142 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [June, 



For larvae of insects, spiders, and other small delicate objects, take 

 glycerine, i oz. ; common salt, i dr. ; saltpetre, i dr. ; distilled water, 

 8 "oz. Mix. 



When wanted for use, take two parts alcohol and one part of the 

 mixture ; shake well together and filter. 



For delicate objects intended for dissection, the following is recom- 

 mended, as it keeps the specimens flaccid : Chloral crystals, i oz. ; 

 distilled water, 5 oz. ; alcohol (95 per cent.), i^ oz. ; glycerine, i^ dr. ; 

 rock salt, 15 grs. ; saltpetre, 30 grs. 



Dissolve the chloral in the water ; dissolve the glycerine, salt, and 

 saltpetre in the alcohol ; mix the two solutions; shake" well and filter. 

 Specimens to be preserved in this solution should be placed in alcohol 

 for a day or two, but if wanted for dissection or only to be kept a few 

 weeks, the alcoholic bath may be omitted. 



Keep all specimens away from the light. — Nicolas Pike in Scie?itif,c 

 American. 



Cleaning Diatoms. — J. J. Moles says, in the English Mechanic: 

 Having had a little experience in cleaning a large number of different 

 earths, I have found that each deposit requires a special treatment ; but, 

 as a rule, the following will prove useful : First, boil the material in 

 hydrochloric acid for two or three minutes in test tube ; allow to settle, 

 pour oft' the clean portion, substitute nitric acid, of course both pure. 

 Boil again for two or three minutes, then wash well in distilled water 

 in a tall beaker, allowing the sediment to settle ; repeat the washing till 

 all acid is removed. Now examine on slide. Should the deposit not 

 now be clean, boil with a small portion of soap ; this removes a lot of 

 " flock." Wash again to remove the soap, then decant, and add liq. 

 ammon. fort, for twenty or thirty seconds. Lastly, wash well in dis- 

 tilled water ; this leaves the frustules shai"p and brilliant. 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETIES. 



Washington, D. C. — L. M. Mooers, Sec^y. 



May 3(5. — A paper was read by Dr. V. A. Moore on " A method 

 of'fixing sections to cover-glasses." 



Miss M. A. Booth, Longmeadow, Mass., was elected a correspond- 

 ing member. 



June g. — Dr. Thomas Taylor read a paper on some recent methods 

 employed by him in the investigation of fats and oils in determining 

 their properties, purity, and adulterations. Among the exhibits was a 

 new mineral fat, of which' more may possibly be heard, and a speci- 

 men of cloth taken from a mummy embalmed nine hundred and fifty 

 years before Christ. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Review of the Prang Course in Form Study and Drawing. By 

 Dr. Arnold Dodel. Prang Educational Co., Boston. Pp. 35. 

 This pamphlet, which is a translation from Pcedagogium., Leipzig, 

 bestows very high pi-aise upon the earnest efforts begun in this country 



