ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 341 



B. Collecting, Mounting and Examining Objects, «&c.* 



Net for Catching Small Free-swimming Animals.f— Herr F. E. 

 Scbulze's modification of the ordinary gauze net, which, by reason of 

 its sides collapsing when withdrawn from the water, damages the 

 small animals within it, consists of a hemispherical cap of horsehair 

 cloth. Its circular margin is fastened to a light tin ring, and the 

 hinder part of the gauze net is sewn to the inside. Although 

 stiff, it is perfectly elastic, returning to its original form immediately 

 after being tilted forward, which must be done every time the net is 

 emj)tied of its contents. 



As thus adapted, it Tvill be found that the imprisoned animals lie 

 on the smooth, outstretched horsehair part of the net. As the 

 gauze net also has its own ring of tin, the horsehair cap and ring 

 can be pushed over it, and the two are made fast by a kind of 

 bayonet-joint and a couple of pegs fitted to the ring. 



Mud Pipette. J — Herr F. E. Schulze employs the following appa- 

 ratus on zoological excursions for obtaining small animals : — 



It consists of a glass tube about as thick as the finger, and 

 30-40 cm. long. One end is somewhat narrowed, and the other pro- 

 vided with a projecting rim. An elastic tube, about as thick as a goose 

 quill, is drawn over it, and both are fastened to an ordinary walking- 

 stick by bending a piece of brass wire 3 mm. thick into a figure of 8 

 shape. The eyes are about 10 mm. in diameter, and are bent towards 

 each other at a right angle. Through one eye another brass wire 

 ring, 8 mm. in diameter, is drawn, and this is fastened to the stick by 

 means of a caoutchouc ring 12 mm. in diameter and 8 mm. broad. 

 The figure of 8 thus hangs down free, the lower limb projecting out- 

 wards. The elastic pipe is then drawn first through the lower 

 horizontal eye, and then through the upper vertical eye. The glass 

 pipette depends just beneath the former. The tube is held in the 

 left hand, the stick in the right, and the tube having been com- 

 pressed, the pipette is sunk into the water. Pressure is now 

 relaxed, the water rises, and the animal having been caught, pressure 

 is again applied, and the stick removed. 



Method of Spore Germination. § — In view of the difficulty 

 experienced in growing the spores of those Pteridophytes whose 

 prothallia are destitute of chlorophyll, the following experiments by 

 Mr. D. H. Campbell, though incomplete, may perhaps be of service 

 for further investigations : — 



The spores were sown upon the surface of fine earth, in shallow 

 earthen saucers, and covered with small frames constructed as follows : 



* This subdivision contains (1) Collecting Objects; (2) Preparing, (a) in 

 general, (h) special objects ; (3) Separate processes prior to making sections ; 

 (4) Cutting, including Imbedding and Microtomes ; (5) Staining and Injecting ; 

 (6) Mounting, including preservative fluids, cells, slides, and cabinets ; (7) Ex- 

 amining objects, including Testing ; (8) Miscellaneous matters. 



t SB. Gcsell. Naturf. Freuudu, Berlin, 1885, pp. 178-9. 



i Ibid., pp. 179-80. § Bot. Gazette, x. (1885) p. 428. 



