1898.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 127 



elaborate notes for the benefit of those persons who wish 

 to make a serious study of the objects or to g'ain exper- 

 ience and efficiency in somewhat advanced fields of 

 research. These boxes each contain one botanical and 

 one zoolog"ical specimen. Most of the notes have been 

 made by Dr. Ward, Dr. Shanks and C. M. Vorce. Others 

 are invited to contribute for next year. Some of the 

 members have testified their hig-h appreciation of the 

 boxes and the notes as being- superior to any of past years. 

 The membership is divided into circuits. While a box 

 is passing- throug-h a circuit, including- six or' eig-ht 

 addresses, it is out of sig-ht of the Secretary. If the box 

 fails to complete its circuit on time, the Secretary is put 

 to g-reat trouble in tracing it. This is where "one sinner 

 destroyeth much good." Last year a circuit was neces- 

 sarily dropped because no boxes could be g-ot throug-h it 

 or could even by any amount of special effort be got back 

 from it except after months of delay which was simply ruin 

 ous to the plans of the officers. It would g-ive us pleasure 

 to publish the names of the members of that circuit if the 

 officers would kindly furnish them to us. If, however, 

 they neg-lect the system of fines, sug-gested above, they 

 will loose a part of our sympathy. There are some vacan 

 cies in the well behaved circuits and co-operation is 

 desired in finding- suitable persons to be made new 

 members. 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Preserving Media for Biological Preparations. — The 

 following- fluids are recommended by Amann for pre- 

 serving- biolog-ical specimens : Ladophenol : Carbolic acid, 

 20; lactic acid, 20; g-lycerin, 40; distilled water, 20 parts. 

 Recommended for fronds of mosses, hepaticse, fungi, and 

 alg-ae. Ladophenol copper solution : Crystallized chloride of 

 copper, 0'2 part ; crystalised acetate of copper 0*2 part ; 

 distilled water, 95"0 parts ; lactophenol, 5*0 parts. For 

 preserving- chlorophyll, recommended for Demidiaceae, 

 Palmadaceae, Confervas, etc. Concentrated lactophenol copper 



