univ., Archives 
des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles, June 15, 1889, p. 556. 
