52 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [March, 
zoologists could be induced to imitate the botanists in securing a strong attend- 
ance it would add very greatly to the interest of the biological section as well 
as to the great good of scientific zoology. It is not to be understood from this 
that we entertain any feeling of jealousy toward the botanists ; such is by no 
means the case. We are catholic in our opinion of all science-workers, and 
entertain the deepest interest toward the science of botany, which is so closely 
linked with zoology that neither can go alone. We do not contemplate any 
division between these sections or consider it at all desirable. We do not 
write this because of any feeling lest we as zoologists are beaten by the bota- 
nists. We only feel that at present the zoological work of the Association is 
not up to the high standard which the workers in that subject are abundantly 
able to maintain if their interest for the society could be aroused. 
This condition of affairs is not to be explained wholly upon the apparent 
ground of lack of interest on the part of the zoologists ; for the most part they 
are kept very busy at their posts of observation in the summer and cannot leave. 
The Fish Commission, the members of Prof. Agassiz’s party, the Chesapeake 
Zoological Laboratory, under Dr. W. K. Brooks; the Anisquam party, the 
Princeton workers, and others, who are the leaders of zoological work in 
America, are obliged to use the summer for work, and many, no doubt, feel 
that they cannot find time to attend. Some of these, through the interest of 
a zoological club, might often be brought to the meetings or furnish matter 
helpful to the cause when unable to be present. 
Microscopic slides. 
We are glad to speak a word of hearty commendation.in favor of the his- 
tological work of Mr. Arthur J. Dougherty, who has sent us a number of 
slides for examination and comment. As for the workmanship in the mat- 
ter of mounting it is fully equal to that of the famous Cole slides and in the 
same style. But far more important than the finely ground slides, handsome 
printed labels on neutral-tinted paper, and perfect rings, is the mode of 
treatment of the specimens. One fine section is of the injected liver of cat ; 
hepatic vein blue and portal vein red; it exhibits the vascular arrangement 
perfectly. A second section is of the bronchia of sheep at the root of the 
lung, with air-cells showing finely. This is double-stained with logwood and 
eosin. The eosin has not added to the value of the section, except to redden 
the parts which the hematoxylin failed to stain. As these are merely the 
connective tissues, they could have been left unstained without essential det- 
riment to the value of the specimen for illustrating the lung histology. The 
epithelium of the air-cells is beautifully shown; sections of the pulmonary 
aorta fairly well shown. The piece is too large to permit of thin enough sec- 
tion to demonstrate perfectly the bronchial epithelium, but the shapes of the 
cells can be well seen and, in some few places, the cilia upon the free surface. 
Apparently the tissue was not preserved with a view to demonstrating such 
minute details, but to show the general relations of parts with as much detail 
as possible. A transverse section of the stem of Auscus aculiatus, stained 
with carmine and iodine-green, is very fine. Besides these are preparations of 
tongue of hive-bee and opaque mounts of Foraminifera from Jersey and 
Polycestina from Bermuda. 
It is not too much to say that in these mounts Mr. Dougherty exhibits the 
finest kind of work in this line, and also that his mounts are among the most 
valuable for the purposes of the student of histological structure. 
oO 
WE are pained to notice the death of Dr. Bernard Persh, late hospital 
