116 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



with it retain their form, colour, and flexibility in the most perfect 

 manner. The objects to be preserved are placed in the fluid, 

 and left in it for from six to twelve days, after which they are 

 dried in the air. The ligaments remain soft and movable, and 

 the animals or plants remain fit for anatomical study for long 

 periods. The formula for the fluid is as follows : — Dissolve loo 

 grains of alum, 25 grains common salt, 12 grains saltpetre, 60 

 grains potash, 10 grains arsenious acid, in 7 ozs. of boiling 

 water. Filter the solution, and when cold to 5 ozs. of the solu- 

 tion add 2 ozs. of glycerine and Yq, oz. of methyl alcohol. — 

 Knoioledge, August, 1899. 



To Preserve Spiders and Myriapods. — Mix thoroughly 

 half an ounce of Wickersheim's solution, half an ounce of glycerine, 

 and an ounce and a half of distilled water, then add ten ounces of 

 ninety-five per cent, alcohol. It is said that alcohol which has 

 been previously used for preserving mites and spiders is preferable 

 to fresh alcohol, as the former already contains some of the fats 

 dissolved out of the specimens. This fluid preserves the colouring 

 of the specimens, and keeps them flexible. — Knowledge, August, 

 1899. 



The A.A.A.S. — The eighth session of the Australasian Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Science, which will be held, under 

 the presidency of Mr. R. L. J. Ellery, at the University of Mel- 

 bourne on glh January next, should prove an extremely successful 

 gathering. Councillor M'Eacharn, the Mayor of Melbourne, will 

 officially welcome the Association, and has kindly promised his 

 assistance in other ways. The Mayors of Ballarat city and town 

 have also offered official patronage, and at Bendigo a welcome 

 will be extended to members of the A.A.A.S., who will be invited 

 to visit the chief places of interest in the locality. Evening 

 lectures, excursions for geologists and engineers, and numerous 

 entertainments of a social nature are being arranged. The 

 list of papers to be read before the ten sections and titles of the 

 presidential addresses is a varied and interesting one. Tickets of 

 membership, costing ;£i each, will entitle the holders to attend 

 all the meetings and entertainments, and to purchase tickets for 

 the excursions. Ladies' tickets, at los., which will admit the 

 holders to all the privileges of full members, except the right to 

 receive the printed report, will also be available to full members. 

 Subscriptions should" be sent without delay to the hon. secretary. 

 Professor Baldwin Spencer, the University of Melbourne. 



"Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds." — In an earnest 

 letter in a recent Argus the Mayor of INIelbourne advocates the 

 claims of Mr. A. J. Campbell's projected work to the support of 

 all lovers of nature and of Australian literature, and trusts that 

 the 150 subscribers yet required will soon be obtained. 



