206 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Nov 



in 2,300 fathoms, polycistina from Spring-field estate, Bar- 

 bados, etc. Mr. A. Earland had cleaned the forameni- 

 feral sand for distribution and would supply those de- 

 siring- some. Thanks were voted to Messrs. Scott and 

 Earland. On November 18, Mr. Harris will read a paper 

 on org-anisms invading- calcareous and other Organic 

 Remains. 



Washington Society. — At the reg-ular monthly meeting- 

 held on November 8th at the rooms of Dr. Reyburn an 

 abstract was presented of Foster's lecture on the Physi 

 cal Basis of Psychical Events. 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Imbedding Lichens. — For many lichens a harder g-rade 

 of paraffin must be used than for most veg-etable struc- 

 tures. A mixture of hard and soft paraffin, which melts 

 at about 60 degrees C, is recommended. Clear the 

 specimens in pure xylol, and to this add small pieces of 

 paraffin, keepings the dish warm at the same time both to 

 increase the solvent power of the xylol and also g-radually 

 and finally to evaporate it all. Bj'^ this means the material 

 is slowly warmed and penetrated with paraffin. After re- 

 maining- in melted paraffin absolutely free from xylol for 

 three hours the subject may be imbedded. The sections 

 should be very thin, and before cutting- the block should 

 be chilled to somewhat below 20 deg-rees C. The microtome 

 knife must be very hard, sharp and rig-id. Stain by any of 

 the usual methods. — Science Gossip. 



Photo-Micrography of Opaque Objects. — At a recent 

 meeting- of the Botanical Society of Edinburg-h, Mr. R. 

 A. Robertson, M. A., B. Sc, read a paper on "A New 

 Method for the Photo-microg-raphy of Opaque Stem Sec- 

 tions." One difficulty in making- photo-microg-raphs from 

 recent or fossil stem sections is the trouble of g-etting- a 

 sufficiently larg-e section to bring- out diag-nostic features. 

 Another is, that it is a difficult process to cut and g-rind 

 and polish larg-e sections of fossils for photog-raphy by 

 transmitted lig-ht. Neither can one always g-et permission 



