1884.] 



MICBOSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



215 



5. Transverse section of lung of a 

 frog. C. M. Burgess. A stained sec- 

 tion which, if it was well cut in the 

 first place, has lost its value in the 

 mounting. 



6. Tentacle of jelly-fish. M. S. 

 W^iard. Showing lasso-cells, nema- 

 tocysts or stinging organs. This is 

 an uncommon preparation, and is 

 therefore of interest. It is a difficult 

 object to preserve, and glycerin 

 seems not to be the most desirable 

 medium for it. Probably a mixture 

 of glycerin, alcohol, and water 

 would have preserved the soft tissue 

 far better. Such an object requires 

 something in the mounting fluid to 

 harden it and prevent disintegration. 



Box W, contributed by gentlemen 

 of Camden, N. J., reached us Oct. 

 1 8th. It seems that the microscopists 

 of Camden are either very industrious 

 preparers, or else they make special 

 eftbrts to have good specimens for the 

 club-boxes. This box contains some 

 preparations, which, taken in con- 

 nection with the explanations of the 

 letter-package, are exceedingly good. 



1. Head and antennae of the male 

 moth Argyia Leucostlgma. J. L. 

 de la Cour. This is the moth which 

 has threatened destruction to the trees 

 in New York city, by feeding upon 

 their leaves. The preparation is a 

 good one of its kind, but how very 

 much better it would be had it been 

 mounted in a cell without pressure. 



2. Aspidiotus Coccus Glover it ^ 

 orange scale insect. J. L. de la Cour. 

 This preparation was remounted by 

 Prof. S. H. Gage, as an accident had 

 happened to it. It shows the scales 

 well. The insect can be obtained 

 from oranges by picking oft' the dark 

 spots or scales, and Mr. Vorce adds 

 a note to the eftect that they make 

 fine objects when mounted in balsam 

 or damar by the carbolic acid method, 

 when they will show the eggs in one 

 end and the shrunken insect in the 

 other. 



3. Larva of the flea. Albert P. 

 Brown. Some eggs were placed in 

 a box, and in a few days the larvae 



hatched out. After nine days they 

 assumed the pupa stage, and in a few 

 days more the perfect fleas were 

 found. Desiring to mount the eggs 

 the preparer was not able to preserve 

 them. 



Mr. Vorce adds that he has used 

 carbolic acid to kill eggs of lepidop- 

 tera for dry mounts. It does not af- 

 fect their appearance. 



4. Uric acid. Albert P. Brown. 

 Deposited from urine in groups. A 

 fine preparation. 



5. Marine diatoms from Tampa 

 Bay. C. H. Kain. Referred to in 

 the article by C. Stodder in this Jour- 

 nal, February, 1883. 



6. Heliopelta Ehrenbergii. C. 

 H. Kain. A series of seven speci- 

 mens from the Nottingham, Md., de- 

 posit, showing variation in the size 

 and number of rays in diatoms known 

 under this name. The synonyme is 

 given in the letter as follows : — 



With 3 rays, H. Metii, Ehr., H. 

 Selliqucril^ Ralfs. 



With 4 rays, //. Lecwenhoekii^ 

 Ehr., H. Met a, Ralfs. 



With 5 rays, Eulcri, Ehr., H. 

 Leeivenhcekii^ Ralfs. 



With 6 rays, H. Selltguerii, Ehr., 

 H. Enterii^ Ralfs. 



With 7 rays, specific name, if given, 

 not known. 



With 8 rays, specific name, if given, 

 not known. 



Specimens are rarely fovmd with 

 nine rays. 



This slide will receiv^e the attention 

 of students of the diatoms. It is of 

 especial interest in showing the great 

 range in size as well as variation in 

 markings. 



Microscopical Societies. — 

 Throughout the country there are 

 numerous associations of microsco- 

 pists meeting from time to time for 

 the mutual benefit of their members. 

 There are always a few leading 

 spirits in each organization who have 

 the responsibility of maintaining the 

 interest in, and providing papers for, 



