OF MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 137 



pencil will render the adhesion complete, and cement the 

 cover closely and firmly to the cell. When dry, an outer 

 ring of asphalt makes the mounting neat and complete. 



The Fungi have been before mentioned ; but it may be 

 here stated that some few of the minute forms are best pre- 

 served in a very shallow cell of liquid. For this purpose 

 creosote-water may be advantageously used. 



The antennae of insects have been before noticed as being 

 very beautiful when mounted in balsam. This is readily 

 accomplished when they are large ; but those of the most 

 minute insects are much more difficult to deal with, and are 

 less liable to injury when put up in fluid. Goadlys Fluid 

 serves this purpose very well ; but, of course, the object 

 must be thoroughly steeped in the liquid before it is 

 mounted, for a longer or shorter time according to the 

 thickness. 



The eggs of insects afford some worthy objects for the 

 microscope, amongst which may be mentioned those of the 

 common cabbage butterflies (small and great), the meadow- 

 brown, the puss-moth, the tortoiseshell butterfly, the bug, 

 the cow-dung fly, &c. These, however, shrivel up on be- 

 coming dry, and must, therefore, be preserved in some of 

 the fluids before mentioned. To accomplish this no parti- 

 cular directions are required ; but the soaking in the liquid 

 about to be employed, &c., must be attended to as with other 

 objects. 



Glycerine may be advantageously used for the preserva- 

 tion of various insects. These should first be cleaned with 

 alcohol to get rid of all extraneous matter, and then, after 

 soaking in glycerine, be mounted with it like other objects. 

 There is, however, a difficulty in clearing glycerine from 

 the edge of the thin glass cover; but Mr. Whalley told me 

 he met with no annoyance. After laying the cover upon the 

 object with the glycerine, he took away all the superfluous 

 liquid with a small piece of linen, cleaning it at last with a 

 damped piece of the same. The small quantity of water 

 which gets mingled with the glycerine does no injury, and 



