236 | Answers to Queries. 
water ; 5—Dry ; 6—If necessary, boil with caustic potash; 7— 
Wash out all potash ; 8—Dry ; 9—Re-float in a beaker ; 1o—Dry 
and mount. Always mount Foraminifera dry and view as opaque 
object. J. A. Hoe. 
433.—Red Snow.—The red snow plant (Protococcus | Palmella| 
Nivalis) sometimes tints large tracts of snow in Arctic and Alpine 
regions. ‘The colour extends for many feet downwards. For- 
merly, the plant was considered to be a Protococcus (in which the’ 
cells have little or no attraction for one another). But it has now 
been proved that its cells are connected by a gelatinous invest- 
ment, which places it under the Pa/mellez. Hence the corrected 
name. J. A. Hoge: 
435.—Glycerine Mounts.—Sooner or later, glycerine is sure to 
find its way through the cement. The best thing you can do is to 
wipe off any glycerine which has escaped, and put on a thick coat 
of gold-size. Glycerine mounts should have a ring of new cement 
every year. ]. A: WHoce: 
438 —Sections of Teeth.—For examination of teeth with bio- 
plasm, etc., the following may be of use :—Break up a freshly- 
extracted tooth with a hammer, and transfer pieces to Beale’s 
carmine fluid. Leave it so ina warm room for one or two days. 
Then pour off the carmine and add dilute glycerine. After a few 
hours pour off the dilute glycerine, and add strong glycerine with 
acetic acid (5 drops to 1 oz.). If it is desired to study the nerve 
arrangement, a few drops of chromic acid solution must be added. 
The tooth may be removed in four days to glycerine and acetic 
acid. A number of sections are cut from the broken surface with 
a strong knife and examined in glycerine. If desired, finally 
mount the sections in acid and glycerine. J. A. Hoce. 
441.—Fresh-water Sponges.—Sponges should be drained and 
quickly dried without pressure. Thin sections should be made 
both along and at right angles to the surface. ‘These should be 
placed in water on the slide, the water drained off, and the sponge 
allowed to dry. They should then be mounted in balsam and 
benzole, taking great care to remove all air-bubbles. The spicules 
of sponge are best obtained by boiling the sponge with nitric acid 
until the organic matter breaks up. The flinty deposit is then 
washed by adding water, allowing the spicules to subside and 
pouring off. This is repeated till all acid is removed, and the 
spicules are then mounted in balsam. J. A. Hoece. 
