Proceedings of Scientific Societies. ' 4g 



ing the interior of the body will be expelled. To dehydrate or 

 remove the watery portion, absolute alcohol is generally recom- 

 mended, but the lecturer contended that it was expensive and 

 not always at hand, while ecjually good results would follow by 

 l)lacing; an ounce or two of refined gelatine in a vessel, pouring' 

 on alcohol of 95 per cent, and immersing the object for a short 

 time — the gelatine, from its affinity for water absorbing that fiuid 

 from both the object and alcohol. 



The insect is then placed in oil of cloves to clear or render it 

 transparent, and is ready for mounting permanently in balsam. 

 By this method, the insect is rendered entirely transparent, the 

 peculiar geometrical markings of the wings, the abdominal and 

 thoracic rings and the various parts forming the head and limbs, 

 are beautifully displayed. 



In preparing- the Lepidoptera, a somewhat different course is 

 pursued, as the wings of all butterflies and moths, being covered 

 with easily detached scales, must be protected. The butterfly 

 or moth is placed on a square of glass and liquid paraffine flowed 

 carefully over the entire insect. After cooling, a small aperture 

 is made, exposing a portion of the body and caustic potash in- 

 jected; the subsequent operations being the same as for beetles, 

 excepting that sulphuric ether must be used to dissolve off the 

 paraffine, leaving the soft velvety covering of the wings unim- 

 })aired. 



In this manner are prepared the beetles, dragon-flies, bees, 

 wasps, caterpillars, etc., and when mounted in balsam, they 

 form some of the most beautiful and instructive objects imagina- 

 ble whether viewed through the microscope or projected on the 

 screen. Mr. Leckenby exhibited many fine specimens ot his 

 handiness in preparing and mounting the difterent orders of the 

 insect world, noticeable among which were a gigantic tarantula, 

 several gorgeous Papilios, fierce-looking dragon-flies, beetles, 

 wasps and a large collection of small objects. 



April 24, 1889. — A fine series of photographs was exhibited, 

 containing come graphic enlargements on the new Eastman bro- 

 mide paper. This process of enlarging on bromide paper pro- 

 duces excellent results, the effect when exposure and negatives 

 are properly manipulated being almost tqual to steel engravings. 

 Examples were shown of Pleurosigma Angulatum the negatives 

 of which were taken at a magnification of sixteen hundred 

 diameters. 



The bromide process commends itself to those interested in 

 photomicography by its simplicity compared with the tedious 

 work of printing from silver paper. 



Mr. Lickenby concluded his practical demonstration of pre- 

 paring and mounting insects in balsam. It is cpiite difficult in 

 preparing many of the smaller forms of insects to remove the de- 



